The Key
Got a question about our contactless smart ticket, The Key? Find the answers here…
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Fast-track through the station by tapping in and tapping out to avoid the queues.
Tickets can be bought either via the Southeastern app or website.
You can buy single, return* and season tickets in advance on your Key card.
(*does not include open return tickets)
If your starting station is outside of Greater London, you are able to add a London Travelcard* onto The Key.
(*includes season tickets and one-day Travelcards)
Unfortunately our Advance tickets (low cost, standard class, single tickets for travel on specific trains), or our Early Bird discounted Season tickets are not available on The Key.
Remember to take your Railcard with you when you travel.
Unfortunately tickets discounted with railcards requiring multiple travellers (e.g Family, Two Together) and Group save are not available to be loaded onto The Key. The Key is for individual use only.
You can use your Key anywhere on our network, including high speed services.
You are also able to buy tickets for most other train companies across mainland Britain and TfL.
If you are unable to buy the ticket you require with The Key, you can revert to a paper ticket.
You can buy up to 5 different tickets on your personal Key card. These are individual tickets only – family tickets cannot be loaded onto the Key.
Each ticket must be bought and loaded separately.
You don't need to wait for your existing ticket to expire before loading a new one.
The Key’s contactless technology allows you to hold the card over the reader at the ticket gate. It’s also wipeable and easy to clean, leaving you in control.
If your Key is lost or stolen, we’ll block it so you won’t lose out, plus we will replace it for free.
By having The Key, you’ll also get access to our Rewards Plus program where you can receive monthly emails with exclusive discounts, offers and competitions from attractions and brands.
It’s easy! You can order a Key card online here, just fill out a short form to register for a Southeastern account and it will arrive to your home address within 4 working days.
You can buy tickets via the Southeastern app or website.
Buy tickets from the app:
- Download the Southeastern app from the Apple Store or Google Play
- Log in to your account and buy your ticket
- Load your ticket straight onto The Key by simply tapping the smartcard onto the back of your phone after purchase
Buy tickets from our website:
- Log in to your online account and buy your ticket
- Using the Southeastern app, load your ticket straight onto The Key by simply tapping the smartcard onto the back of your phone after purchase
- Alternatively, go to your nominated station and touch in at the yellow card reader on the automatic ticket barrier which will load your ticket onto The Key. If there is no automatic ticket barrier at your starting station you don't need to tap in, buy you will need to tap out if there are barriers at the end of your journey.
Please allow two hours between purchasing your ticket online and loading it onto The Key.
If you’ve already bought a paper Season ticket but want to transfer it to your Key card, you can request a paper ticket transfer whilst registering for your Key card. Your new Key card will be delivered to your local station for collection.
Please note you can only transfer Southeastern paper tickets on to your Key card. Paper tickets bought from other operators e.g. Trainline cannot be transferred.
If you need to change your ticket’s route, please contact Customer Services for further information on 0345 322 7021.
Yes, if your journey has been delayed by at least 15 minutes you can claim Delay Repay compensation, just the same as you would with a paper ticket.
Simply select ‘The Key’ under the ticket type selection on the Delay Repay form.
Should you need to get a refund, simply log into your account and follow the easy steps. The money will be refunded directly to you.
Please apply for your refund using our online Key refund form.
It’s nice and easy as you can process your refund yourself. Just log into your account, click on ‘Manage my tickets / refund’, and follow the steps.
The refund will then be paid back to the method of payment you used to purchase your ticket with.
Please apply for a refund using our online refund form.
If your Key is lost or stolen, we’ll block it so you won’t lose out, plus we will replace it for free.
Simply log in to your account, choose ‘The Key replacement’ in the drop-down menu, and fill in the form.
Yes, there is a special Key card for children from the ages of 5 to 15. This is only available to order online. You’ll need a passport-style photograph when registering for a child Key card.
Our staff on board our trains and at our stations have hand-held Key card readers, which confirm what tickets are on your card.
If you want to check what tickets are on your Key card, use the app to scan your Key, or alternatively log in to your online account on our website.
If there is a problem please contact our Customer Services team on 0345 322 7021.
If you are already a holder of The Key, please make sure you've opted in to receiving our emails, simply sign in to your account, click on ‘Account details’ in the drop-down menu, and click the ‘Marketing and service-related notifications’ tab to subscribe.