St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around 22 miles (35 km) north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It was a settlement of pre-Roman origin named Verlamion by the Ancient British. It became the first major town on the old Roman road of Watling Street for travelers heading north and became the Roman city of Verulamium. St Alban, the first British Christian martyr, was beheaded sometime before AD 324 and gave it its modern name. It is an historic cathedral and market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt. There are two railway stations in St Albans. The City Station is about 820 yards (750 m) east of the city centre and is served by the Thames link railway line, with trains (operated since April 2006 by First Capital Connect) to Bedford, Luton, London Luton Airport, London, Sutton, Wimbledon, London Gatwick Airport, and Brighton. The Abbey Station is about half a mile (1 km) south of the city centre and is served by the "Abbey Flyer", operated by London Midland. A single train runs between St Albans and Watford Junction, starting a new round trip every 45 minutes during most of the day, St Albans (London Road), which served a former branch line to Hatfield. East Midlands Mainline 'intercity' services run through at speed from places such as Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Sheffield and Leeds. They do not stop so connections have to be made at Luton or St Pancras International. Uno buses route S4 and Green Line route 724 are the city's major bus services.