Transfer from Southampton to Dover cruise ports

[ETinCA]

Hi all,

We are on a cruise with RCCL in July that ends in Southampton and then we are embarking on a Carnival Cruise later that same day from Dover. Does anyone have a recommendation of a good transfer/taxi service for getting to Dover from Southampton?

Thanks

 

[gumshoe958]

Others will be able to help with specific recommendations but I just wanted to make sure you’re aware that it’s a 250 mile journey - similar to LA-Vegas, Miami-Orlando or NYC-Boston.

It’s not a very well-travelled route for cruise passengers and there’s no scheduled shuttle service.

 

So it won’t be cheap - eg for an Uber it’ll be at least $300 and take around 3 hours.

Other cab and private transfer companies will be able to beat that, but that’s the kind of ballpark you’re looking at. 
 

(For the sake of completeness it’s actually a reasonably simple journey by train - just one easy transfer by foot in London - but you’d need to allow 4 hours and if there are more than two of you a taxi would probably be just as cheap.)

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by gumshoe958

[turnip eater]

Road distance Southampton to Dover is approx 150 miles.not 250 miles

Train distance is about 120 miles.

By sea, 😳just over 100miles.

[gumshoe958]

Sorry yes, my bad, 150 miles. You still need to allow 3 hours though, and you wouldn’t get much change from $300 in an Uber. Potentially more.

 

If you go by train you’d need to get a cab to Southampton Central station, a train to London Waterloo (1 hour 20), short walk to Waterloo East station, get a train to Dover Priory (1 hour 45) and a cab to the cruise terminal. Price approx $100 each. Doable, but not ideal with heavy bags as they are commuter trains with limited luggage space.

[sddsddean]

Train is probably the way to go, but at the moment we are in the midst of regular strikes by train drivers and it doesn't look like this situation is going to end any time soon, so suggest you look into car services or even National Express coach. However, the big question we need to know to help is, what day of the week is this? It really makes a difference!

 

Simon

[gumshoe958]

Definitely not National Express. That involves changing coaches in London and takes about 7 hours - impossible on @ETinCA’s itinerary.

 

The train is doable but not easy with lots of heavy luggage, and there’s a change of trains involved in London.

 

Cab or private transfer is quickest and easiest - but as I said above, it won’t be cheap. @ETinCA it’s worth posting on your RCCL cruise’s roll call to see if, on the off chance, anyone else is transferring to your Carnival cruise who you could share a ride with.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by gumshoe958

[ETinCA]

Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, we are aware of the distance and it’s on Friday July 21.  We hope to be off the ship by 8am or earlier and 9am at the latest. Carnival leaves at 5pm so we should have plenty of time.  We figured it was going to be an expensive journey and planned to take a car service as train or boat would take too long.  We even thought about taking Royal’s transfer back to London and Carnivals to Dover from the airport if need be but port to port is much preferred. 
it’s only 2 of us so only 2 suitcases total. Hopefully this info helps a bit more.  Thanks. 

[sddsddean]

Yep, checked National Express coach...thats not going to work! National Rail website is playing up (again!), so can't check that. As to car services, try https://westquaycars.com/

for a quote, but I'd guess it will be the thick end of £200.

 

Simon

[gumshoe958]

West Quay Cars are quoting just over £300 ($365) online. Maybe worth calling to try and negotiate that down a bit!

 

Alternatively, right now Uber’s showing just under £250 ($300).

 

I’d also point out that July 21st is the day most English schools finish for the summer so I would expect a lot more traffic than normal towards Dover, as thousands of British families head to the ferries and Channel Tunnel for their holidays in France. @ETinCA the earlier you’re on the road the better.

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by gumshoe958

[ETinCA]

1 hour ago, gumshoe958 said:

West Quay Cars are quoting just over £300 ($365) online. Maybe worth calling to try and negotiate that down a bit!

 

Alternatively, right now Uber’s showing just under £250 ($300).

 

I’d also point out that July 21st is the day most English schools finish for the summer so I would expect a lot more traffic than normal towards Dover, as thousands of British families head to the ferries and Channel Tunnel for their holidays in France. @ETinCA the earlier you’re on the road the better.

