Heathrow via Stonehenge to Southampton terminal

[TrixiePixie]

We are planning on seeing Stonehenge on the way to Southampton terminal. Has anyone done this before. We will be coming from Heathrow Airport. Thanks. Any advice

[linderr6]

are you taking a train? Hiring a car? or is that your question - which mode of transportation would allow for this in other words?

 

[TrixiePixie]

We were looking at international friends does anyone know much about them

[John Bull]

International Friends is a good option if you're travelling from a London or Heathrow hotel, but not if you're flying in that morning.

The bus calls at Heathrow hotels but not at the terminals. 

 

Theoretically if your flight arrives in good time you can jump a taxi or the hotel hoppa to one of the named hotels, but Int Friends doesn't encourage that and doesn't serve the terminals because they know that if you miss that bus your money is wasted, and folk flying in can have a flight cancellation,  a late flight arrival, be delayed by airport formalities, etc.

https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/southampton-from-london-via-stonehenge.html

 

There's no bus or rail service that will do the job in the timescale of someone flying in on sailing day.

 

So the only options are.....

 

- rent a car.

Hertz, Alamo, Europcar & National have depots just a £6 to £8 taxi ride from any cruise terminal in Southampton.

The route is pretty simple, but it takes time to collect a rental car at Heathrow - the depots aren't at the terminals.

And it might not be economic.

 

-  book a private tour-transfer. Get quotes from www.smithsforairports.com or www.westquaycars.com or www.aquacars.co,uk  or www.blackberrycars.com

Tell them how long you want to spend at Stonehenge - 90 minutes is about right.

 

One problem with both of those options is that you're advised to pre-book your arrival time (within a 30-minute window) at Stonehenge to guarantee  that your entry isn't delayed by a cap on numbers.

That timing isn't easy to figure if you're flying in that day.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/prices-and-opening-times/

 

Be aware also that airport formalities take 90 minutes plus, journey time LHR  to Stonehenge a very variable 80 minutes, say 90 mins at Stonehenge, Stonehenge to Southampton about an hour,  and latest registration at the cruise terminal is usually 90 ins to 2 hr before sailing.

Will you fit it all in?

 

JB 

 

 

[cruznliz]

We'll be in London for 4 nights pre-cruise and then will go to Southampton for the night before the cruise. The cruise begins on a Tuesday and we would like to do a London to Southampton excursion that includes Stonehenge on Monday. According to londontoolkit.com they aren't running the tour the day we want it. Does anyone have any other suggestions of companies to do this through? Our hotel is near Victoria Station if that makes a difference. 

[Turtles06]

3 minutes ago, cruznliz said:

We'll be in London for 4 nights pre-cruise and then will go to Southampton for the night before the cruise. The cruise begins on a Tuesday and we would like to do a London to Southampton excursion that includes Stonehenge on Monday. According to londontoolkit.com they aren't running the tour the day we want it. Does anyone have any other suggestions of companies to do this through? Our hotel is near Victoria Station if that makes a difference. 

 

Since you have the day and won't be trying to catch a ship, may I also suggest you consider including Salisbury in your tour?  Lovely town and of course the magnificent Cathedral (which is also home to one of the four known original copies of [the] Magna Carta).  You could do what John Bull suggests above -- get quotes from the private transfer companies he lists.   

 

An alternative is taking an early train or bus from London to Southampton, leaving your bags at your hotel (I assume you'd be too early to check in) and then taking public transportation from Southampton to Salisbury and/or Stonehenge.  (How to do that is discussed in other threads in this forum.)

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, cruznliz said:

We'll be in London for 4 nights pre-cruise and then will go to Southampton for the night before the cruise. The cruise begins on a Tuesday and we would like to do a London to Southampton excursion that includes Stonehenge on Monday. According to londontoolkit.com they aren't running the tour the day we want it. Does anyone have any other suggestions of companies to do this through? Our hotel is near Victoria Station if that makes a difference. 

 

This is Crown Princess, Tues 10th September, right?

The only ship in on Mon 9th is an AIDA ship, and I think it's on a port-of-call visit.

So I think you're right - no International Friends service that day.

And no, there's no other coach operator offering one-way tours - they're all London to London.

 

Renting a car from central London's not a good idea.

The car services in my last post can do the job, and it's easier to figure your Stonehenge arrival time with a known pick-up time.

 

But there are 3 other options, all involve the Stonehenge hop-on bus from Salisbury http://www.thestonehengetour.info/the-stonehenge-tour

1. National Express coach from Victoria to Salisbury. https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

There are only a few coaches per day. The coach stop in Salisbury (Millstream Approach) is about 1/2 mile from the ho-ho stop at the rail station - there's a taxi rank at the coach stop.

 

You can store your bags at the Railway Tavern on the rail station approach road. The Railway Tavern doesn't open til noon but if you're there earlier just knock the door.

Buy your Stonehenge entry tickets from the ho-ho driver - those tickets are "anytime" so you won't need timed tickets.

