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• Live train times
• Assisted travel
• Delay Repay
• Buy tickets

Service updates

Travel updates Latest travel information and updates

Industrial action Information about upcoming train strikes and industrial action

Timetables Find Thameslink timetables by station and download train times

Planned engineering work Details of planned engineering work on our network

Live map Real-time service status and route display

Cambridge closures Network Rail are constructing a brand new station at Cambridge South

Alternative route maps Alternative train, bus and tube maps

Onboard travel

Bikes & Scooters Storage of bikes and scooters on board

Wi-Fi on board Keeping you connected

Baby on board Priority seating for new and expectant parents

Find a quieter train Want to have the best chance of getting a seat?

Luggage Guidelines and support for carrying luggage on board

Travelling with pets Policies for travelling with pets

Station information

Car parking Parking availability and information across our stations

All stations (A-Z) Facilities, addresses, maps and more, for all stations

Getting to the station Find out about taxis, buses and how to get to the station

Airport travel

Gatwick Airport Gatwick airport is just a train away with Thameslink

Luton Airport Easy travel to London Luton Airport

Tickets & Payment methods

Off-Peak Reduced fares during off-peak hours

Super Off-Peak Reduced fares during off-peak weekdays

Anytime Tickets valid for travel at any time

Advance tickets Discounted tickets booked ahead of travel

Carnet tickets Buy a book of pre-paid single tickets

First Class Guarantee a seat and power socket

Child tickets Child fares and discounts for young people

Season tickets Discounted long-term tickets for regular commuters

Flexi Season Flexible season ticket options for part-time commuters

Transport for London Off-Peak Fridays trial Off-peak fares on Fridays for a limited time

Ways to pay eTickets, Smartcard and Oyster card payment methods

Discounts & Offers

2FOR1 offers 2-for-1 entry at attractions in London, Brighton and more

Railcards Save up to 1/3 off tickets with railcards

GroupSave Off-peak saving sfor 3-9 adults travelling together

PlusBus Combined train, bus and tram tickets

Kids for £2 Cheaper child fares starting from just £2

Accessibility

Book assistance Our online form for booking assistance for your journey

Assisted travel Assistance for those with access needs

Priority seat card A badge for those who require priority seating

Support whilst you're travelling Information and guidance on accessing our trains

Wheelchairs & Mobility scooters Guidelines for wheelchairs and mobility scooters

Help & Support

Contact us Need help? Find out how to get in touch

Delay Repay Compensation for unexpected delays and cancellations

Refunds & Amendments How to refund and change your ticket

Penalty fares Information on penalty fares and prosecutions

Failed to carry Submit proof of your ticket or railcard

Lost property Lost property services, collection and enquires

First Class claim form First class claim form for reimbursement

Using an Oyster card

How to use your Oyster card on Thameslink trains in London.

Oyster on Thameslink services

Oyster is a smartcard which can hold credit to pay as you go, as well as Travelcards.

Using pay as you go with an Oyster card on the train is simple. Just touch in on the yellow card reader at the start of your journey and touch out at the end. The correct fare is automatically deducted from your card.

You can use your Oyster card on all Thameslink trains within the London Zones 1-6 – as well as on buses, Tubes, Trams, The Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services in London.

Buying and topping up your Oyster card at a Thameslink station

You can buy or top up your Oyster card at:

• Any London Underground station
• Any Oyster Ticket Stop
• London Overground and TfL Rail ticket offices
• Online at tfl.gov.uk/oyster
• Top up using the TfL Oyster app

Top up your balance at any self-service ticket machine at our stations within the London zonal area, as well as stations between Merstham and Gatwick Airport and Epsom. You can also top up at London Underground, London Overground and TfL Rail stations and many newsagents across London, or use the TfL Oyster and contactless app as well as online at the TfL website .

Oyster cards will no longer be available at some of our ticket offices

From 1 March, these ticket offices won't provide Oyster services:

• Blackfriars
• City Thameslink
• Drayton Park
• East Croydon
• Finsbury Park
• Gatwick Airport
• London Victoria

You can top up at a ticket machine, at a newsagent, the TfL Oyster and contactless app, or at tfl.gov.uk/oyster .