 

Ok I'll give them a call. I figured the transfer would be a good $300-$400 So that's not a problem

[John Bull]

Hmmmmm - a bit problematic to switch ships & those ports on the same day, and it's not something I'd have chosen to do..

But it's certainly doable.

 

Disembarkation from most ships in Southampton is from about 7am unassisted (schlepp your luggage from your cabin) and regular disembarkation is in traches from 7.30 to about 9.30. If you're allocated a late disembarkation slot it's no problem asking at Guest Relations for an earlier slot, citing your onward travel arrangements.

Ignore any mention of 5am,, 5.30am or 6am in your pre-cruise documentation - that's ship's arrival times, not disembarkation.

 

I suspect that Gumshoe's $300 for a private transfer is on the low side (should that have read £300?)

Even at £300 that's broadly double the distance and double the cost of a transfer to one of London's major airports - but airport transfers tend to be much better value because there's a strong likelihood of tying the job in with another one bringing folk back from a London airport to Southampton.  The prospects of an operator being able to tie your trip to Dover with another from Dover to Southampton are next-to-nil, so there'll be 150 empty miles.

But better than taking my estimate or Gumshoe's, get quotes for a private transfer. As well as https://westquaycars.com/ try https://www.aquacars.co.uk/

 

There are two basic routes to Dover...... the motorway loop involving the M25 London orbital motorway is the further but quicker at about 2hrs 30mins excluding exceptional hold-ups, the more-direct route along the south coast is tortuous and theoretically 3hrs 45 mins excluding exceptional hold-ups.  

 

Gumshoe's suggestion of the train is well worth considering.

Whilst switching between most stations in central London usually involves crossing the city centre by taxi or by tube, you'd be taking the frequent (2 to 3 trains per hour) direct train from Southampton Central to London Waterloo (about 90 mins) , then a very  short walk to Waterloo East station for the direct hourly train to Dover (Dover Priory station) (journey time about 1 hour 45 mins)

Total journey time something short of four hours, eg 

Southampton Central 9.00am arrives Waterloo 10.39, Waterloo East 11.02 arrives Dover Priory 12.49. Total journey time  3hrs 49 mins. 

(ignore the "2 changes" on the train timetable, it counts the short walk between Waterloo stations as a change - there's only ONE change of train)

Walk-up fare for the journey from about £83.

But train fares are complicated, "split ticketing" and cheap advance tickets cut the cost almost in half.......

buy separate advance tickets for each train.

 So'ton to Waterloo costs £32 and Waterloo East to Dover Priory £14.50, so a total of under £47 per person. Even cheaper for less-convenient (but still workable) train times.

Advance fares available from about 12 weeks out, but are only good for the train time that you choose - use a friday in March to see those fares

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

 

National Express bus from Southampton to Dover is a non-starter - apart from the 7 hours total journey time (long layover at London Victoria)  there's no suitably-timed service.

But the cheapest option is a Nat Express / Train combo, eg

Pre-booked 8.45am Nat Express bus direct from Southampton coach station to Victoria (London) coach station arrives 11.20am, costs £7.70.

Simple 10 minute walk from Victoria coach station to Victoria train station.

12.10pm direct train from Victoria train station  arrives Dover Priory at 2.08pm, costs £11.30 (cheap advance ticket, again, only good for the train time that you choose) or £30 walk-up off-peak fare.

so total journey time about 5 1/2 hrs but as little as £19 per person

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

 

For any bus or train option add about £7 for taxi hop in Southampton and £10 taxi hop in Dover

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[gumshoe958]

10 minutes ago, John Bull said:

I suspect that Gumshoe's $300 for a private transfer is on the low side (should that have read £300?)

 

 

 

No, I meant $300 (or £250) as that seems to be the going rate for an Uber.

Interesting to see if a local cab firm will beat that - West Quay were quoting £300 ($365) online.

 

[Island2Dweller]

Getting an Uber to accept a drive of that time/distance is a bit of a gamble.  I don't use Uber but I gather from friends who do (or rather, who try to) that drivers are much more picky about which jobs they accept.  There is a shortage of drivers across the UK so the drivers have the upper hand.