Transfers to/from Southampton

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

We are disembarking the Caribbean Princess on a Saturday in June and are staying at the Premier Inn North Terminal Gatwick Saturday night and flying out at noon on the Sunday.

A friend has told us to take the Southern Rail from Southampton to Gatwick. How close would this get us to our hotel ?

Reading previous threads and others have mentioned to take the National Coach bus and just wondering if that would be a better method than the train ?

We will be doing Salisbury and Stonehenge prior to our cruise and am also wondering if there is something else we should take in before we get to our hotel near Gatwick airport ?

Edited May 7, 2016 by D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL

[newport dave]

We are disembarking the Caribbean Princess on a Saturday in June and are staying at the Premier Inn North Terminal Gatwick Saturday night and flying out at noon on the Sunday.

A friend has told us to take the Southern Rail from Southampton to Gatwick. How close would this get us to our hotel ?

Reading previous threads and others have mentioned to take the National Coach bus and just wondering if that would be a better method than the train ?

We will be doing Salisbury and Stonehenge prior to our cruise and am also wondering if there is something else we should take in before we get to our hotel near Gatwick airport ?

 

The train station is attached to the South Terminal. Below are directions of Premier Inn's website on how to get their from either terminal. Also links to relevant pages of Gatwick website and Premier Inn website.

 

From Airport and Train Station (on foot) - follow signs for the North Terminal (take the transit from the South Terminal) and head to Drop Off point. Exit Terminal, the hotel is opposite the Drop Off point.

 

http://www.gatwickairport.com/to-and-from/rail/

 

http://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/west-sussex/crawley/london-gatwick-airport-north-terminal.html

[Putterdude]

Do you happen to know the approximate time the earliest coaches leave the Southampton port on disembarkation day? We will need to be on the earliest one that morning to Gatwick.

 

I am going purely from memory but as I recall it was in the 0830/0900 time frame.

[Marisawrite]

We are disembarking the Caribbean Princess on a Saturday in June and are staying at the Premier Inn North Terminal Gatwick Saturday night and flying out at noon on the Sunday.

A friend has told us to take the Southern Rail from Southampton to Gatwick. How close would this get us to our hotel ?

Reading previous threads and others have mentioned to take the National Coach bus and just wondering if that would be a better method than the train ?

We will be doing Salisbury and Stonehenge prior to our cruise and am also wondering if there is something else we should take in before we get to our hotel near Gatwick airport ?

 

For Gatwick, the train and the coach are both good. Pro's and con's:

 

The coach and train stations are about the same distance from the cruise terminal in Southampton.

 

The coach drops off at both the North and South Terminal. With the train, you'll need to travel from the South Terminal to the North Terminal but that's easy to do on the shuttle, it only takes 5 minutes (but does mean you'll have to haul your luggage a bit further, but there are free trolleys).

 

The train will be faster. Officially they take about the same time, but the coach is travelling on roads that are very congested and almost always take longer.

 

All the coaches are direct. Most of the trains are not, you'll have to change trains at least once along the way (which means more hauling luggage). Personally I would take the train IF you can book a direct train, but if you have a lot of luggage, I'd consider the coach rather than have to struggle with luggage at intermediate stations.

 

Southampton itself doesn't have much to recommend it - it was heavily bombed during WWII and has virtually no historical buildings left. I can't think of anything that's "not to be missed" in this part of the country.

Edited May 8, 2016 by Marisawrite

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Thanks to Vic & Dorothy and Newport Dave for your input and advice.

 

 

For Gatwick, the train and the coach are both good. Pro's and con's:

 

The coach and train stations are about the same distance from the cruise terminal in Southampton.

 

The coach drops off at both the North and South Terminal. With the train, you'll need to travel from the South Terminal to the North Terminal but that's easy to do on the shuttle, it only takes 5 minutes (but does mean you'll have to haul your luggage a bit further, but there are free trolleys).

 

The train will be faster. Officially they take about the same time, but the coach is travelling on roads that are very congested and almost always take longer.

 

All the coaches are direct. Most of the trains are not, you'll have to change trains at least once along the way (which means more hauling luggage). Personally I would take the train IF you can book a direct train, but if you have a lot of luggage, I'd consider the coach rather than have to struggle with luggage at intermediate stations.

 

Southampton itself doesn't have much to recommend it - it was heavily bombed during WWII and has virtually no historical buildings left. I can't think of anything that's "not to be missed" in this part of the country.

[sussex blue]

Hello from OZ,

What's the best solution travelling from Southampton to St Pancras International for the Eurostar?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

A very good resource to look at transport options is the impartial Traveline South East website http://www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk

 

You can select options to avoid using trains, avoid long walking distances and so on. Let me know if you need any help.