From 29 March, Oyster cards will no longer be available at Essex Road station. As this station doesn’t have ticket machines, you can top up at a nearby newsagent, the TfL Oyster and contactless app, or at tfl.gov.uk/oyster .

Find out more about Oyster .

Discover how you can travel paperless on our trains with the Key Smartcard, eTickets or with Contactless instead .

Oyster PAYG to Radlett

These extensions allow customers to customers to use either a contactless card, mobile device or an Oyster card to pay for travel.

As Oyster PAYG is based on single fares, there are occasions when Oyster may not be the cheapest option for your combination of journeys. Details of PAYG single fares can here found here . Details of caps for extension stations can also be found on the TfL website .

There are some important differences to be aware of:

• These stations will not be included in the advertised London zonal area; instead it offers customers and alternative way to pay for their travel using PAYG
• Season tickets will not be available on Oyster along the extended route. If you normally buy a season ticket you are advised to continue to buy this using the Key Smartcard or a paper ticket
• Whilst a daily cap will apply; it is important to be aware that it will not always be cheaper than buying a return paper ticket. There will also be a weekly price cap for those using a Contactless card or mobile device; but it will still be cheaper to buy a season ticket on the Key Smartcard or paper
• Children’s ZIP Oyster cards, London Freedom Pass, 60+ London Oyster photocard and Veterans Oyster photocard holders CANNOT travel free on these routes

Capping costs

The daily cost for pay as you go on Oyster is capped, so if you’re making several trips it could work out cheaper than buying separate tickets.

You won’t normally pay more than a daily pass or Travelcard, however many trips you make in one day.

Find out more about Oyster capping

Oyster Travelcard Season Ticket

If you want unlimited travel you can buy an Oyster Travelcard Season Ticket.

This will let you travel as much as you like on any National Rail, London Overground, London Underground, buses, Docklands Light Railway and London Tram service within the London Zones 1-9 (depending on the zones you purchase).

You can use Oyster PAYG on all National Rail routes for journeys wholly within the London zones 1-6 and certain other locations.

Do you have a railcard? If so, then make sure you register it when you get an Oyster card.

Your railcard will give you 34% off the price of your tickets if you’re travelling outside the rush hour.

You can read more about Oyster cards on the Transport for London website.

You can also call Oyster customer services:

• Telephone: 0345 222 1234
• Textphone: 0800 112 3456

The Oyster Conditions of Use set out your rights and obligations when you use an Oyster card to travel on Thameslink or other National Rail services. They apply in addition to the National Rail Conditions of Travel .

Please contact TfL on:

Telephone: 0343 222 1234 available 08:00-20:00 Monday to Friday (09:00-17:30 Saturday to Sunday)

Textphone: 0800 112 3456 available 08:00-20:00 Monday to Friday (09:00-17:30 Saturday to Sunday)

Or visit the TfL Contact us page for Contactless and Oyster

Yes, you can claim Delay Repay in the same way as you would with a rail ticket but you must accompany your claim with a printout showing where you touched in and out and the cost of your journey.

Please visit Delay Repay if you were delayed on a Thameslink service.

Zip Oyster photocards

Children under the age of 11 can get a 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard to:

• Travel free on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services where PAYG is accepted.
• PAYG at child rate on the London Cable Car
• PAYG at half adult rate on Thames Clipper River Bus services

Children aged over 10 years and 11 months and under 16 on 31 August can get an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard to:

• Travel free on buses and trams
• Travel at child rate on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail, London Cable Car and most National Rail services in London
• Travel at half adult rate on Thames Clipper River Bus services

Find out more information on Zip Oystercards and under 18 travel. 

Why not go contactless?

Use your debit or credit card to travel around London

Railcards, season tickets and contactless travel

See our railcards, season tickets, contactless travel, 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 Thameslink.

