Southeastern (train operating company) facts for kids
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Southeastern Class 375 Electrostar at New Cross
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| Overview | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise(s) | South Eastern | ||
| Main region(s) | Greater London, South East England | ||
| Fleet size | |||
| Stations called at | 180 | ||
| Stations operated | 164 | ||
| Parent company | DfT Operator | ||
| Headquarters | London | ||
| Reporting mark | SE | ||
| Dates of operation | 17 October 2021–17 October 2027 | ||
| Predecessor | London & South Eastern Railway | ||
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Southeastern is a train company in the south east of England. It is owned by the British government. Southeastern runs train services to many places in Kent, London, and East Sussex. This includes the fast domestic trains on High Speed 1.
The company is officially called SE Trains Limited. It started operating on 17 October 2021. Before this, a private company called London & South Eastern Railway ran the trains. The government took over operations to make sure services continued smoothly.
Contents
History of Southeastern Trains
In September 2021, the government found some problems with how the previous train company, London & South Eastern Railway, reported its money. Because of these issues, the government decided to take over the train services.
On 17 October 2021, SE Trains Limited began running the trains under the Southeastern name. This new company was set up by the government to manage the train services. It was planned to run for about six years.
Changes and Challenges for Southeastern
Southeastern, like many other train companies, faced challenges with railway strikes in 2022 and 2023. These were the first big national train strikes in the UK in a long time. Workers took part in these actions because of disagreements about their jobs.
These strikes sometimes meant that Southeastern could not run all its usual trains. It was also hard to arrange replacement buses quickly when strikes happened suddenly.
In June 2023, Southeastern made a rule to ban e-scooters and electric skateboards on its trains. This was because the batteries in these vehicles could be a fire risk. However, most electric bicycles were still allowed on board.
During the summer of 2023, Southeastern opened new secure places for bikes at stations in Kent. This was part of a bigger plan to make stations better for people who cycle. This project was part of a £4.4 million plan to improve stations in Kent and south-east London. Southeastern worked with Network Rail on these improvements.
Modernizing Travel with Southeastern
In late 2023, Southeastern introduced digital season tickets, called sTickets. These allow passengers to buy and keep their season tickets on their smartphones. You can buy them on the Southeastern website or through their mobile app. These tickets have special features to prevent fraud. They are valid for travel across south-east London, Kent, and East Sussex.
Around the same time, Southeastern also changed some ticket prices. They also decided not to close many of their staffed ticket offices, which was good news for passengers.
In June 2025, Southeastern and Network Rail (Kent area) joined forces. This was part of a bigger plan to create a new national railway body called Great British Railways (GBR). This change aimed to make rail services and infrastructure work together more smoothly.
Where Southeastern Trains Go
Southeastern trains serve several major London stations. These include Charing Cross, Waterloo East, Cannon Street, London Bridge, St Pancras, Victoria, and Blackfriars.
The Southeastern network covers about 540 miles of track. It has 180 stations, and Southeastern manages 164 of them.
Southeastern Routes and Services
When Southeastern took over, it kept running the same train routes as the previous company. In December 2022, a new timetable was introduced. This aimed to reduce crowded trains and make services more reliable. It also helped match the number of trains to how many people were travelling after the COVID-19 pandemic.
One year later, Southeastern added 100 more trains per week. These changes were based on what customers said and how people were travelling in Kent, East Sussex, and south-east London.
Some people, including the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, have suggested that Southeastern's local London services should be managed by Transport for London (TfL). This would integrate them into London's wider transport network.
Southeastern operates different types of services:
- High Speed 1 services: These are fast trains connecting London St Pancras International to places like Ashford International, Dover Priory, and Ramsgate.
- Main Line services: These connect London Victoria or Charing Cross to towns further out in Kent and East Sussex, such as Maidstone East, Ashford International, and Hastings.
- Metro services: These are local trains that run more frequently within London and its nearby areas. They serve many suburban stations.
Southeastern Train Fleet
When Southeastern started, it used the same electric trains as the company before it. The company quickly began a project to update most of its trains. For example, £27 million was spent to improve its 29 Class 395 Javelin high-speed trains.
By May 2023, Southeastern had finished updating half of its 112 Class 375 Electrostar trains. This £10 million upgrade added new USB ports, power sockets at seats, LED lights, and energy meters.
The previous company had arranged to lease all the Class 707 trains. Southeastern continued this agreement. The remaining 30 Class 707 trains joined the fleet as they became available from South Western Railway.
New Technologies and Future Trains
Southeastern has explored new ways to make trains better. They worked with Siemens Mobility and Eversholt Rail to create an automated system to check trains. This system uses cameras and laser sensors to inspect vehicles. It started being used at the Ramsgate depot in 2025.
Southeastern has also looked into replacing its older trains. In November 2022, the company started asking other companies to offer to build new trains. Southeastern was looking for between 350 and 640 new carriages. These new trains are expected to be introduced in the mid-2020s.
In November 2024, Southeastern announced that it would receive 13 Class 377/1 trains from Southern. These trains replaced some of the older Class 465 units.
Current Trains Used by Southeastern
Southeastern uses several types of electric trains:
| Class | Image | Type | Routes operated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 375 Electrostar | .jpg) |
EMU | Main line routes |
| 376 Electrostar |  |
EMU | Metro routes |
| 377 Electrostar |  |
EMU | Main line routes |
| 395 Javelin |  |
EMU | High Speed 1 services |
| 465 Networker |  |
EMU | Main line and metro routes |
| 466 Networker | .jpg) |
EMU | Main line and metro routes |
| 707 City Beam |  |
EMU | Metro routes |
Past Trains Used by Southeastern
In May 2022, two Class 377/1 trains were moved from Southeastern back to Southern.
| Class | Image | Type | Routes operated | Year withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 377 | |
EMU | Main line routes | 2022 |
Future Trains for Southeastern
In May 2024, Southeastern asked several companies to bid for building 350 to 640 new carriages. These new trains will replace the older Class 465 and 466 units. Companies like CAF, Hitachi, Stadler, Siemens, and Alstom are currently competing for this project.
Images for kids
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Inside a refurbished Class 375 train
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A Southeastern Class 376 train
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A Class 377 train
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A Southeastern Class 377/5 train
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A Hitachi Class 395 Javelin train
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A Southeastern Class 465 Networker train
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A Southeastern Class 466 Networker train
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A Southeastern Class 707 City Beam train
