SWR smart tickets

Smart tickets

The easier, faster and contact-free way to buy and use train tickets

Why you should make the switch to smart tickets:

Contactless


Minimise your contact when travelling by using a contactless smartcard or contact-free eTickets

Avoid the queue


Buy and download train tickets online or on our app from anywhere at any time

Paperless tickets


You don’t need to worry about multiple paper tickets, or them getting lost or damaged

Manage online


Buy, change and cancel tickets online, view your journey history and get Automated Delay Repay



What are smart tickets?

Smart tickets are e-tickets or tickets loaded onto an SWR Touch Smartcard and are a faster and easier way to buy and use train tickets as you travel across our network. You can buy smart tickets on our website or from the SWR App and avoid the ticket queues at the station and head straight to your train. 

With a smartcard, you can add season tickets, including a Flexi Season ticket, selected single and return tickets or sign up for Tap2Go – our flexible pay as your go option for travel across the SWR network. Train tickets, season tickets and Tap2Go can be stored on one smartcard although we strongly advise that a Flexi Season ticket is not used in combination with Tap2Go pay as you go and customers should get a separate smartcard for these products.  

Digital eTickets are single and return train tickets ordered online or on the app which are emailed to you and stored on your South Western Railway app, so they’re already to hand when you need to scan. 

Where can you use smart tickets?

Digital eTickets are available on single and return train tickets for all South Western Railway services and most other journeys across Britain.

Our Touch Smartcard can be used for travel across the SWR network, but check on our smartcard map before buying your ticket. Train tickets with a London Travelcard can also be added onto our smartcards, so you can travel around with just one card.

Which smart ticket is right for me?


Touch Smartcard Digital eTickets
Train tickets available Season tickets, London Travelcards, Anytime and Off-Peak single and return train tickets, and Tap2Go Advance, Anytime, Off-Peak, Super Off-Peak single and return train tickets
Ways to buy tickets Online, on our app, ticket machines (outside London) or at many of our ticket offices Online or on our app – up to 5 minutes before your train leaves
Getting your train ticket Instantly on an Android device with NFC, instantly on iPhone with iOS 13 or later, or two hours from smartcard readers at stations Instantly available in our app and emailed as a PDF
Where can you use it Most of our network and TfL services with a London Travelcard All South Western Railway services and most other journeys in Britain

Digital eTickets

Download our app to get no-queue, no-contact digital eTickets

Discover digital eTickets

Touch Smartcard

Switch to our free smartcard to travel and buy tickets

Discover our smartcard

Oyster and contactless

Use an Oyster card or contactless on our services within London

Discover Oyster and contactless