Should we no longer operate the Thameslink franchise, please be aware that we will pass your details to the Successor franchise or Secretary of State for Transport to allow you to continue receiving service and/or marketing emails if you have consented to them.

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Loading service updates...

• Live train times
• Assisted travel
• Delay Repay
• Buy tickets

Service updates

Travel updates Latest travel information and updates

Industrial action Information about upcoming train strikes and industrial action

Timetables Find Thameslink timetables by station and download train times

Planned engineering work Details of planned engineering work on our network

Live map Real-time service status and route display

Cambridge closures Network Rail are constructing a brand new station at Cambridge South

Alternative route maps Alternative train, bus and tube maps

Onboard travel

Bikes & Scooters Storage of bikes and scooters on board

Wi-Fi on board Keeping you connected

Baby on board Priority seating for new and expectant parents

Find a quieter train Want to have the best chance of getting a seat?

Luggage Guidelines and support for carrying luggage on board

Travelling with pets Policies for travelling with pets

Station information

Car parking Parking availability and information across our stations

All stations (A-Z) Facilities, addresses, maps and more, for all stations

Getting to the station Find out about taxis, buses and how to get to the station

Airport travel

Gatwick Airport Gatwick airport is just a train away with Thameslink

Luton Airport Easy travel to London Luton Airport

Tickets & Payment methods

Off-Peak Reduced fares during off-peak hours

Super Off-Peak Reduced fares during off-peak weekdays

Anytime Tickets valid for travel at any time

Advance tickets Discounted tickets booked ahead of travel

Carnet tickets Buy a book of pre-paid single tickets

First Class Guarantee a seat and power socket

Child tickets Child fares and discounts for young people

Season tickets Discounted long-term tickets for regular commuters

Flexi Season Flexible season ticket options for part-time commuters

Transport for London Off-Peak Fridays trial Off-peak fares on Fridays for a limited time

Ways to pay eTickets, Smartcard and Oyster card payment methods

Discounts & Offers

2FOR1 offers 2-for-1 entry at attractions in London, Brighton and more

Railcards Save up to 1/3 off tickets with railcards

GroupSave Off-peak saving sfor 3-9 adults travelling together

PlusBus Combined train, bus and tram tickets

Kids for £2 Cheaper child fares starting from just £2

Accessibility

Book assistance Our online form for booking assistance for your journey

Assisted travel Assistance for those with access needs

Priority seat card A badge for those who require priority seating

Support whilst you're travelling Information and guidance on accessing our trains

Wheelchairs & Mobility scooters Guidelines for wheelchairs and mobility scooters

Help & Support

Contact us Need help? Find out how to get in touch

Delay Repay Compensation for unexpected delays and cancellations

Refunds & Amendments How to refund and change your ticket

Penalty fares Information on penalty fares and prosecutions

Failed to carry Submit proof of your ticket or railcard

Lost property Lost property services, collection and enquires

First Class claim form First class claim form for reimbursement

Book train tickets

Find cheap train tickets for your Thameslink journey here. Enjoy 100s of unique experiences only a train ride away.

• Go to slide 1

How do I book my train tickets?

Booking train tickets is simple. We offer several booking options to cater for customers' preferences.

• Online: It’s quick, easy and safe to  buy train tickets online using our journey planer. You can choose your delivery method, and we won't charge you a pesky booking fee.
• Ticket office: If you’d prefer to speak to someone about your railway ticket, booking at a ticket office is the way to go. We have staffed ticket offices at our larger stations.
• Ticket machines: As well as collecting tickets bought online, you can use our self-service ticket machines to buy train tickets using cash or a credit or debit card.
• Contactless : If you’re travelling in and around London, you can tap your contactless payment card or device on the move, and we’ll charge you the best pay-as-you-go fare available on the day.

Learn more about the different  ways to pay .

Where can I travel with Thameslink?

Whether you're travelling to visit family, for a work event or to catch up with friends, we can get you there with ease.

Our network spans the south of England and includes popular destinations like Brighton, Wimbledon, Swanley and London Bridge.

