Advice to get from Southampton to Portsmouth please

[Misty1937]

We have 2 nights (1 day) in Southampton pre cruise and thought we would like to go to Portsmouth to see Lord Nelson's Victory which we understand is in dry dock. Is there public transport we can use or would we be better to hire a car. If we need to hire a car any recommendations for a budget rental company and approx cost would be greatly appreciated.

 

Failing that we are open to any other suggestions for what we might do as I understand from the other posts there is not a lot to see or do in Southampton.

 

Thanks in advance all you wonderful people.

 

Cheers, Misty

[scottbee]

We have 2 nights (1 day) in Southampton pre cruise and thought we would like to go to Portsmouth to see Lord Nelson's Victory which we understand is in dry dock. Is there public transport we can use or would we be better to hire a car. If we need to hire a car any recommendations for a budget rental company and approx cost would be greatly appreciated.

 

Failing that we are open to any other suggestions for what we might do as I understand from the other posts there is not a lot to see or do in Southampton.

 

http://nationalrail.co.uk/

Train: Southampton Central to Portsmouth Harbour (about 1000ft from Victory); takes about 45 mins

[kruzseeka]

Also National Express coaches run fairly frequently from Southampton to Portsmouth and typically take 50 minutes. Cost for standard adult return £4.60. The coach station is very close to the rail station in Portsmouth so from scottbee's post, it wouldn't be far from HMS Victory.

 

Depending on where your hotel in Southampton is located, the coach station may be a bit nearer to you than the rail station.

 

The trains run a little more frequently and cost about double - but both options provide you with a cheap and efficient means of getting to Portsmouth without the cost of car rental or parking issues in Portsmouth so I'd certainly advise using public transport.

[John Bull]

 

Thanks in advance all you wonderful people.

 

Cheers, Misty

 

Flattery will get you everywhere :)

 

Southampton isn't totally without interest, but Portsmouth & Southsea has so much more to offer.

 

As other posters, don't bother with a car, the train or coach are cheap, simple, reasonably frequent & direct, & most of the sights are immediately adjacent Portsmouth's travel interchange on "the Hard"

 

Southampton Central Rail Staton & National Express coach station are just a few hundred yards apart.

 

By coach;

http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach/index.cfm?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=national+express+brand+-+journey+planner&utm_campaign=Extended+Brand

You are going from "Southampton", plain & simple - don't select cruise, uni, or Red Funnel options.

You are going to "Portsmouth", plain & simple - don't select uni or car ferry.

You can access location maps on the booking page.

Journey time is 40 - 65 mins, slightly different routes & intermediate pick-up points at different times.

The route is mainly motorway & quite boring.

 

Train:

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/en/s/planjourney/query

You are going from Southampton Central to Portsmouth Harbour.

A train roughly hourly is direct, another also roughly hourly involves one simple change. Journey time about 50 to 65 mins.

NB your destination is Portsmouth Harbour, at the end of the line & after the main Portsmouth & Southsea station.

 

Train/coach fares are broadly the same, sometimes one option has a promo price, neither will break the bank. I'd rate the train a more pleasant way to travel.

 

Both take you to the interchange at The Hard, which is sandwiched between Gunwharf Quays (a modern waterfront leisure & shopping complex with the Spinnaker Tower as its centre-piece) and the Historic Dockyard with a huge variety of exhibits & buildings, the remains of Henry V111's flagship Mary Rose, the restored iron-clad Warrior, and Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. Still called HMS Victory, as she's still a commissioned warship, with a Royal Navy captain & crew.

Also at The Hard, fast passenger ferries to the Isle of Wight, ferries across the harbour mouth to Gosport (Submarine museum a short taxi ride away), pubs, etc. Everything is immediately to hand, all level ground.

 

Probably more there than you can cope with in a day, but

- a short bus or taxi ride will take you to Old Portsmouth, with its Round & Square harbour-mouth Towers, cathedral, pubs etc.

- and a further short bus or taxi ride to Southsea seafront with a good D-Day museum, adjacent Southsea Castle (not the best Tudor castle in the country but worth 20/30 mins), and half-hourly hovercraft service to the Isle of Wight.

 

John Bull

 

PS An update, with tears in my eyes, on Southampton's restaurants. Bouzy Rouge, cellar restaurant alongside the Bargate, closes at the end of August :mad:

[Misty1937]

There John, flattery did get me somewhere, a big thank you to Scottbee, Kruzseeka and John. This is wonderful information and I really appreciate it. I hope it will also help others as there was very little I could find on the threads with this sort of help.

 

Cheers, Judy