Modernising rail retail: Magellan’s partnership with Southeastern
Magellan is delivering the new machines as part of the train operator’s programme to modernise the way customers buy tickets at stations. Replacing 20-year-old technology, they will offer customers a wider range of ticketing products and fulfilment options, including printed barcode tickets on paper rolls, contactless payments and Oyster top-ups. Faster, more intuitive touchscreen technology will make the purchasing process simpler and more accessible, with the first installations planned from early 2027.
Creating a More Connected Retail Experience
The rollout is a key part of Southeastern’s £9 million investment in customer experience. Which also includes upgrades to ticket-office technology and new handheld devices for frontline colleagues. Together, these improvements will create a more connected, omnichannel retail experience, bringing self-service technology, ticket offices and frontline staff tools together to give customers greater choice in how they purchase and fulfil tickets.
Rail retail has changed significantly, with customers increasingly expecting the same speed, convenience and simplicity they experience in other retail environments. While digital and mobile ticketing continue to grow, station-based retail remains an important part of the customer journey. The new technology will complement existing retail channels, ensuring passengers can access the services that best suit their needs.
Technology Designed for Today’s Passengers
Our fully managed solution combines established rail-retail technology with a modern, intuitive customer experience. The programme will include a combination of card-only and card-and-cash machines, designed for robust performance in busy station environments while accommodating different customer preferences. By integrating the new machines with ticket-office systems and frontline devices, we are helping Southeastern deliver a more joined-up retail experience across its network.
“Supporting Southeastern’s digital transformation builds on our long-standing rail, mobility and e-transactional expertise in the UK, now combined with the breadth and scale of Magellan. It reflects our unique ability to cover the entire value chain – from strategic consulting and market-leading SaaS platform integration to the custom design, implementation and secure 24/7 operation of digital solutions in highly secure and sovereign environments.”
It’s this combination of rail-retail heritage and end-to-end delivery capability that positions Magellan to support operators like Southeastern as they modernise for the long term.
Caroline Jéséquel
Managing Director
Looking Ahead to 2027
With the first installations planned for early 2027, the programme marks an important step in Southeastern’s retail modernisation, bringing together technology and customer service to make buying tickets simpler, more accessible and better suited to the way passengers travel today.