National Rail › SouthernData updated 6 October 2026

Southern unverified

Commuter trains from London Victoria and London Bridge to south London, Surrey and Sussex, with coastal trains from Southampton to Hastings and Ashford International and a Watford Junction service on the West London line. Most trains are Class 377 and 387 Electrostars, with Class 171 diesels on the Uckfield and Marshlink lines; it has been publicly owned since May 2026.

2026Current operator since

714 miles (1,149 km)Route miles, all of GTR

192Stations served

316 millionJourneys a year, all of GTR, ORR (2025–26)

Facts

Current operator since: 31 May 2026
London terminals: London Victoria, London Bridge
Type: Commuter and coastal train brand
Depots: Selhurst (south London), Brighton Lovers Walk
Main routes: From London Victoria and London Bridge to south London and Surrey, to Brighton, Worthing, Bognor Regis, Portsmouth and Southampton, to Eastbourne and Hastings, and to East Grinstead, Uckfield, Tonbridge and Ashford International; also along the Sussex coast, and between Watford Junction and East Croydon on the West London line.
Stations managed: 156, Southern's own figure (236 for all of GTR: Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express)
Operating company: Thameslink Southern Great Northern Ltd, owned by DfT Operator (public ownership since 31 May 2026). It runs Southern with Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express as the Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR).

This page is marked unverified: its figures haven’t yet been confirmed by an official source or a published history. The foot of the page says what’s in doubt.

Class 377 Electrostar · Bombardier Transportation (now Alstom)

Class 387 Electrostar · Bombardier Transportation (now Alstom), Derby · indicative

Class 171 Turbostar · Adtranz / Bombardier Transportation, Derby

Routes 31 routes · 192 stations

London Victoria – Portsmouth Harbour 51

London Victoria – Ashford International 46

Southampton Central – East Croydon 46

London Bridge – Ashford International 44

London Victoria – Bognor Regis 39

Southampton Central – Brighton 38

London Bridge – Bognor Regis 36

London Victoria – Brighton 34

Portsmouth Harbour – Brighton 30

London Bridge – Hove 27

London Bridge – Horsham 27

London Victoria – Horsham 26

London Victoria – Tonbridge 22

London Bridge – Brighton 21

London Victoria – Dorking 21

London Bridge – Caterham 20

Bognor Regis – Brighton 18

London Victoria – Epsom Downs 18

London Victoria – Reigate 17

Portsmouth Harbour – Bognor Regis 15

Watford Junction – East Croydon 15

London Victoria – London Bridge 15

Wivelsfield – Seaford 15

London Bridge – Sutton 14

London Bridge – Beckenham Junction 12

London Bridge – East Croydon 10

Oxted – Uckfield 10

London Bridge – Streatham Hill 8

London Victoria – Sutton 8

Tattenham Corner – Purley 8

Oxted – East Grinstead 5

Schematic, not to scale. Ringed stations are interchanges. Each strip is one service route with its stops in order. Where fast and stopping trains share a route, the strip shows the one with most stops, and a route whose stops all lie on a longer one is left out. Station order from TfL open data.

