Thameslink - Lost property

I lost something on a train or at a station. What should I do?

First, fill out our online lost property form.

Once we receive this, our lost property team will do their best to find your item. If we find it, we’ll contact you to arrange its return. Please bear with us, as items can sometimes take 10 days to get to us.

Please keep in mind that some lost items are never found, and we’ll only get in touch with you if we do find your item. We also recommend completing online forms with other rail companies who operate from the stations you were travelling between.

How long will it take to find out if the item was found?

It can take up to 10 days to locate and match an item to you. Please keep in mind that some lost items are never found, and we’ll only get in touch with you if we do find your item.

Where does my item go if it gets found?

Lost property items will be held at the station where it was found, before being collected via our internal delivery drivers and taken to the lost property office located at City Thameslink station.

How will I be contacted?

Should a possible match be found, a member of the lost property team will be in touch using the details you provided us on the lost property form. Please check your spam folder as emails can tend to go into this folder. We will also call and send a text if you’ve provided a contact number – this number may show as being withheld.

How do I collect a found item?

We will contact you if we find a possible match. You can arrange to collect your item from our lost property office at City Thameslink station. The office can be found towards the end of the platform by the escalators at the Ludgate end of City Thameslink station. You can collect lost property anytime from 8.00am until 17.30pm Monday to Friday, although please wait to be contacted before visiting to save a potentially wasted journey.

Is there a collection fee for found items?

Yes, a small fee will be payable when collecting your item; the fee depends on the item’s value and this fee is dictated by National Rail Conditions of Travel.

My item has been found at a station but I'm unable to collect it, what should I do?

We may be able to deliver your item with the addition of a delivery fee. We will provide details of the options available when contacting you about a potential match, so you can choose the best option to suit you.

How long are items stored for?

Items are stored for up to 3 months and 1 day, after which they may be donated to charity or disposed of. This is because we have limited space to keep items indefinitely.

What should I do if I haven’t been contacted?

We will only contact you if we have found a possible match for the item you’ve reported as missing. This can take up to 10 days and please keep in mind that some lost items are never found.

Can I turn up to the Lost Property office if I haven't been contacted?

We recommend that you only visit the lost property office if we have contacted you to advise your item has been found, to save a wasted journey.

What happens if my item isn’t found?

We will continue to try and match your item for up to 12 months, although please keep in mind that some lost items are never found.

Are all found items kept or are some items disposed of?

We will dispose of any perishable items straight away. For example, food stuffs, as these usually become inedible after a short period of time.

I’ve lost my passport and need to use it imminently, what do I do?

If a passport is found it will be returned directly to HM Passport Office as per government guidance. If you have only just lost your passport, one of our team may be able to assist you.

I’ve lost my medicine that I need to take regularly, what do I do?

Perishables will usually be disposed of upon recovery. Although, if you have only just lost your medicine, one of our team may be able to assist you. Please also contact the Twitter team as we will all try to help.

I’ve lost cash, what do I do?

Where a found purse or wallet includes cash we will secure the cash in one of our tills at a ticket office. A receipt to the value of the cash will be put back into the wallet before being sent to our lost property office. Once you’ve collected your wallet, our team will arrange with our finance team to have a cheque sent to you. We will need to verify proof of ownership and request photographic ID to ensure we are giving the cash back to the rightful owner. Please note that foreign currency will be repaid at the exchange rate given on that day by our bank.

I’ve lost my credit/debit card or chequebook, what do I do?

We will contact the relevant bank for any credit/debit cards or chequebooks which have been found. The items will either be returned or destroyed as per the banks request.

I lost my mobile phone. How can I get it back?

As with all items, you’ll need to fill out our online lost property form.

When reporting a lost phone, we’ll need you to provide the IMEI number. This is because we have so many lost phones – IMEI numbers are the only effective way to match a phone with its owner.

If you don’t know your IMEI number, your network operator will be able to tell you.

I’ve found a lost item, where can I hand it in?

If you see a lost item, please inform one of our members of staff who will send this to our lost property office.

Lost property

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