Refunds and changing your train ticket

How to refund or change your ticket when you buy your tickets from us

We'll refund you in the same or similar way as you originally paid for your tickets, this includes refunds for Apple Pay/Google Pay purchases. This is so we can comply with government money-laundering legislation.

If you would like a refund for your ticket that you bought from another retailer including another Train Operator you should contact them directly.

If you travelled and your journey was delayed by 15 minutes or more, you may be entitled to Delay Repay.

If your train has been cancelled and you still want to travel

If your train has been cancelled and you still want to travel, you can use any publicly owned operator’s service via any reasonable route at no extra cost to complete your journey, up to two hours before or two hours the cancelled service.

For example:

If you are in Havant or Hastings travelling to London with a ticket routed ‘via Haywards Heath’ and your intended train is cancelled, you can use your ticket on any Southern, South Western Railway or Southeastern service via any reasonable route within two hours of your intended train to complete your journey.
If you are in Brighton or Cambridge and travelling to London with a ‘Thameslink Only’ or ‘Greater Anglia Only’ ticket and your intended train is cancelled, you can use your ticket on any Thameslink, Southern, Gatwick Express, Great Northern or Greater Anglia service via any reasonable route within two hours of your intended train to complete your journey.

The publicly owned operators in this area are: Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, London North Eastern Railway, Greater Anglia, C2C and London Northwestern

If your train has been cancelled and you do not want to travel, you can find information below on how to obtain a refund for your ticket.

Notification of a change to your booking in advance

If you’ve received a notification from us that there’s been a change to your booking, you have the following options:

If your train has been cancelled, you can:

• Travel on a different train

Depending on the type of ticket you have, the following options are available to you without changing your ticket:

Ticket type	Options
Advance	You can use your ticket on the previous two, or the next two available services to your destination. If you want to travel on any other train, you will need to change your ticket. You should claim a full fee free refund, and then purchase a new ticket for the train that you now want to travel on. If your ticket is for a specific operator, you can use the previous two, or the next two available services to your destination which are provided by that specific operator.
Anytime	There are no time restrictions on when you can use this ticket on an alternative train. If your ticket is for a specific operator, you will need to ensure you use one of that operators’ alternative trains.
Off-Peak	You can use your ticket on any other Off-Peak service. Alternatively, you can use either the previous two, or the next two available services to your destination, regardless of time restrictions. If you want to travel on a train in peak time, that is not within the previous or next two services, you will need to change your ticket. A website beginning with www.nre.co.uk/ is printed on your ticket. If you go online and enter that website, it will provide further details on the time restrictions that apply to using your ticket. If your ticket is for a specific operator, you will need to ensure you use one of that operators’ alternative trains.
Super Off-Peak	You can use your ticket on any other Super Off-Peak service. Alternatively, you can use your ticket on the previous two, or the next two available services to your destination, regardless of time restrictions. If you want to travel on a train that is not a Super Off-Peak service and is not within the previous or next two trains of your original booking, then you will need to change your ticket. A website beginning with www.nre.co.uk/ is printed on your ticket. If you go online and enter that website, it will provide further details on the time restrictions that apply to using your ticket. If your ticket is for a specific operator, you will need to ensure you use one of that operators’ alternative trains.

Before going further, please check www.nationalrail.co.uk for alternative trains.

If you need to change your ticket or you’re unsure if you need to change it, please visit one of our Ticket Offices, where we will be happy to help.

Please note, if you had a seat reservation on the train that’s been cancelled, it will not be honoured on a different train.

Subject to availability we can reserve you a seat on the train you now plan to catch at one of our Ticket Offices.

• Obtain a full refund of your ticket

Please see the information below, about how to apply for your fee-free refund.

IMPORTANT – Once you’ve completed your refund application, we’re unable to reinstate your ticket

If you do decide to travel after you’ve completed your refund application, the price of your new ticket will be the best fare available at the time of purchase.

If your train has been retimed, you can:

• Use your ticket on the retimed train, without having to do anything else.