 

Neil

[Marisawrite]

Hello from OZ,

What's the best solution travelling from Southampton to St Pancras International for the Eurostar?

 

 

Sorry, I missed your post. Hi from a fellow Aussie!

 

Your best bet to go from Southampton to St Pancras would be the train, I think.

 

You could take the Princess transfer, or even a National Express coach, but they go to Victoria and then you'd have to take the underground - you don't want to be lugging suitcases in the underground, trust me!

 

You want the Southampton to London Victoria train, but you change at Three Bridges to the Thameslink train heading for St Pancras International.

 

You may find that's not the fastest way to get there, but it's the least painful with the least amount of walking in between.

 

Be warned, train tickets are horrendously expensive in the UK unless you buy them in advance. You can buy them at thetrainline.com

Edited May 9, 2016 by Marisawrite

[Corfe Mixture]

Hello from OZ,

What's the best solution travelling from Southampton to St Pancras International for the Eurostar?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Simple answer is train to Waterloo then tube to St Pancras

 

BUT

 

You don't say where you are going to on Eurostar.

 

If you are going to Paris, then a much better solution is fly from Southampton to Paris. Flight typically leaves at 10.25 arrive in Paris CDG at 12.50 (local time) and only 11.50 UK which means you would be in Paris before you could leave St Pancras. SOU is a small provincial airport with one runway and one small but neat terminal and with taxi to airport you would need to get off the ship by 08.45-09.00.

 

Only issue is that Flybe's standard baggage allowance in the 'More than' fare, which typically costs around £75 per person is 20Kg (plus 10kg hand baggage).

 

However you can pay for either an extra 3kg or for a second 20kg bag. With two of you travelling three bags in total, each no more than 20kg and with one of you paying for a second bag is probably the best way to work it.

 

http://www.flybe.com is the airline website.

Notes:

1. Headline price on website is for are cheaper hand baggage only fares

2. It is cheaper to book a 'More than' fare and pay for a second bag than to book the flexible fare which includes two bags.

[Marisawrite]

Simple answer is train to Waterloo then tube to St Pancras

 

BUT

 

You don't say where you are going to on Eurostar.

 

If you are going to Paris, then a much better solution is fly from Southampton to Paris.

 

Very good point! For those going to other European destinations, it's worth looking at whether they can get a flight direct from either Southampton OR Bournemouth - another small airport in the neighbouring city, with several cheap and efficient door-to-door private shuttle services available.

[Corfe Mixture]

Very good point! For those going to other European destinations, it's worth looking at whether they can get a flight direct from either Southampton OR Bournemouth - another small airport in the neighbouring city, with several cheap and efficient door-to-door private shuttle services available.

 

Bournemouth really only serves holiday destinations and has incredibly poor public transport to the airport. Not even a bus service and taxis have to pay a drop off fee. We live approx. eight miles from Bournemouth airport, but thirty miles from Southampton airport and we always use Southampton as we can jump on a train to the airport. Even driving is hardly any, perhaps no more than 15 minutes, difference.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Corfe Mixture

[Marisawrite]

Bournemouth really only serves holiday destinations and has incredibly poor public transport to the airport. Not even a bus service and taxis have to pay a drop off fee. We live approx. eight miles from Bournemouth airport, but thirty miles from Southampton airport and we always use Southampton as we can jump on a train to the airport. Even driving is hardly any, perhaps no more than 15 minutes, difference.

 

I only mention Bournemouth because occasionally, Bournemouth has flights that Southampton doesn't have. Bournemouth airport doesn't have good public transport, but the private transfers from So'ton to Bournemouth are very cheap.

[Corfe Mixture]

the private transfers from So'ton to Bournemouth are very cheap.

 

:confused:

 

Bournemouth Airport cars charge a fixed fee of £56 for a saloon car from Southampton Cruise terminal to Bournemouth Airport and £65 for an estate car.

West Quay cars charge a fixed fee of £12 for a saloon car from Southampton Cruise terminal to Southampton Airport and £13.50 for an estate.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Corfe Mixture

[Marisawrite]

:confused:

 

Bournemouth Airport cars charge a fixed fee of £56 for a saloon car from Southampton Cruise terminal to Bournemouth Airport...

West Quay cars charge a fixed fee of £12 for a saloon car from Southampton Cruise terminal to Southampton Airport.

 

Well obviously since one's a lot closer than the other - but what good is that comparison, if the flight you want doesn't leave from Southampton. Obviously if you can reach your destination from So'ton, you'd be stupid to go all the way to Bournemouth.

