If you’ve recently lost something on South Western Railway (SWR) station or one of their services, don’t panic! These things happen - and it’s highly likely your item will turn up safe and sound. Below, you’ll find our guide on the next steps we recommend you take. Best of luck!
How do I get my lost item back from South Western Railway?
The first step is notifying South Western Railway that you’ve lost an item (or items) on their premises. They’ve partnered with missingx.com for a helpful service where you can type in what you’ve lost and search a list of recently returned items.
Access South Western Railway’s lost property portal here.
On this page, simply type in a one-word description of the item you’ve lost, and a list of possible results will be returned. Additional details such as date found, item colour and which train station the item was found in will appear. Take a look at this list carefully to see if your item is present.
Note that it can take a few days for your item to be turned in after being found, so we recommend checking every few days if your item does not appear on this list.
Where can I pick up my lost item from South Western Railway?
You can find the South Western Railway lost property desk underneath London Waterloo. Ensure you bring ID to help prove your identity when picking up your missing item(s).
South Western Railway Lost Property Office opening times:
- Monday to Friday: 07:30 to 19:00
- Saturdays and Sundays: Closed
- Bank holidays: Closed
South Western Railway lost property contact number
If you’d like to call South Western Railway directly, use the SWR lost property number: 0345 600 0650. If calling, be sure to provide as much detail as possible when describing your item - think brand, colour, size, etc.
Useful SWR lost property information
- If you’ve lost your item on the train, before it is transported to the SWR Lost Property Office in London Waterloo, it will most likely reside on the final stop of the route. For South Western Railway, this commonly includes Bristol Temple Meads, Dorking, Exeter St Davids and Reading.
- Items are stored in lost property for three months before being disposed of, except for perishable items and bank cards, which are destroyed immediately (the latter to protect from fraud).
- British Passports are invalidated and returned to the HM Passport Office, whereas other countries’ passports are returned to their relevant Embassy or High Commission.
- Cash is banked immediately, and a receipt is issued which can be reclaimed by cheque or at the London Waterloo ticket office.