Station	Zone	Interchanges
London Victoria	1	Circle, District, Victoria
Battersea Park	2
Clapham Junction	2	Overground (Mildmay, Windrush)
Streatham Common	3
Selhurst	4
East Croydon	5	Trams
South Croydon	5
Purley	6
Coulsdon South	6
Merstham
Redhill
Earlswood (Surrey)
Salfords (Surrey)
Horley
Gatwick Airport
Three Bridges
Balcombe
Haywards Heath
Wivelsfield
Burgess Hill
Hassocks
Preston Park
Hove
Aldrington
Portslade
Fishersgate
Southwick
Shoreham-by-Sea (Sussex)
Lancing
East Worthing
Worthing
West Worthing
Durrington-on-Sea
Goring-by-Sea
Angmering
Littlehampton
Ford
Barnham
Chichester
Fishbourne
Bosham
Nutbourne
Southbourne
Emsworth
Warblington
Havant
Bedhampton
Hilsea
Fratton
Portsmouth & Southsea
Portsmouth Harbour
Brighton
London Road (Brighton)
Moulsecoomb
Falmer
Lewes
Glynde
Berwick (Sussex)
Polegate
Eastbourne
Hampden Park (Sussex)
Pevensey & Westham
Pevensey Bay
Normans Bay
Cooden Beach
Collington
Bexhill
St Leonards Warrior Square
Hastings
Ore
Three Oaks
Doleham
Winchelsea
Rye
Appledore (Kent)
Ham Street
Ashford International
Southampton Central
St Denys
Bitterne
Woolston
Sholing
Netley
Hamble
Bursledon
Swanwick
Fareham
Portchester
Cosham
Arundel
Amberley
Pulborough
Billingshurst
Christs Hospital
Horsham
Littlehaven
Faygate
Ifield
Crawley
Purley Oaks	6
London Bridge	1	Jubilee, Northern
Bognor Regis
Norwood Junction	4	Overground (Windrush)
Wandsworth Common	3
Balham	3	Northern
Norbury	3
Thornton Heath	4
New Cross Gate	2	Overground (Windrush)
South Bermondsey	2
Queens Road Peckham	2	Overground (Windrush)
Peckham Rye	2	Overground (Windrush)
East Dulwich	2
North Dulwich	2/3
Tulse Hill	3
West Norwood	3
Gipsy Hill	3
Crystal Palace	3/4	Overground (Windrush)
West Croydon	5	Overground (Windrush), Trams
Waddon	5
Wallington	5
Carshalton Beeches	5
Sutton	5
Cheam	5
Ewell East	6
Epsom	9
Ashtead	NA
Leatherhead	NA
Box Hill & Westhumble	NA
Dorking	NA
Holmwood
Ockley
Warnham
Streatham Hill	3
Nutfield
Godstone
Edenbridge
Penshurst
Leigh (Kent)
Tonbridge
Streatham	3
Kenley	6
Whyteleafe	6
Whyteleafe South	6
Caterham	6
Belmont	5
Banstead	6
Epsom Downs	6
Reigate	NA
Watford Junction		Overground (Lioness)
Harrow & Wealdstone	5	Bakerloo, Overground (Lioness)
Wembley Central	4	Bakerloo, Overground (Lioness)
Shepherds Bush	2	Central, Overground (Mildmay)
Kensington (Olympia)	2	District, Overground (Mildmay)
West Brompton	2	District, Overground (Mildmay)
Imperial Wharf	2	Overground (Mildmay)
Sydenham	3	Overground (Windrush)
Forest Hill	3	Overground (Windrush)
Honor Oak Park	3	Overground (Windrush)
Brockley	2	Overground (Windrush)
Southease
Newhaven Town
Newhaven Harbour
Bishopstone
Seaford
Penge West	4	Overground (Windrush)
Anerley	4	Overground (Windrush)
Birkbeck	4	Trams
Beckenham Junction	4	Trams
Oxted	NA
Hurst Green	NA
Edenbridge Town
Hever
Cowden
Ashurst (Kent)
Eridge
Crowborough
Buxted
Uckfield
Mitcham Eastfields	3
Mitcham Junction	4	Trams
Hackbridge	4
Carshalton	5
Tattenham Corner	6
Tadworth	6
Kingswood	6
Chipstead	6
Woodmansterne	6
Coulsdon Town	6
Reedham (Surrey)	6
Lingfield	NA
Dormans	NA
East Grinstead	NA

Stations, zones and interchanges from TfL open data (2026-10-06). National Rail interchanges are listed where TfL groups the stations together.

Fleet

Class	Units	Formation and notes
Class 377 Electrostar	203	51 four-car 377/1, 15 four-car dual-voltage 377/2, 28 three-car 377/3, 75 four-car 377/4, 26 five-car 377/6 and 8 five-car dual-voltage 377/7
Class 387 Electrostar	46	four-car, dual-voltage: a pool shared with Gatwick Express, whose 27 Class 387/2s are among them; about 24 came from Great Northern in 2025
Class 171 Turbostar		47 diesel vehicles, run as three- or four-car trains between London Bridge and Uckfield and between Eastbourne and Ashford International

History 11

2001Govia takes over the South Central franchise, through its company New Southern Railway Ltd.
2004South Central's trains take the name Southern.
20 September 2009Govia starts a new South Central franchise, which now includes Gatwick Express.
23 June 2014Eight five-car, dual-voltage Class 377/7s enter service, running between East Croydon and Milton Keynes on the West London line; 26 five-car 377/6s had arrived the year before.
26 July 2015Southern and Gatwick Express join Govia Thameslink Railway's Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise.
2016Strikes and an overtime ban in a dispute over driver-only operation cut services; a report for the government names the action as the main cause of that year's breakdown in service.
20 May 2023The last Class 313s are retired from the coast lines and replaced by Electrostars.
2025About 24 Class 387s move from Great Northern to Southern, and 13 Class 377/1s go to Southeastern; the last three leave before the December timetable change.
21 May 2026The first train in Great British Railways colours, a Southern Class 387, is unveiled at Brighton.
31 May 2026Southern passes into public ownership with the rest of GTR.
13 August 2026A Victoria to Eastbourne train of two Class 387s derails near Lewes; three carriages overturn and 30 people are hurt.

