Сначала я проверю билет, а потом пойду к вокзалу.

It means first ... and then ... and is used to show the order of actions.

• сначала = first, at first
• потом = then, afterwards
• а потом often sounds like and then / and after that

So the sentence is clearly divided into two steps:

1. check the ticket
2. go toward the station

Because both verbs are perfective.

In Russian, perfective verbs do not have a true present tense. Their present-looking forms actually refer to the future.

So:

• проверю = I will check
• пойду = I will go / I will set off

Both are 1st person singular forms, matching я.

Perfective verbs are used because the speaker is talking about single, complete actions:

• проверю билет = I will check the ticket once, as a completed action
• пойду к вокзалу = I will set off/go toward the station

The sentence is about a sequence of completed steps, so perfective aspect is very natural.

If you used imperfective forms, the meaning would change. It would sound more like process, repetition, or duration rather than two neat completed actions.

Because the sentence is about the future, not the present.

• иду = I am going / I go
• пойду = I will go / I will set off

Also, пойти is the perfective partner of идти. It often emphasizes the beginning of the movement: I’ll head off or I’ll start going.

That fits well with сначала ... а потом ..., where one action happens and then the speaker goes somewhere.

Because билет is the direct object of проверю, so it is in the accusative case.

For an inanimate masculine singular noun like билет, the accusative form is the same as the nominative:

• nominative: билет
• accusative: билет

So although the case has changed grammatically, the form stays the same.

Because Russian has no articles.

Russian does not have separate words for a, an, or the. Whether билет means a ticket, the ticket, or sometimes even my ticket depends on context.

So проверю билет could mean:

• I’ll check the ticket
• I’ll check a ticket

The exact meaning comes from the situation, not from an article.

Вокзалу is in the dative singular.

That is because the preposition к normally takes the dative case and means to, toward, or up to.

So:

• вокзал = station
• к вокзалу = toward the station / up to the station

This is why the ending changes from -ал to -алу.

These two phrases are similar, but not identical.

• к вокзалу = toward the station, up to the station, near the station
• на вокзал = to the station, as a destination

So к вокзалу focuses more on movement in the direction of the station or up to it, while на вокзал more strongly suggests going to the station itself as the destination.

In many real-life situations, both can be possible, but the nuance is different.

Because пойти / идти usually refers to going on foot, while поехать / ехать refers to going by vehicle.

So:

• пойду к вокзалу = I’ll walk/go toward the station
• поеду к вокзалу = I’ll go toward the station by transport

The sentence as written suggests the speaker will go there on foot, or at least uses the walking verb.

Not always.

Russian often drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows the subject clearly. So you could also say:

• Сначала проверю билет, а потом пойду к вокзалу.

That still clearly means I because проверю and пойду are both 1st person singular.

Using я is still completely normal. It can add clarity, emphasis, or just sound more explicit.

Because it is not necessary.

Once я has already been stated, Russian often leaves it out in the second clause if the subject is obviously the same. The verb ending already tells you who is doing the action:

• пойду already means I will go

You could say а потом я пойду к вокзалу, and that would also be correct, but the version without the second я sounds natural and efficient.

Because а is joining two clauses, and each clause has its own verb:

• я проверю билет
• потом пойду к вокзалу

In Russian, a comma is normally used before coordinating conjunctions like а when they connect separate clauses.

So the comma here is standard punctuation.

Both are possible, but а потом is especially natural when telling events in sequence.

• потом = then, afterwards
• а потом = and then / but then / and after that

Here а does not strongly mean but. It helps separate the two stages and gives the sentence a smooth narrative flow.

So Сначала ..., а потом ... is a very common pattern in Russian.

Yes. Russian word order is fairly flexible.

For example, these are all possible:

• Сначала я проверю билет, а потом пойду к вокзалу.
• Я сначала проверю билет, а потом пойду к вокзалу.
• Сначала проверю билет, а потом пойду к вокзалу.

The basic meaning stays the same. The choice depends on emphasis and style.

The version you were given is very natural and neutral.