Getting to Southampton

[sddsddean]

Do you want to try your link JB. All I get is a big map of the USA:D

 

Simon

[John Bull]

Do you want to try your link JB. All I get is a big map of the USA:D

 

Simon

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Herbert+Walker+Ave&geocode=FQ3ICAMd1mzq_w%3BFVrCCAMdPi_q_w&hl=en&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=w&sll=50.909419,-1.42127&sspn=0.011122,0.026994&ie=UTF8&z=15

 

Bloody computers :o:o:o

JB :)

[Twickenham]

We are staying by the Waterloo station as well and we are also looking into taking the train (or a private transfer) to Southampton. However, my biggest concern is with luggage. I've read some about the restrictions but I was wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge about this issue?:confused:

 

I don't know of any luggage restrictions on the train, except of course for the requirement that you be able to carry it on yourself.

[sddsddean]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Herbert+Walker+Ave&geocode=FQ3ICAMd1mzq_w%3BFVrCCAMdPi_q_w&hl=en&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=15&dirflg=w&sll=50.909419,-1.42127&sspn=0.011122,0.026994&ie=UTF8&z=15

 

Bloody computers :o:o:o

JB :)

 

Told you so!!:D

 

Simon

[MSMcDuffy]

We are staying by the Waterloo station as well and we are also looking into taking the train (or a private transfer) to Southampton. However, my biggest concern is with luggage. I've read some about the restrictions but I was wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge about this issue?:confused:

 

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/luggage_animals.html

 

Luggage

 

Customers may take up to three items of personal luggage free of charge, this includes two large items (such as suitcases or rucksacks) and one item of smaller hand luggage (such as a briefcase). Full details of the free allowances are available at stations.

Excess luggage and certain more bulky items (such as skis) may be carried, subject to available space, at an extra charge.

On Gatwick Express services bulky items such as skis are conveyed free in the luggage van. There is plenty of space on board for other luggage.

[Desert Cruisers]

We have taken Megatrain twice to reach Southampton for a cruise. The schedule opens up approx. 45 days in advance but might sometimes it is delayed if National Rail has problems coordinating schedules. Those of us in the USA actually have an advantage since the schedule is typically updated in the wee hours of the morning England time (evening time for us).

 

You do have to pick a specific train. We have had no problems getting 1GBP fares on a cruise day. "Express" trains are usually not available for the cheap fare but the extra time is not that long. In the past, there was a 50p service charge per order - not sure if this fee has increased. After the booking is confirmed, you should be able to print out a confirmation with your booking number and the train info. The staff at Waterloo and on the trains are very familiar with Megatrain.

 

You may need to notify your credit card that you will be making a charge on this site before it can go through. We have had to do this with Capital One Visa.

 

On the train, we have always had sufficient space for luggage. Now, if you were traveling at rush hour or on a holiday weekend, space might be limited.

 

At Waterloo, there are no stairs to negotiate getting to the track but, once the gate is posted, you do need to hustle. At Southampton Central, you do must be able to manage your own luggage as you need to get from the track to the street level. There are elevators (lifts).

[cruzisme]

Upon checking today, the fare for 2 seniors to travel via coach to SOU from Victoria Station is 12 pounds. Is this a special or is it usually pretty cheap to get to the port from London?

 

Can't find a cheap funfare via train to SOU yet. Seems to be around 60 pounds approx. per person.

 

Help please!

[John Bull]

Upon checking today, the fare for 2 seniors to travel via coach to SOU from Victoria Station is 12 pounds. Is this a special or is it usually pretty cheap to get to the port from London?

 

Can't find a cheap funfare via train to SOU yet. Seems to be around 60 pounds approx. per person.

 

Help please!

 

Hi Cruzisme :)

 

By "Victoria station" I'm guessing you mean the National Express coach station. Looks like you're being offered the reg seniors fare. The £1 funfares come & go, or may be sold-out on your date.

 

There's an alternative coach service Victoria to Southampton with

http://www.greyhounduk.com/

They too offer funfares from time to time.

Put in your date & see what pops up.

Service is very similar (its a sister-company), they run from bus stands near Victoria coach station, to Southampton's Town Quay. Just as convenient.

 

 

The regular train fare from London Waterloo is about £35. But I checked a randon July date on

http://uk.megabus.com/megatrain.aspx

& it offered £1 +50p booking fee.

Megatrain have their own carriages on the South-west trains (and no, despite the price its not cattle trucks ;))

This is for a limited number of trains (roughly every 2 hours instead of the regular half-hourly service, & none on sundays). And at about 90 mins, they're marginally slower than the fastest service. But faster than the coach.