• Travel on a different train

Depending on the type of ticket you have, the following options are available to you without changing your ticket:

Ticket type	Options
Advance	As you can’t use your ticket on any other train, you will need to change your ticket if you want to travel on a different train. You should claim a full fee-free refund, and then purchase a new ticket for the train that you now want to travel on.
Anytime	There are no time restrictions on when you can use this ticket on an alternative train. If your ticket is for a specific operator, you will need to ensure you use one of that operators’ alternative trains.
Off-Peak & Super Off-Peak	Time restrictions apply for using these tickets, therefore, you may need to buy a more expensive ticket depending on which train you now want to travel on, but you will not be charged a Change of Journey admin fee. A website beginning with www.nre.co.uk/ is printed on your ticket. If you go online and enter that website, it will confirm the time restrictions that apply to using your ticket. If your ticket is for a specific operator, you will need to ensure you use one of that operators’ alternative trains.

Before going further, please check www.nationalrail.co.uk for alternative trains.

If you need to change your ticket or you’re unsure if you need to change it, please visit one of our Ticket Offices, where we will be happy to help.

Please note, if you now plan to catch a different train and had a seat reservation on the train that’s been retimed, it will not be honoured on a different train.

Subject to availability we can reserve you a seat on the train you now plan to catch at one of our Ticket Offices.

• Obtain a full refund of your ticket

Please see the information below, about how to apply for your fee-free refund.

IMPORTANT – Once you’ve completed your refund application, we’re unable to reinstate your ticket

If you do decide to travel after you’ve completed your refund application, the price of your new ticket will be the best fare available at the time of purchase.

If you prefer not to receive these notifications for future bookings.

You just need to ensure that you don’t tick the option to receive notifications at the payment screen.

Our TVM Price Guarantee

If you’ve bought a train ticket from one of our self-service ticket vending machines (TVM), only to find out afterwards, you could have bought a cheaper ticket from the same machine for your journey, our TVM Price Guarantee enables you to get the difference in price back.

Visit one of our Ticket Offices, ideally before you start your journey or at your destination station. If that’s not possible, please visit one of our Ticket Offices within 28 days of the expiry date of your ticket where they will be able to refund the difference in price.

Please note: our TVM Price Guarantee only applies if a cheaper through ticket was valid for the journey you made and should have been available to buy at the self-service ticket machine, when you bought your original ticket.

If you decide not to travel, or if you need to change your ticket

This information is based on the different ticket types in place, if you hold a paper ticket and you’re not sure what type of ticket you have, please check the information printed on the orange stripe in the top left corner of the ticket for one of the following.

Anytime, Off-Peak, and Super Off-Peak tickets

Travel on a different date

You can change the date of travel without paying a change of journey fee, so long as you request the change before the date of your original journey.

Off-Peak Day tickets and the outward part of Off-Peak tickets are only valid on the date shown on the ticket. If you need to travel on a different date, you will need to cancel your ticket before the date of your outward journey and buy a new one.

If you want to change your ticket, please visit one of our Ticket Offices, where we will be happy to help.

No longer want to travel

If you bought your ticket from us and no longer want to travel we can refund your ticket less a £5 admin fee, up to 23:59 the day before your travel date (for return ticket this applies to the outward travel date). Please see the ‘How to apply for a refund’ section below for full details.

Advance tickets

Travel on a different date

You can change the time or date of travel at any of our Ticket Offices, before the departure of the first reserved train printed on your ticket.

You’ll need to pay any difference between the fare you’ve already paid and the best available fare for your new journey, plus a £10 change of journey fee for each ticket changed.

No longer want to travel

Unless the reason for your refund is covered by Condition 30.1 in the National Rail Conditions of Travel, then Advance tickets are not refundable.

If you are entitled to a refund you need to submit your refund request within 28 days of the date on your ticket.

For details of how to apply for your refund, please see the ‘How to apply for a refund’ section below for full details.

Season tickets

Moving home or changing your work location

You don’t need to refund your existing ticket.

Instead please visit one of our Ticket Offices, where we can change the origin and / or destination of your ticket.

Travel on a different date

Once you purchase your Season Ticket the start and finish dates cannot be changed.

No longer want to travel

If you bought your ticket from us and no longer want to travel:

You can refund your Season Ticket any time before the finish date of the ticket.

We will calculate how much is refunded based on the value left on your ticket on the day you submit your Season ticket, less a £5 admin fee for the refund.

If you’re sick and can’t travel

Your refund can only be backdated with evidence that illness prevented you from travelling.

For more information, including if you require a refund due to sickness that prevented you from using a Season ticket, see the Season Ticket Conditions page.

