I'm becoming increasing frustrated by Southeastern's website

[Doctor Pepper]

For the second time now I've a bought ticket, and only discovered while attempting to travel that it's for the wrong date, because it doesn't default to today's date when you go on there....as basic common sense would dictate.

Got as far as Victoria yesterday. Guard checked the ticket on the train but didn't say anything. Wouldn't activate the barrier, and I asked to be let though. I was, with no questions. Thought it was odd (and I needed to use the Tube), and there had been issues loading tickets the other day (nothing said about on Twitter for 2 hours though......), so I sat down to check it on my phone, only to discover the ticket I bought was for Tuesday, not yesterday!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Jun 2025 ==

I went to the help counter and asked them to change the date, but some reason they can't..........

I didn't actually have the money to buy a new ticket so I had to phone my brother and ask him for some........

 

[transportphoto]

I’ve just tried to replicate your problem by visiting their website. The homepage at least defaults to today.

Image description: Screenshot attached shows the Southeastern websites homepage, cropped only to show the booking engine. The date hasn’t been changed and shows as “Today”.

 

[Benjwri]

so I sat down to check it on my phone, only to discover the ticket I bought was for Tuesday, not yesterday!
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I went to the help counter and asked them to change the date, but some reason they can't..........

When you say bought for Tuesday, do you mean last Tuesday (3rd) or next Tuesday (10th). As @transportphoto I can't replicate the issue itself on the website or app.

 

[Doctor Pepper]

I’ve just tried to replicate your problem by visiting their website. The homepage at least defaults to today.

Image description: Screenshot attached shows the Southeastern websites homepage, cropped only to show the booking engine. The date hasn’t been changed and shows as “Today”.

Now trying looking up a ticket for a future date, and then going back a day or two later to book a ticket for that day's date.

When you say bought for Tuesday, do you mean last Tuesday (3rd) or next Tuesday (10th). As @transportphoto I can't replicate the issue itself on the website or app.

Next Tuesday

 

[transportphoto]

Now trying looking up a ticket for a future date, and then going back a day or two later to book a ticket for that day's date.

In which case, we’re not going to be able to replicate this. I’d suggest likely to be based on cookies/etc. stored locally in your browser.

I’d encourage you to take due diligence and some ownership of the problem here. First time is understandable, second experience (if I were you) I’d be looking out for it and making sure it shows the correct date.

 

[Doctor Pepper]

In which case, we’re not going to be able to replicate this. I’d suggest likely to be based on cookies/etc. stored locally in your browser.

I’d encourage you to take due diligence and some ownership of the problem here. First time is understandable, second experience (if I were you) I’d be looking out for it and making sure it shows the correct date.

Why can't you? Why would cookies be deciding what date the website shows when you first go on there? Take ownership? Er this is a Southeastern--created trap they're getting people to fall into.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Jun 2025 ==

Oh and this is right after I spent a couple of hours trying to load a ticket a few days ago, but it wasn't working, only to find out (after 2 hours) that it wasn't working. If it wasn't working why let me buy a ticket to to load in the first place???

 

[transportphoto]

Why can't you?

I’m unable to replicate a problem today which will require me to return in a day or two.

In some scenarios, it’s helpful to people who are planning their journeys that the website remembers the last dates. They don’t have to set it up again.

It’s not a trap - the date is written plainly in front of you. Anyone booking a ticket needs to take ownership of making sure they buy for the correct date.

If you don’t like the way in which Southeastern website works, have you considered alternatives? The Forum has its own ticket selling website you may find a helpful alternative: https://tickets.railforums.co.uk/

 

[Haywain]

Oh and this is right after I spent a couple of hours trying to load a ticket a few days ago, but it wasn't working, only to find out (after 2 hours) that it wasn't working. If it wasn't working why let me buy a ticket to to load in the first place???

It seems clear that is a separate issue, and may not have been a known problem when you bought your ticket.

 

[Doctor Pepper]

I’m unable to replicate a problem today which will require me to return in a day or two.

In some scenarios, it’s helpful to people who are planning their journeys that the website remembers the last dates. They don’t have to set it up again.

It’s not a trap - the date is written plainly in front of you. Anyone booking a ticket needs to take ownership of making sure they buy for the correct date.

If you don’t like the way in which Southeastern website works, have you considered alternatives? The Forum has its own ticket selling website you may find a helpful alternative: https://tickets.railforums.co.uk/

Helpful how?

This is the equivalent of going to a ticket office to buy a ticket for today, and them selling you a ticket for some random other date that you asked about a few days ago!

It's not plainly written when you use the Key thing. You can't see anything.

But that won't sell me a ticket to load onto the Key though will it.

 

[miklcct]

In which case, we’re not going to be able to replicate this. I’d suggest likely to be based on cookies/etc. stored locally in your browser.

I’d encourage you to take due diligence and some ownership of the problem here. First time is understandable, second experience (if I were you) I’d be looking out for it and making sure it shows the correct date.

I have just replicated this, by initiating a search on a future date, close the browser, and reopen the Southeastern website again. Similar behaviour is also exhibited on Eurostar.