Tickets are only offered from around 40 days out & must be booked on-line on that megatrain website.

When you go thro' the process, enter 2 "passengers", not "concessions".

And don't worry about the "megabus" references, megatrain/megabus is all one website, & the process will offer you the option of travelling by "all" or "train"

Remember, this service is from London Waterloo.

See also Desert Cruiser's post on this thread for useful info.

 

There are also two ways you can take the train from London Victoria rail station to Southampton.

South-west trains is £30+ and involves a difficult change at Clapham Junction. So ignore it.

But Southern trains also runs a direct (ie no changes) service London Victoria to Southampton, and their fares are under £10. They run hourly, but they take a totally different route - via Gatwick & along the south coast. A much more scenic route but at about 2.5 hours it's an hour longer than the direct Southwest trains/megatrain route. This route doesn't operate on sundays.

Run thro' a dummy booking for your date & see what pops up

http://www.southernrailway.com/

 

The cut-price tickets on all these options are for pre-booking over the internet & non-ammendable.

 

Complicated, innit :eek:

This is a result of the privatisation of British Rail.

The upside is that if the trains were still government-owned, they'd be falling apart at the seams and your prices & my taxes would be sky-high.

 

Happy surfing

 

John Bull :)

[cruzisme]

Thanks again for your info

The date we are looking for is August 3, 2011

We are staying 5 minutes away from Vauxhall Station

Just a question: are Vauxhall and Waterloos Stations connected somehow (not with buses) Looking at the travel map, they are not connected but wanted to check with one more knowledgeable.

 

To reinforce our plans from Heathrow on day of arrival: Piccadilly line and we want to get to Vauxhall Station. Best bet would be Green Park or do you have a better suggestion. We will have one large wheeled suitcase and hopefully, 2 smallish rucksacks (backpacks). People are mentioning stairs and how to avoid etc. but we are 2 strong seniors:p

 

Thanks again!

[John Bull]

Thanks again for your info

The date we are looking for is August 3, 2011

We are staying 5 minutes away from Vauxhall Station

Just a question: are Vauxhall and Waterloos Stations connected somehow (not with buses) Looking at the travel map, they are not connected but wanted to check with one more knowledgeable.

 

To reinforce our plans from Heathrow on day of arrival: Piccadilly line and we want to get to Vauxhall Station. Best bet would be Green Park or do you have a better suggestion. We will have one large wheeled suitcase and hopefully, 2 smallish rucksacks (backpacks). People are mentioning stairs and how to avoid etc. but we are 2 strong seniors:p

 

Thanks again!

 

Yes - on paper, change at Green Park to the Victoria line. Otherwise you'll need 2 changes. But someone with a better knowledge of the tube stations may advise differently.

 

From Vauxhall to Waterloo is about 1.5 miles, and by tube requires at least one change.

If you chose one of the Victoria to Southampton options, from Vauxhall to Victoria is about a mile & is just one stop on the Victoria line.

Again, you need advice from someone who knows the tube well. Personally, with luggage I'd take a cab to either.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf

BTW the tube map is essential for planning tube journeys, but it's not to scale & it's stylised for easy reading. So do not use that map for figuring geography or distance.

 

Aug 3rd being a wednesday, Megatrain from Waterloo or Southern train from Victoria are both available, and tickets are available from about now.

 

JB :)

[Globaliser]

We are staying 5 minutes away from Vauxhall Station

:eek:

 

I hope you know the area, or have people looking after you. It's not all bad around there, but equally it's not all good.

To reinforce our plans from Heathrow on day of arrival: Piccadilly line and we want to get to Vauxhall Station. Best bet would be Green Park or do you have a better suggestion.

The Piccadilly Line => Victoria Line change at Green Park is not the easiest. There is no lift (elevator) route. I think that to minimise the use of stairs, you have to take the escalator all the way up to ticket hall level (but do not exit through the gates) and then take another escalator all the way back down again. There is no step-free exit at Vauxhall, although some of the route is by escalator.

 

Personally, I would take the Piccadilly Line to Barons Court (or Hammersmith if very wet or during the morning peak), change cross-platform to the District Line, and get off at Westminster. There is step-free access to the street. Get a cab from the road immediately outside the station entrance to take you to Vauxhall.

 

If you're taking the train from Vauxhall to Southampton, your best bet is probably to take the train in to Waterloo and change there. Changing at Clapham Junction is a bit of a pain with luggage.