We also operate north of central London, so you can travel to Cambridge, Stevenage, Bedford, Peterborough and many more destinations with us.

Check out our network map  today to see our routes.

Which ticket type is right for me?

We have a range of tickets to help you get from A to B, so you're sure to find an option that's right for you. Here are some of the ticket types on offer.

• Anytime tickets - our Anytime tickets are valid on any train, so you can hop on board whenever you like! It's the perfect choice if you're not sure what time you'll need to travel and need flexibility
• Off-peak tickets - Off-Peak tickets are valid at the quieter times of the day, outside of rush hour. They are often cheaper than an Anytime fare so, if you have the flexibility to travel at any time of day, you could save by travelling Off-Peak
• Season tickets - if you commute regularly with us, you could save money with a Season ticket. They're more cost-effective than buying tickets daily and you can travel as much as you want
• Key Smartcard - our Key Smartcard makes regular travel quicker and easier than ever before. Buy or renew Season tickets online with the Key Smartcard and quickly load your tickets onto it with our app

Discover more ticket types

How do I get the best-value train tickets?

If you want to make your journey as cost-effective as possible, we're here to help. Here are just a few ways in which you can cut the cost of your train tickets with us.

You could get 1/3 off many UK journeys with a Railcard, so why not see if you're eligible for one? There are plenty of options, including the Two Together, Senior, Disabled Persons and 16-25 railcards.

Kids for £2

Are you travelling with children at Off-Peak times? You could take advantage of discounted fares. Using our Kids for £2 scheme, up to four kids could join you for only – you guessed it – £2 each.

If you're travelling with a group of friends, family or colleagues, you could all save 34% when you book and travel together. It's valid for groups of 3-9 adults at Off-Peak times during the week and any time on weekends.

Find out how and where you can use your Oyster card on Thameslink

Get unlimited bus and tram travel at the start and end of your journey

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Buy your train tickets online today and get the best deals.

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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 Thameslink.

Should we no longer operate the Thameslink franchise, please be aware that we will pass your details to the Successor franchise or Secretary of State for Transport to allow you to continue receiving service and/or marketing emails if you have consented to them.

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What is a London Travelcard?

A London Travelcard gives you unlimited travel within zones 1-4 or 1-6 on the Underground, Overground, TfL Rail, Docklands Light Railway, buses, trams, and most National Rail services in London.

You can also use your London Travelcard to get discounted fares on the Emirates Air Line and a third off River Boat fares on selected services.

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Which London Travelcard is right for me?

 one day london travelcard.

Anytime Day Travelcards can be used on the date shown on the ticket and for journeys starting before 04:30 the following day. Off-peak Day Travelcards can be used from 09:30 (Monday to Friday), at any time on weekends or bank holidays for the date on the ticket, and for journeys starting before 04:30 the next day.

London Weekly Travelcard

The London Weekly Travelcard offers seven days of travel for the price of five.

Monthly London Travelcard

Monthly Travelcards are typically more cost-effective than purchasing four consecutive 7-day Travelcards. They offer a saving of 11% compared to the continued use of 7-day Travelcards.

Group One Day London Travelcard

Travelling as a group of 10 or more? Get a Group One Day London Travelcard valid for the day from 09:30 (Monday to Friday), anytime on weekends or public holidays right up until 04:30 the next day.

London Travelcard season tickets

Your Travelcard season ticket can start any day of the week and you can travel right up until 04:30 on the day after your Travelcard expires.

Choose a seven-day, monthly, three-month, 6-month, custom or annual Travelcard season ticket.

How do I get a London Travelcard?

Travelcards can be sold with an Anytime , Off-Peak , Super Off-Peak , Advance  or season  (except Flexi Season ) train ticket to London on our website, app or at your local station.

You can add London Travelcards to your SWR touch smartcard , making it easier for you to tap in and out across the capital.

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Thanks in advance!

You can use a seven day travelcard on Thameslink services (and 99.9% of National Rail services) within the zones that you purchase the travelcard for. Outside the paid for zones you'll need to pay extra, either cash fare or Oyster PAYG. Oyster PAYG only works seamlessly if the seven day travelcard is loaded on Oyster.