 

[transportphoto]

Helpful how?

This is the equivalent of going to a ticket office to buy a ticket for today, and them selling you a ticket for some random other date that you asked about a few days ago!

It's not plainly written when you use the Key thing. You can't see anything.

But that won't sell me a ticket to load onto the Key though will it.

I’m simply going to close my interactions on this topic with advice to you to continue your conversation with Southeastern directly.

 

[drueberflug]

Helpful how?

This is the equivalent of going to a ticket office to buy a ticket for today, and them selling you a ticket for some random other date that you asked about a few days ago!

It's not plainly written when you use the Key thing. You can't see anything.

But that won't sell me a ticket to load onto the Key though will it.

Have you considered moving away from ITSO smartcard tickets? That might be a quick, yet inconvenient, solution to your issue.

Also, EMR have a smartcard which should work on Southeastern services, though cannot be loaded on their app or website, so you'd have to use the EMR app (or any ticket office or machine) to load tickets, incl. return and season tickets, onto it.
In turn, "the Key" won't work on the EMR app, but would be accepted on EMR services if there is a valid ticket on it.
There are little to no known issues with EMR's smartcards and/or their app, so if you want to stick to smartcards, that would be a way to go.

https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/tickets-discounts/select-a-delivery-option/smartcard

 

[Doctor Pepper]

Have you considered moving away from ITSO smartcard tickets? That might be a quick, yet inconvenient, solution to your issue.

Also, EMR have a smartcard which should work on Southeastern services, though cannot be loaded on their app or website, so you'd have to use the EMR app (or any ticket office or machine) to load tickets, incl. return and season tickets, onto it.
In turn, "the Key" won't work on the EMR app, but would be accepted on EMR services if there is a valid ticket on it.
There are little to no known issues with EMR's smartcards and/or their app, so if you want to stick to smartcards, that would be a way to go.

https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/tickets-discounts/select-a-delivery-option/smartcard

But that would make travel around London a total pita. So many times I try to insert my ticket into the barrier, and it inexplicably won't go in! Usually with a queue of people behind me!

Also that means having to get a physical ticket, which relies on the TVM not being broken.

I've no idea how to load tickets using a TVM. Every time I've used one I've never seen any obvious way of being able to do it. And that presupposes that it's not broken.........

 

[drueberflug]

But that would make travel around London a total pita. So many times I try to insert my ticket into the barrier, and it inexplicably won't go in! Usually with a queue of people behind me!

Also that means having to get a physical ticket, which relies on the TVM not being broken.

I've no idea how to load tickets using a TVM. Every time I've used one I've never seen any obvious way of being able to do it. And that presupposes that it's not broken.........

Tickets to London, incl. Travelcards, are available through the EMR app for loading onto the Smartcard from the app itself, if that's the issue you fear the most.
You do not need to visit a ticket machine in this case.

 

[Haywain]

There are little to no known issues with EMR's smartcards and/or their app, so if you want to stick to smartcards, that would be a way to go.

This is all very well but assumes that any problem with loading a ticket to a smartcard was exclusive to Southeastern. As most TOC smartcards use the same back office, it could have been a wider problem.

 

[drueberflug]

As most TOC smartcards use the same back office, it could have been a wider problem.

Not too sure about Southeastern, but don't GTR, who also issue "the Key" smartcards, use their own back office?

 

[Haywain]

Not too sure about Southeastern, but don't GTR, who also issue "the Key" smartcards, use their own back office?

I'm not referring to the website. I can't remember the name of it, but there is a central repository (for want of a better term) of TOC smartcards and smartcard tickets. This is in much the same way that all tickets booked online for collection at TVMs go into a central database. I expect that @Wallsendmag can fill in the terminology gaps for me.

 

[Watershed]

I'm not referring to the website. I can't remember the name of it, but there is a central repository (for want of a better term) of TOC smartcards and smartcard tickets. This is in much the same way that all tickets booked online for collection at TVMs go into a central database. I expect that @Wallsendmag can fill in the terminology gaps for me.

TMS I believe.

 

[Doctor Pepper]

Tickets to London, incl. Travelcards, are available through the EMR app for loading onto the Smartcard from the app itself, if that's the issue you fear the most.
You do not need to visit a ticket machine in this case.

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Except if there is an issue and I'm stuffed. I doubt SE staff are going to want to know.........

 

[Wallsendmag]

I'm not referring to the website. I can't remember the name of it, but there is a central repository (for want of a better term) of TOC smartcards and smartcard tickets. This is in much the same way that all tickets booked online for collection at TVMs go into a central database. I expect that @Wallsendmag can fill in the terminology gaps for me.

HOPS and TMS are the acronyms you are looking for

 

[yorkie]

Except if there is an issue and I'm stuffed. I doubt SE staff are going to want to know.........

It should make no difference what company you purchased from.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jun 2025 ==

....I sat down to check it on my phone, only to discover the ticket I bought was for Tuesday, ...

This shouldn't happen randomly; could you have previously searched for Tuesday?

It's common that a ticket issuing system would default to the last specified date, and indeed many people would desire/expect the date to be remembered.