FAQs

To ensure that trains depart on time, the doors are closed 30 to 45 seconds before the scheduled departure. Once the doors are closed, they cannot be reopened to allow passengers to board.

We strongly recommend that passengers arrive early to ensure they have enough time to board. For safety reasons, passengers should avoid attempting to board once the doors begin to close.

This is typically signalled by a warning alarm and/or flashing lights on the door open/close buttons and side of the train, depending on the stock type of the train.

While our station employees can help, it’ll be faster to give us a call on 0345 322 7021, or by filling in our lost property form.

Our form has been improved so you can give more details and even upload images of your lost item. This information helps us to reunite you with your lost item as soon as possible.

After you log a report via our lost property form, we'll email you with your Lost Property ID. This also has a button called 'Edit Your Report' – here you can edit your details or add further information.

Mobile phones/devices

If you lost your phone or mobile device, please provide the IMEI number. Every phone or mobile device has a unique 15-digit code, called the IMEI number. This lets us make sure we definitely have your device, so it can be returned to you – we can’t do anything without it. Your IMEI number can be found on the label on the box the device came in. Alternatively, you can contact your service provider, and they can let you know.

In general, it isn't possible to track all items of lost property. We serve 180 stations and manage 164 of them. We also have depots located across various parts of London, Kent, and East Sussex.

However, for certain exceptions like medication or important documents, we’ll see what we can do to locate and return them to you. Though, it’s not always guaranteed that we’ll be able to track items down.

Please note:

• Perishables will be disposed of upon recovery.
• Cash will be processed into one of our tills and replaced with a receipt – this can be taken to any Southeastern station to be recovered.
• Credit/Debit cards and cheque books will be kept for 24 hours, before being securely destroyed – you’ll need to contact your bank for a replacement.
• Driving licences will be kept for 24 hours, before being returned to the DVLA.
• Passports won’t be kept and will be returned directly to HM Passport Office.

You can order a Key card online here. Fill out a short form to register for a Southeastern account, requesting a Key, and it'll arrive at your home address within 4 working days. Alternatively, you can download our Southeastern app from the Apple Store or from Google Play to get started. You can also visit your local Southeastern ticket office to register and receive your new Key card immediately.

Once you have your Key, you can buy Single, Return and Season tickets and load them by simply tapping your card onto the back of your phone. This means your ticket should be available within the next 15 minutes. Please note that this function is only available on iPhone model 7 and above and Android phones with NFC functionality. 

You can also load tickets at Ticket Vending Machines, or by holding your Key against a gateline reader - you will need to nominate a collection station when you buy the ticket. You’ll need to allow 2 hours between purchasing your ticket online and loading it onto The Key, this way.

Tickets for your Key can by bought online, at ticket offices, and at Ticket Vending Machines outside the London Zones.

There are nine Railcards available, offered by National Railcards, giving passengers the chance to pick the Railcard that suits them best.

Seven of the Railcards can be bought through Southeastern:

• Network Railcard
• Senior Railcard
• Two Together Railcard
• 16-17 Saver Railcard
• 16-25 Railcard
• 26-30 Railcard
• Family & Friends Railcard

And the other two need to be bought directly from National Railcards:

• Disabled Persons Railcard
• Veterans Railcard

All the Railcards that we sell can be bought either at a station as a paper Railcard or online as a Digital Railcard.

National Railcards also sell both paper and Digital Railcards through their own systems.

Tickets can be bought online, through the Southeastern app, at Southeastern ticket office or Ticket Vending Machines outside London.

You can buy Day Singles and Returns, Travelcards, and Season tickets, including Flexi Seasons, in advance on your Key card.

*Please note you cannot buy Advance tickets, Kent Rovers, Anytime Open Returns and Off-Peak Open Returns onto The Key. PlusBus tickets are also not yet available on The Key.

If you’re claiming Delay Repay online, it’s really easy. You can do so by using our online Delay Repay form.

You can claim as a guest or register so your details are remembered for any future claims, which will speed things up for you.

You can also claim by post. Delay Repay forms can be found at our stations, or download a Delay Repay claim PDF form to print out and fill in. It’s self-addressed and freepost.

You have 28 days from the date of the delayed journey to make a claim.

For us to process your claim, we’ll need:

• Date of travel
• Time of scheduled departure
• Origin station
• Any interchange stations
• Destination station

And one of:

• A copy of your Daily or Weekly Season ticket
• A copy of your Monthly, Period or Annual Season ticket or a photocard ID number
• Your Key card number
• Your eTicket or sTicket reference, found under the QR code
• Your Southeastern online booking reference

If you bought your ticket from another retailer, please ensure you provide a copy of the ticket or eTicket reference. We cannot use order references from third parties.

We can only accept one claim per passenger per journey. If you’re looking to claim for other people, please ensure that the claim is in their name with their contact and payment details.

Advance tickets are amendable, however there will be a £10 admin fee applied for each ticket changed. Advance tickets can only have their date and journey time changed, not the route or direction of travel. They can be amended right up to the time your journey is due to begin at a station, or up to the day before travel online.

If there is a difference between the price of your original Advance ticket and the cost of your new Advance ticket, you will need to pay the difference. If you change to a train on which a cheaper fare is available, the difference will not be refunded.

You can change your Advance tickets in a few easy ways:

• If you purchased your Advance tickets through your Southeastern account, you can log in and amend the date and time.
• If you purchased your Advance tickets online and you don’t have a Southeastern account, or it's the date of travel, you’ll need to visit a ticket office and ask for the changes to be made. We're unable to amend Advance eTickets at a ticket office.
• If you purchased your Advance tickets at a Southeastern station, you can take your ticket back to a station and request your changes.

Orders purchased as a guest can be registered to a Southeastern account using the link in the confirmation email. This will then allow for Advance eTickets to be amended.

We're unable to amend Advance tickets that have been purchased via PayPal, due to technology limitations. Please contact Customer Services if you wish to amend an Advance ticket purchased via PayPal.