Thank you so much.

I have my travelcard for zones 1-4 loaded onto my Oyster card. I just wasn't sure if it was valid on Thameslink trains.

Also, could you tell me of train services where a travelcard is NOT valid? Any help is appreciated. Thanks again.

"Also, could you tell me of train services where a travelcard is NOT valid? Any help is appreciated."

With a z1-4 travelcard I assume you're staying somewhere on the Thameslink Metro route with stopping services to central London . You'll be absolutely fine on those journeys.

You may use your Travelcard on Thameslink, Abellio Greater Anglia, c2c, Overground, TfL Rail, Southern, South West Trains and other rail services along with the Underground, DLR, buses and trams.

Rather than indicate services where your card is not valid, here is the current iteration of the Tube and rail map where you may use your Travelcard: http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-rail-and-tube-services-map.pdf Should you wish to travel beyond zone 4 but to a destination within the zones indicated, just add some PAYG money to the card to cover the Oyster excess fare.

Thanks to both of you!

This has been super helpful.

Journeys on Southeastern high speed services only

Contactless

Peak: £5.40

Monday to Friday from 0630 to 0930 and from 1600 to 1900.

Off Peak: £3.80

At all other times including public holidays.

You can't use the travelcard on the Gatwick Express on the non stop route between the airport and Victoria, the airport is outside of the travelcard zones anyway.

Well Charliie has debunked one of the corner case routes. I need to adjust my post to 99.9987% of routes will be okay with Oyster/contactless, that will affect you.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Aslef drivers to hold more train strikes in early May

Rolling 24-hour walkouts to halt many services on c2c, Thameslink, Southeastern, LNER and more

Train drivers will strike again in early May in a series of rolling 24-hour walkouts that will bring many services around Great Britain to a halt.

The Aslef union has called a set of strikes from 7 May to 9 May across all the national rail operators contracted to the Department for Transport (DfT), falling within a six-day overtime ban that is also likely to cause severe disruption on some networks.

The industrial action is part of the long-running pay dispute , with some train drivers now going five years without a pay increase.

Most operators will not run any trains on strike days. Although the strikes are at the English operators under the DfT, cross-border services to Wales and Scotland will also be hit on relevant days.

Aslef members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue industrial action.

The union’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, said: “It is now a year since we sat in a room with the train companies – and a year since we rejected the risible offer they made and which they admitted, privately, was designed to be rejected.”

Drivers were offered a two-year deal worth 4% annually, but with changes to working conditions attached. The rise was less than that offered to other parts of the industry in percentage terms.

Whelan said the government’s argument that the offer should have been put to members was disingenuous, given the repeated strike votes.

Drivers will first strike at c2c, Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express and South Western Railway on Tuesday 7 May.

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It will be followed by a 24-hour walkout at Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains on Wednesday 8 May; and at LNER, Northern and TransPennine Express on Thursday 9 May.

The wave of action is the fourth week of rolling strikes staged by Aslef since December, after it altered its tactics in a dispute that has lasted almost two years.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators, said: “This wholly unnecessary strike action called by the Aslef leadership will sadly disrupt customers and businesses once again, while further damaging the railway at a time when taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week just to keep services running.”

• Rail strikes
• Rail transport
• Rail industry
• Industrial action
• Trade unions

More on this story

Only 40 LNER intercity rail services to run on Saturday as train drivers strike

Aslef’s final strike day disrupts rail services in south and east England

Aslef says more train strikes likely as drivers’ pay row continues

Rail passengers face rolling strikes but London Underground action called off

Train drivers at Northern and LNER to strike in March, Aslef union announces

Weekend rail strikes: travel disrupted across Great Britain

Train drivers will keep striking to ‘raise profile’ of pay dispute, says Aslef boss

Weekend rail strikes and overtime ban disrupt UK travel

Rail strikes: trains in south-east England halted as rolling stoppages begin

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