In addition to the national process, we also have an arrangement if you have been off sick from work for a minimum of four and a maximum of eight weeks.

Which doesn’t involve you having to apply for a refund of your existing Season Ticket.

Please get in touch with our Customer Relations team, for full details of how to apply.

Please see our Contact us page for full details of how to contact our Customer Relations team.

Flexi Season Tickets

Travel on a different date

You should only activate a daily pass when you’re sure you’re travelling, as we can’t refund or change an activated daily pass.

No longer want to travel

If you bought your ticket from us and no longer want to travel:

You can refund your Flexi Season Ticket any time before the finish date of the ticket.

We will calculate how much is refunded based on the value left on your ticket on the day you submit your Flexi Season ticket, less a £5 admin fee for the refund.

For details of how to apply for your refund, please see the ‘How to apply for a refund’ section below for full details.

Carnet

Travel on a different date

Please do not date your carnet ticket until you know for certain that you are going to travel, as it is not possible to amend the date of travel with these tickets once dated.

No longer want to travel

If you no longer want to travel, we can only refund your Carnet tickets, less a £5 admin fee if they are:

Within 28 days from the expiry date of the tickets
A complete unused book of tickets

For details of how to apply for your refund, please see the ‘How to apply for a refund’ section below for full details.

Rover tickets

DaySave tickets

Carpark season tickets

Travelcard Season tickets bought on Oyster cards

How to apply for a refund

Please see below information for different ticket formats.

Please note we can only refund tickets bought from Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern or Gatwick Express ticket offices, ticket vending machines (TVMs), on-board trains or websites.

We'll refund you in the same or similar way as you originally paid for your tickets, this includes refunds for Apple Pay/Google Pay purchases.

If you purchased as a guest and need to request a refund, please follow the link in your booking confirmation email to link your order to an account.

If you would like a refund for your ticket that you bought from another retailer including another Train Operator you should contact them directly.

Paper tickets

Online

Tickets not collected - If you have purchased your paper ticket online as a ‘collection at station’ delivery option and have not printed that ticket – you can obtain a refund via your online account

Tickets collected - If you have purchased your paper ticket online as a ‘collection at station’ delivery option and have printed that ticket – you can obtain a refund from any Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern or Gatwick Express ticket offices.

If you have purchased webduo tickets or 10% discounted tickets from the Gatwick Express website or app and have printed these tickets please contact us to obtain a refund.

If you have purchased webduo tickets or 10% discounted tickets from the Gatwick Express website or app and have not printed these tickets – you can obtain a refund via your online account

Ticket office/Ticket vending machine

If you purchased your paper ticket from any Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern or Gatwick Express ticket office/Ticket vending machine – you will need to obtain a refund from the ticket office

PayPal

If you purchased your paper ticket via PayPal please contact us to obtain a refund.

eTickets

sTickets

Paper barcode tickets

Smartcard tickets

Online

If you have purchased your smartcard ticket online, you can obtain a refund via your online account.

You can refund your Season ticket any time before the finish date of the ticket.

Ticket office/Ticket vending machine

If you purchased your smartcard ticket from any Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern or Gatwick Express ticket office/Ticket vending machine – you will need to obtain a refund from the ticket office.

You can refund your Season ticket any time before the finish date of the ticket.

PayPal

If you purchased your paper ticket via PayPal please contact us to obtain a refund.

You can refund your Season ticket any time before the finish date of the ticket.

Stay up-to-date

Subscribe to email updates. Get travel inspiration, journey updates and exclusive offers delivered straight to your inbox.

We will not pass on your personal information to any organisation outside of Southern.

If the legal company operating Southern changes in future, your personal data may be transferred to the new company to ensure continuity of service, including bookings, customer service history, and marketing preferences where applicable. You can withdraw your marketing preferences at any time. Your data protection rights will not change, and we’ll update this notice with details of the new data controller.

*Must be over the age of 16

We will not pass on your personal information to any organisation outside of Southern.

*Must be over the age of 16

Subscription confirmed

Thank you for subscribing to our email updates. You'll now receivetravel inspiration, journey updates, and exclusive offers delivered straight to your inbox.

You can update your preferences or unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of our emails.

Subscription Failed

Something went wrong with your submission, please try again later.