 

The comparison I was making was, if you can't get a flight from Southampton, then do check Bournemouth first before you consider going up to one of the London airports. That's all. They don't have a lot of destinations but it's always worth a look. And I got a much cheaper transfer fee than that last time I did it, can't recall who with but I found them on the internet.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Marisawrite

[Fletcher0097]

Sorry, I missed your post. Hi from a fellow Aussie!

 

Your best bet to go from Southampton to St Pancras would be the train, I think.

 

You want the Southampton to London Victoria train, but you change at Three Bridges to the Thameslink train heading for St Pancras International.

 

You may find that's not the fastest way to get there, but it's the least painful with the least amount of walking in between.

 

Be warned, train tickets are horrendously expensive in the UK unless you buy them in advance. You can buy them at thetrainline.com

 

 

Thanks for you reply. We'll certainly look at this.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Fletcher0097]

Well obviously since one's a lot closer than the other - but what good is that comparison, if the flight you want doesn't leave from Southampton. Obviously if you can reach your destination from So'ton, you'd be stupid to go all the way to Bournemouth.

 

The comparison I was making was, if you can't get a flight from Southampton, then do check Bournemouth first before you consider going up to one of the London airports. That's all. They don't have a lot of destinations but it's always worth a look. And I got a much cheaper transfer fee than that last time I did it, can't recall who with but I found them on the internet.

 

 

Thanks for everyone's input. We did look at flights to Paris from Southampton and couldn't seem to find any that were suitable on the Saturday....maybe I didn't look well enough! I think at the time we weren't sure how long it would take to get off the ship and get to the airport. So, we have already booked the Eurostar. We'll follow up on the train plan.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[tammymacb]

Following so I can find this thread later. We sail Aug, 12 2017.

[Corfe Mixture]

Thanks for everyone's input. We did look at flights to Paris from Southampton and couldn't seem to find any that were suitable on the Saturday....maybe I didn't look well enough! I think at the time we weren't sure how long it would take to get off the ship and get to the airport. So, we have already booked the Eurostar. We'll follow up on the train plan.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

For future reference Saturday flights from SOU to CDG typically leave later in the day at 15.25

[Fletcher0097]

For future reference Saturday flights from SOU to CDG typically leave later in the day at 15.25

 

 

Thanks. Maybe there'll be a need for a future trip!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[carterd2002]

I am going purely from memory but as I recall it was in the 0830/0900 time frame.

 

Thanks so much!:)

[easyboy]

Very good point! For those going to other European destinations, it's worth looking at whether they can get a flight direct from either Southampton OR Bournemouth - another small airport in the neighbouring city, with several cheap and efficient door-to-door private shuttle services available.

Around how much would the shuttle be?

[newport dave]

Sorry, I missed your post. Hi from a fellow Aussie!

 

Your best bet to go from Southampton to St Pancras would be the train, I think.

 

You could take the Princess transfer, or even a National Express coach, but they go to Victoria and then you'd have to take the underground - you don't want to be lugging suitcases in the underground, trust me!

 

You want the Southampton to London Victoria train, but you change at Three Bridges to the Thameslink train heading for St Pancras International.

 

You may find that's not the fastest way to get there, but it's the least painful with the least amount of walking in between.

 

Be warned, train tickets are horrendously expensive in the UK unless you buy them in advance. You can buy them at thetrainline.com

Don't use trainline.com they add on a booking fee. Use either nationalrail.com or the train company's own website.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[Marisawrite]

Around how much would the shuttle be?

 

Southampton cruise terminal to the airport is just a local taxi ride, there are taxi companies that do a fixed fee transfer for £12 to £15.

 

Bournemouth is about an hour away

 

http://www.airporttaxis-uk.co.uk/Bournemouth/qqto.htm

[Corfe Mixture]

Pity all this information on getting to continental Europe from Southampton is the result of that infamous fellow 'Fred Drift' geeting to work as it means folks won't be able to find it using the search engine.

 

Perhaps we should have started a new thread when the how to get to St Pancras question was originally posted.

 

Wonder if the mods would be able to split the thread and put those posts responding to the St Pancras question post in a new thread?

 

There is just so much information those of us who live here, and travel regularly from the south coast to continental Europe, have to share:

 

For example SOU - RNS (Rennes) with Flybe gets you access to TGV which go to Paris - Montparnase, or to Lyon - Part Dieu / Marseille - Saint Charles. You would need some Euros for the €15 taxi ride from RNS to the station, but even that is not a real problem as there is an ATM at the airport

Edited May 10, 2016 by Corfe Mixture

[Atlanta Sandy]

call princess directly to arrange transfer from ships to airport.

[Luvs2Crooze]

You could always go on Megabus another option