Tickets & Ways to Pay
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Popular Routes
Station Information
On board the train
Travel Inspiration
Refunds and Compensation
Ways to pay
There are many ways to buy train tickets with us
Buy before you board
It is no longer possible to buy the full range of tickets on board a train. Like all train companies*, you must buy a ticket before you board, or risk getting a penalty fare. Only undiscounted Anytime fares will be available from the conductor**. Note that these are more expensive than purchasing before you travel.
If you arrive at a station and no ticket buying options are available to you, you’ll be able to buy a ticket (including discounts) from the conductor on the train or at any point along your route.
If you wish to buy any season ticket you should purchase a single ticket to another Southeastern station where we will be able to credit the value of your single journey against the value of the season ticket. Please note, this exchange must be done within two hours of purchasing your single ticket and we cannot offer refunds on tickets purchased from other train companies.
*The National Rail Conditions of Travel state you must buy a ticket before you board
**See Section 9 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel for more information.
You can find more information in our Buy Before you Board FAQs.
Buying tickets
We now have more convenient ways to buy a ticket before you travel:
- you can buy online using your card or Paypal account
- through the Southeastern app
- or you can register for our Key contactless smartcard, to get your Season ticket.
- you can also use contactless methods of payment with a card, oyster card (when in applicable travel zones) plus Apple and Google pay.
- we also have ticket vending machines at stations
- and of course you can buy from one of our friendly faces at the ticket office.
Plus, when you buy directly through Southeastern there are no booking fees. The price you see is the price you pay!
Ticket vending machines
It’s easy to buy tickets at a ticket vending machine. They’re available in all our stations.
Check if your station has a ticket vending machine
Ticket Vending Machine Price Guarantee
If you buy a ticket from one of our ticket vending machines (TVMs), and find the same ticket available elsewhere for a lower price, we will refund you the difference. To check if you can get a refund please contact our Customer Services team by filling out our form, including copies of any tickets bought.
Ticket offices
Buy any train ticket for travel in Great Britain from any of our station ticket offices.
Check ticket office opening times
Oyster pay as you go
You can use an Oyster card on most National Rail services in London, as well as the Tube, buses, trams, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail. Just touch the card on the yellow reader by the barriers. Remember to touch in at the start and out at the end of your journey.
Find out more about Oyster cards
Contactless payment
You can use contactless cards to travel on most National Rail services in London as well as the Tube, buses, trams, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail. Contactless cards are usually debit or credit cards. When you use them, you’ll pay the same fare as Oyster.
Just touch the card on a yellow card reader as you would an Oyster card. Always remember to touch in and touch out.
If you prefer to use your phone instead of a bank card, then Apple Pay and Google Pay are also accepted. Always remember to touch in and out.
Apple Pay
Apple Pay is generally the same as using pay as you go with a contactless payment card. You still need to touch in and out on rail services to pay the right fare. You can also use an Apple Watch to pay.
PayPal
We are now accepting PayPal as a payment method. Just select PayPal when you buy tickets online. If you don’t have a PayPal account you can create one by clicking here.