Smart tickets
Key Smartcard
The Key Smartcard is the best way to travel paperless across our network.
With the Key Smartcard you can buy season tickets and travelcards online and collect them from the station gateline or freestanding validators, or (outside London) buy from our self-service ticket machines.
You can also buy day single and return tickets (peak and off peak only) from our self-service ticket machines outside London. Railcard discounts can also be applied to these ticket types.
Why should I get a Key Smartcard?
- Durable –Sick of queuing to get through the gate when your paper ticket stops working? The Key Smartcard will work tap after tap!
- Auto Delay Repay notifications – Avoid filling in forms by opting in to receive a notification email whenever we think you’ve been delayed by 15 minutes or more. Just click confirm and tell us how you’d like to be paid
- Buy & renew online - Beat the queues by buying your season tickets in advance online
KeyGo pay-as-you-go
KeyGo
KeyGo allows you to pay as you go on your Key Smartcard. Simply sign up for continuous payment authority then tap in and out for every journey. We work out the best fare to charge for the journey you’ve made so you can just tap and go!
The Key Smartcard is free of charge and easy to get, simply create an account (if you don’t already have one) and sign up for the Key Smartcard. It will be posted to your nominated address in 3-5 days, ready to use.
Oyster
You can use Oyster on all Southern trains within the London Fare Zones (zones 1-6) – as well as on buses, Tubes, Trams, the Docklands Light Railway, London Overground and most National Rail services in London.
Oyster is a Transport for London (TfL) smartcard that can hold credit, for use as Pay As You Go (PAYG), as well as pre-purchased season tickets including weekly, monthly and annual travelcards.
Where can I buy an Oyster card?
- Any London Underground or Overground station
- Any Oyster Ticket Stop shop
- Online at www.tfl.gov.uk/oyster
- Some of our larger stations inside London
Where can I top up my credit or buy season tickets?
- Self-service ticket machines at any of our stations within the London Travelcard area (as well as selected stations beyond, including Gatwick Airport)
- Any London Underground or Overground station
- Any Oyster Ticket Stop shop
- Online at www.tfl.gov.uk/oyster (and you can set up auto top up)
The benefits of using Oyster
The Benefits:
- Capping - If you have an Oyster card the amount you’ll pay per day will be capped, so you won’t be charged over a certain amount
- Railcards - If you have a railcard, this can be loaded onto your Oystercard
For more information about Oyster visit:
Contactless payments
Contactless payment cards and mobile apps can be used to travel on most National Rail services in London, as well as bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail for Pay As You Go (PAYG) travel.
Fares and daily caps are the same as with Oyster PAYG. Just touch your debit or credit card on a yellow card reader to pay for your journey, the same as you would with your Oyster card.
Why should I use Contactless?
- Capping - If you use the same contactless payment card to pay for all your journeys throughout the week until Sunday, you will also be eligible for a Monday to Sunday cap
- Tap & Go - no need to load tickets or top up, just tap and go straight away
For more information about Contactless visit:
Which option is best for me?
Now you have a better idea of what the options are, it’s time to choose which one is the best fit for your travel needs and preferences. These tables will help you choose:
If you want a Season ticket:
For journeys starting/finishing outside London
| Key Smartcard | Oyster card | Contactless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season tickets |  * |
 |
|
| Travelcard season tickets |  * |
|
|
For journeys starting and finishing in London
| Key Smartcard | Oyster card | Contactless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specific station to station season tickets | * |
|
|
| Travelcard season tickets | |
|
|
* Full priced undiscounted season tickets only
If you want a Single or Return ticket:
For journeys starting/finishing outside London
| Key Smartcard | Oyster card | Contactless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy before you get to the station |
(Only Peak and Off-Peak tickets) |
(Except for locations where |
(Except for locations where |
| Pay as you go |
Sign up to keyGo** |
(Except for locations where |
(Except for locations where |
For journeys starting/finishing inside London
| Key Smartcard | Oyster card | Contactless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy before you get to the station |
Sign up to keyGo** |
|
|
| Pay as you go |
Sign up to keyGo** |
|
|
** keyGo is only valid on Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink services
Are Railcard discounts and Child tickets available?
| Key Smartcard | Oyster card | Contactless | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Railcard discounts |
|
|
|
| Child tickets |
|
|
|
What's coming next?
- Expansion of Pay As You Go (PAYG) to more stations on the network thoughout 2019
- The Key Smartcard will operate with other National Rail Smartcard schemes which means more journey opportunities
- Railcard discounts on keyGo
- Ability to obtain a Key Smartcard from our ticket offices and purchase smart tickets
Buy online and get the best deals
No booking fees, and collect from any station in the UK