London to Portsmouth -- transportation?

[cruisemom42]

I'm strongly considering booking a Swan Hellenic cruise departing Portsmouth next March.

 

What are my options for getting there from London? I am good with public transportation options, if there are reasonable ones. (Though I will have more luggage than usual as this is a winter cruise up the Norwegian Coast!)

 

I will be in London later in the year for another reason, so I won't need to spend time there. If I arrive the day before the cruise departs, is it better to go ahead and get to Portsmouth -- and if so, what is my path from LHR?

[Twickenham]

I will be in London later in the year for another reason, so I won't need to spend time there. If I arrive the day before the cruise departs, is it better to go ahead and get to Portsmouth -- and if so, what is my path from LHR?

 

I suppose it has to be LHR? 'Cause there's a direct train from LGW to Portsmouth.

 

Otherwise, not sure if there's a direct bus service from LHR to Portsmouth as they have to Southampton, thus you'll probably have to transfer somewhere. You could also look into the one-way car rental option, especially if you want to visit something that day.

[KirkNC]

Here you go Cynthia, everything you want to know about transfers:

 

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/heathrow_southernengland_transfer.htm

[John Bull]

Hi Cynthia,

 

Simplest is http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx from Heathrow to Portsmouth International Port.

Broadly an hourly service, some direct, some involve one change of coach.

The "direct" coaches go via Southampton (same coach as cruisers from Southampton would use) & continue to Portsmouth, others involve a coach to central London's Victoria coach station & a switch to the Portsmouth coach.

Journey time whichever route is around 3 hrs 15, fare about £18, pre-booking is strongly advised.

 

Going by train is expensive (£60+), convoluted, and difficult with luggage - train to Paddington station in central London, cross central London to Waterloo station for the train to Portsmouth & Southsea, taxi hop to in international port.

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

 

A better option than train all the way, especially if the coach timetable doesn't work out, is National Express coach from Heathrow to Woking rail station (hourly, 45 minute journey, £10.50 fare), then direct train to Portsmouth (approx. 2 trains per hour, journey time 60 to 90 minutes, fare £23.

 

As per Twickenham's post, there's a direct hourly train service from Gatwick, and on the half-hour a train service which involves one simple change, journey time under 90 minutes, fare about £15.

But a rather limited selection of trans-Atlantic flights to Gatwick.

 

JB :)

[bconley351]

We have traveled from LHR (terminal 5) tomPortsmouth 3 times using National Express. We have been on both direct and indirect buses. We enjoyed the indirect, although they took longer, since we traveled through small towns.

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the great responses. Sounds like if I arrive at LHR, the bus is a good bet. But I want to look into arriving at LGW -- I seem to recall at least some flights from my major hub (ATL) fly there...

 

It sounds like either way it is best to go straight to Portsmouth. Hotel options, anyone?

[John Bull]

Thanks for the great responses. Sounds like if I arrive at LHR, the bus is a good bet. But I want to look into arriving at LGW -- I seem to recall at least some flights from my major hub (ATL) fly there...

 

It sounds like either way it is best to go straight to Portsmouth. Hotel options, anyone?

 

The UK's most successful budget chain, Premier Inns has several properties in Portsmouth, but they're not well-located. Premier Inn City Centre is close to Portsmouth & Southsea station, but both the hotel & the area are rather bland.

The only other convenient one is tucked behind the funfair.

 

Consider Holiday Inn Express at Gunwharf Quays, excellent location for the historic dockyard, Spinnaker Tower, local ferries, etc. There are also a couple of new hotels in Gunwharf Quays, but I know nothing about them. Also in the area the highly-regarded George Hotel and a couple of other older hotels.

For this area, stay on the Nat Express coach beyond the International Port to "The Hard" or stay on the train beyond Portsmouth & Southsea station to Portsmouth Harbour station. The Hard & Portsmouth Harbour are two names for the same thing, also called the Travel Inter-change.

 

The other area to consider is around Southsea Common. Southsea is the seaside holiday resort conjoined with Portsmouth. More laid-back than Gunwharf Quays, super seafront promenade with views across the busy Solent to the Isle of Wight, small Henry V111's Southsea Castle (free entry), D-Day museum & multiple seafront attractions. Biggest & best known traditional hotel is the Queen's Hotel, overlooking the Common. Again, coach or train to the Harbour interchange.

 

Southea Common & seafront is a five minute taxi ride from The Hard/ Travel Interchange/Gunwharf Quays/dockyard.

If you enjoy long walks (without your luggage) it's about a 35-40 minute walk along Southsea seafront, past the Square Tower & Round Tower to the harbour entrance by the Still & West pub, then past the fishing harbour & the Isle of Wight car ferry to the waterfront in Gunwharf Quays, ending up at The Hard.

 

Portsmouth & Southsea have a great many historical sights, but not of the period in which you specialise - most sights, including the ring of Napoleonic forts (known as Palmerston's follies) are only about 200 years old ;).

 

JB :)

Edited March 29, 2016 by John Bull

[cruisemom42]

The UK's most successful budget chain, Premier Inns has several properties in Portsmouth, but they're not well-located. Premier Inn City Centre is close to Portsmouth & Southsea station, but both the hotel & the area are rather bland.

The only other convenient one is tucked behind the funfair.

 

Consider Holiday Inn Express at Gunwharf Quays, excellent location for the historic dockyard, Spinnaker Tower, local ferries, etc. There are also a couple of new hotels in Gunwharf Quays, but I know nothing about them. Also in the area the highly-regarded George Hotel and a couple of other older hotels.

For this area, stay on the Nat Express coach beyond the International Port to "The Hard" or stay on the train beyond Portsmouth & Southsea station to Portsmouth Harbour station. The Hard & Portsmouth Harbour are two names for the same thing, also called the Travel Inter-change.

 

The other area to consider is around Southsea Common. Southsea is the seaside holiday resort conjoined with Portsmouth. More laid-back than Gunwharf Quays, super seafront promenade with views across the busy Solent to the Isle of Wight, small Henry V111's Southsea Castle (free entry), D-Day museum & multiple seafront attractions. Biggest & best known traditional hotel is the Queen's Hotel, overlooking the Common. Again, coach or train to the Harbour interchange.

 

Southea Common & seafront is a five minute taxi ride from The Hard/ Travel Interchange/Gunwharf Quays/dockyard.

If you enjoy long walks (without your luggage) it's about a 35-40 minute walk along Southsea seafront, past the Square Tower & Round Tower to the harbour entrance by the Still & West pub, then past the fishing harbour & the Isle of Wight car ferry to the waterfront in Gunwharf Quays, ending up at The Hard.

 

Portsmouth & Southsea have a great many historical sights, but not of the period in which you specialise - most sights, including the ring of Napoleonic forts (known as Palmerston's follies) are only about 200 years old ;).

 

JB :)

 

Thanks JB; I'll look into these. After reviewing flight options, it seems it will have to be LHR, can't make anything else work so it'll be the bus option. It's good to know the Nat Express bus continues beyond the Port drop, as that sounds very convenient for getting to a hotel.

 

And never you mind about the age of the sights. I'll be in London in September doing a visit to see some of the Roman remains in London and elsewhere in Britain. ;)

[bconley351]

We stayed at the HI-Express near the Hard Interchange. It was very convenient for everything we wanted to see. We have roller bags so we just walked through the shopping center to the hotel. Our rate had breakfast included.