When the ho-ho returns to Salisbury, if the weather's dry consider hopping off at Old Sarum & walking up to the hilltop fort that was the original site of Salisbury. (from there to Salisbury city centre you don't have to wait for the next ho-ho, your tickets are good for the local Salisbury Reds buses).

Then explore the historic centre of Salisbury and its magnificent cathedral.

Finally, walk (10 - 15 mins) or taxi or local bus or ho-ho back to the rail station, collect your luggage from the Railway Tavern & take a half-hourly train to Southampton central station. Train about £10, journey time about 35 minutes.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

 

2. Taxi from Victoria about 2 miles to London Waterloo rail station for a direct train to Salisbury.

Then as per the para in bold face above.

 

3. Nat Express coach from Victoria coach station or taxi to Waterloo station for direct coach or direct train service to Southampton central station.

Premier Inn West Quay, right?

6-minute level walk from the coach station or 10 mins from the rail station.

Drop your luggage at the hotel (they'll hold your luggage if it's before check-in time), then 10-minute walk to  the rail, station for the half-hourly service to Salisbury. Buy return train tickets - they're only pennies more than one-way tickets.

Then as per the para in bold face above, except you don't have to worry about luggage.

 

Simplest is a car service, but it'll be more expensive than the bus or train options.

 

Or of course you could take a London - Stonehenge (usually + Salisbury or Bath) - London tour on the monday & Nat Express coach from Victoria to Southampton on the tuesday morning.

Or an extra day in London and the Int Friends tour/transfer on your cruise day.

 

Sit down with a calculator, pen & large piece of paper, large pot of coffee & jar of headache pills, and figure which works best for you. 

 

JB 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2019 by John Bull

[cruznliz]

Thanks so much for your suggestions, JB. I will need a calculator to figure this out. I was also thinking of possibly doing a London round trip tour on Sunday maybe and then just going straight to Southampton on Monday. We are meeting friends in Southampton that Monday night so I don't want to stay in London an extra night. 

 

Salisbury sounds interesting too. Hope I can make it work. Thanks again. 

[linderr6]

The car for hire we used to go from Southampton to Heathrow said he frequently takes people on tours to and from London/Southampton. He knows everything about all of the sites in London, Southampton and in between. You could email him and see what he could do for you. He made our journey very easy and was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable. And fair priced! 

Lionheart travel - daysout@lionhearttravel.co.uk

 

 

[TrixiePixie]

Thanks we will check them out

[TrixiePixie]

If anyone has been to Stonehenge where did you purchase your tickets there are a lot of different sites out there. Thanks

[lanceholt]

We've used Smiths for Airports for this kind of transport with a stop and have been very pleased.  

 

[John Bull]

On 5/10/2019 at 2:49 AM, TrixiePixie said:

If anyone has been to Stonehenge where did you purchase your tickets there are a lot of different sites out there. Thanks

 

If you travel there by coach tour  - ship's tour or tour/transfer, International Friends' tour/transfer, or any organised coach trip by the many London operators, or by the Stonehenge ho-ho from Salisbury (for instance if you travel to Salisbury by train) -  your ticket will be included in the tour price or you should buy from the tour operator or the ho-ho website or driver, because those tickets are "anytime", they give you entry to Stonehenge when you arrive.

 

If you travel independently - by private transfer or rented car - buy on the official web-site https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge

But as per my first post on this thread you have to choose an arrival time-slot (a 30-minute window) for your tickets. Your tickets are valid any time/day, but you are only guaranteed entry on arrival if you arrive during that window - outside that window, if the numbers reach capacity your entry will be delayed until numbers are below capacity. That'll really mess up your day, and is a reason why I don't recommend it if you're flying in same-day. 

If you use a car service, ask them to recommend what time window to book.

If you rent a car I suggest you visit Salisbury first and depart Salisbury 30 - 45 minutes before your entry window opens (it's a 20-minute drive but there can be delays as you approach Stonehenge). You can always return to Salisbury after if you didn't fit it all in.

Book your arrival time-slot pessimistically - if you arrive early you might get in when you arrive but at worst you'll get in when your booked time comes round. If you arrive after your time-slot you might be waiting around for a very long time, especially summer weekends.

The time-slot refers to entry time only. There's no limit on how long you can stay. 

 

JB   

 

[TrixiePixie]

Hi how long does it usually take at airport for retrieving lunguage and customs from international flight does anyone know. Thanks

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, TrixiePixie said:

Hi how long does it usually take at airport for retrieving lunguage and customs from international flight does anyone know. Thanks

 

How long is a piece of string? 

 

I guess for a non-EU passenger about 90 minutes upward.

The main hold-up, as elsewhere in the world incl the US, is immigration. If there's a massive hold-up (it happens sometimes) it's at immigration.

Luggage is normally pretty swift, and customs is a simple walk-through unless a customs officer feels your collar.

 

JB 

[TrixiePixie]

Thanks JB