Sources 22

How we source figures →

TOC key statistics: Govia Thameslink Railway, April 2025 to March 2026, Office of Rail and Road, 6 August 2026 (all of GTR: 1,149 route km, 236 stations managed, 316 million journeys, 2025–26)
Table 6314: rolling stock vehicles by traction type and operator, Office of Rail and Road, 20 November 2025 (GTR's 47 diesel vehicles, March 2025)
Company information (archived), Southern, 2026 (trading name, 156 stations managed, Victoria and London Bridge, public ownership)
Transfer of Govia Thameslink Railway's services into public ownership, Department for Transport, 1 June 2026 (public ownership, TSGNL)
GTR highlights improvements delivered during its first 100 days under public ownership, GTR, 11 September 2026 (the name Greater Thameslink Railway)
Who we are (archived), GTR, 2026 (Southern from 2004)
Govia Thameslink Railway brings in extra trains in readiness for improved December timetable, GTR, 11 February 2025 (routes; 65 Class 387s, 46 for Southern and Gatwick Express, about 24 from Great Northern; 13 Class 377s to Southeastern; Lovers Walk depot)
Govia Thameslink Railway begins cascade of Class 377s and 387s, Rail, 13 February 2025 (203 Class 377s at GTR after the cascade; Class 387 unit numbers moving to Southern)
Class 377 'Electrostar', Southern Electric Group (sremg.org.uk), 2010 (64 377/1, 15 377/2, 28 377/3 and 75 377/4 as planned and built)
Southern starts running new five-car Class 377/7s, Rail (Richard Clinnick), 23 July 2014 (8 Class 377/7s from 23 June 2014; 26 Class 377/6s)
Regional Review: December 2025 (stock notes), Southern Electric Group, December 2025 (the last three 377/1s to Southeastern, December 2025)
Audio description guide: Southern 171 Turbostar trains (archived), Govia Thameslink Railway (Class 171 routes and train lengths)
Changes to improve the performance of the Southern network and train services, and restore passenger confidence (independent report by Chris Gibb, dated 30 December 2016), Department for Transport, 22 June 2017 (the 2016 dispute; Class 171s at Selhurst)
Award-winning £100m upgrades to GTR Electrostars completed, Porterbrook, 16 October 2025 (Selhurst depot)
Anticipated acquisition by Govia Thameslink Railway Limited of Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern Rail Franchise (ME/6470-14), Competition and Markets Authority, 7 November 2014 (Govia from 2001 and from 20 September 2009; Southern into the franchise on 26 July 2015)
TfL sets high standards in new rail franchise, Transport for London (press release), 16 June 2009 (new franchise from 20 September 2009)
New rail franchising deal set to transform passenger services across London and the South East, Department for Transport, 23 May 2014 (Southern and Gatwick Express join on 26 July 2015)
Farewell tour to UK's oldest trains raises £25,000 for children's hospice and at-risk youngsters, GTR, 3 May 2023 (Class 313s retired on 20 May 2023)
Full steam ahead for Great British Railways as first branded train unveiled, Department for Transport, 20 May 2026 (first GBR-branded train, a Southern Class 387)
Britain's biggest train operator's services enter public ownership this weekend, Department for Transport, 28 May 2026 (public ownership from 31 May 2026)
Derailment of a passenger train at Lewes, Rail Accident Investigation Branch, 19 August 2026 (the Lewes derailment, 13 August 2026)
TfL Unified API: Line Route Sequence, Transport for London (Powered by TfL Open Data) (routes and station order)

unverified the 51 Class 377/1s: worked out from the 64 built less the 13 moved to Southeastern (Rail gives 203 Class 377s in all at GTR), the 46 Class 387s: GTR's planned split with Gatwick Express, February 2025; GTR said the exact number would depend on units held for overhaul, the Class 171s: ORR counts 47 diesel vehicles for all of GTR, taken to be Southern's 171s, its only diesels; the number of units isn't published, Brighton Lovers Walk: GTR names it as a GTR depot holding Class 387s, not which fleets it maintains

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