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keyGo

Commitment-free, pay-as-you-go travel.

keyGo overview

Tap in and out with your Key Smartcard, and keyGo automatically charges you the best value National Rail walk-up fare for your journey, including Anytime and Off-Peak prices. You’ll benefit from daily and weekly caps, so you’ll never pay more than the cost of a Weekly Season ticket.

Walk-up fares are flexible tickets you can buy on the day of travel. keyGo applies the appropriate walk-up fare automatically.

Please note that other fare types, such as Advance tickets or pay as you go using Transport for London (TfL) Contactless or Oyster, use different pricing systems and may offer alternative prices on some journeys.

 What is weekly capping?

Weekly capping means you’ll never pay more than the cost of a Weekly Season ticket, no matter how many trips you take in a week.  

If you travel between the same two stations from Monday 04:30 to the next Monday 04:29, once your total fares reach the weekly cap, the rest of your travel that week is free. 

If you don’t reach the cap, you only pay for what you use. It’s simple, flexible, and can help save you money and time. 

Why use keyGo?

Whether your travel patterns change or stay the same week to week, keyGo is built for you. It’s ideal for commuters with a set work week, as well as hybrid workers who want the freedom to travel without committing to a Season ticket – yet still benefit from savings when they travel more.

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Save time

No need to plan ahead or queue for tickets. Just tap in and out with your free Key Smartcard and go – keyGo handles the rest.

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Save money

Daily and weekly price caps mean you’ll never pay more than the cost of a Weekly Season ticket. keyGo also finds the lowest walk-up fare for your journeys. Link your Railcard for up to 1/3 off eligible fares to save even more.

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Travel your way

Whether you travel a little or a lot, keyGo adapts to your week. No commitment, no upfront decisions – just pay-as-you-go travel that fits around you.

Your week, your way: keyGo benefits 

  • No commitment: Unlike Season or Flexi Season tickets, you don’t need to decide in advance how often you’ll travel – keyGo allows you to be adaptable. 
  • Weekly price capping: Travel between the same two stations, and once you hit the cost of a Weekly Season ticket, the rest of your journeys that week are free. 
  • Lowest daily fare guaranteed: keyGo calculates the cheapest walk-up fare for all your journeys that day, even if your travel is unpredictable. 
  • Leisure journeys included: Hit the weekly cap and enjoy free travel for the rest of the week – whether it’s for work or leisure. If you travel outside of your capped Weekly Season ticket stations, keyGo will automatically charge the difference between your capped Season and the origins/destinations of your journey.  
  • Railcard savings: Add your Railcard to your keyGo account and save up to 1/3 on eligible fares. 
  • Paper-free and convenient: Just tap and go. Skip the queues and travel freely.  
  • Automatic Delay Repay: Opt in to receive Delay Repay notifications, making it easier to claim compensation when you're eligible.  
  • Wide coverage: keyGo can be used on Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern services, as well as dual operator journeys, including South Western Railway services between Dorking and Clapham Junction, and on Great Western Railway services between Gatwick Airport and Dorking Deepdene.** It is also valid on Metrobus and Brighton & Hove buses. Download the map for more details. 

Things to remember  

  • Standard Class only: keyGo is usable in Standard Class travel – First Class fares aren’t available.  
  • Tap in and out: To make sure your fare is calculated correctly, always tap your Key Smartcard at the start and end of your journey. Missed touches can lead to extra charges, but you can fix them easily online.  
  • Not valid on TfL services: keyGo works across most of the Thameslink network but isn’t accepted on Transport for London (TfL) services.  
  • Separate smartcards for Flexi Season: If you use a Flexi Season ticket, you’ll need a separate Key Smartcard – it can’t be combined with keyGo.  
  • Keep payment details up to date: This helps avoid any issues with your travel being charged correctly.  
  • Manual journey completion: If you travel to or from a station without ticket gates or validators, just log in to your account to complete the journey manually.  
  • Travel week timing: keyGo’s weekly cap runs from 04:30 Monday to 04:29 the following Monday. Journeys that cross this cut-off may be charged across two days.  
  • Railcard discounts: Link your Railcard in your online account to get up to 1/3 off eligible fares – and keep it handy for inspections. 
  • Route coverage: keyGo works on most Thameslink routes, but not all services. Check your journey is within the valid area before you travel. Download the keyGo map for more details. 

How it works

  1. Register for a Key Smartcard (if you haven’t got one already) 
    Log in and connect your Key Smartcard with keyGo. We’ll run a quick £0.01 check to verify your payment details – it’s not charged and clears in a few days. 
  2. Load  
    You can activate keyGo via the Thameslink app (ready in around 15 minutes), or by tapping in at a station (ready in about two hours). 
  3. Tap   
    Just tap the yellow pads at the station to travel. Once activated, you’ve got 30 days to take your first journey. 

See where keyGo is active on our network map

Frequently asked questions

Don't have The Key Smartcard?

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*keyGo will automatically calculate the best value daily or weekly walk-up fare based on the journeys you have made each week (capping applies Monday to Monday).  The price paid will vary in line with normal walk-up ticket prices depending on time of day of travel, travel frequency, Railcards, route travelled, and operators used, ensuring you never pay more than you should.  Other ticket options are available if you book in advance.

**Please note that capping values may vary, as there can be a price difference between an any-permitted ticket and a Thameslink-only ticket. You’re still guaranteed the best value, but you may want to consider using only one train service to secure the lowest fare for your travel.

keyGo cannot be used on the same Key Smartcard together with Flexi Season tickets. Find out more here.

Please read the keyGo terms and conditions