A Just In Case Question - Southampton, UK

[ssawjo]

We are on the Regal Princess out of Southampton on 5 September, leaving at 5:00 PM.  We are arriving into LHR at @12:10 PM on 4 September.  We are booked on the National Express Bus to Southampton leaving LHR at 1345 hours.  I believe that we will be able to make the bus if we arrive in time or earlier. We do have "Change & Go" for the bus, just in case.

 

My real concern is if our flight is severely delayed, canceled, etc. and we cannot get to Southampton in time to meet the ship, that is, get to London on 5 or 6 September.  In that case, how do I get to Portland, UK, our first port of call, to meet the ship?  There is a bus to Portland, but it does not run very regularly.  

 

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

Bill

[sddsddean]

I'm sure everything will be fine, but in case the worst happens, I think your best plan of attack is to go to Southampton on your booked NE coach (so you don't lose your fare), then get a train from Southampton Central to Weymouth (about £11 to £12 and 1hr 30 mins, train every 1/2 hour or so). From Weymouth you just need a cab to the port. You could go to Waterloo in London to get the train, but that would mean dragging across London to come out again and lose your NE money. I'm sure others will chip in.

 

Simon

Edited August 24, 2023 by sddsddean

[Globaliser]

46 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

My real concern is if our flight is severely delayed, cancelled, etc. and we cannot get to Southampton in time to meet the ship, that is, get to London on 5 or 6 September.  In that case, how do I get to Portland, UK, our first port of call, to meet the ship?  There is a bus to Portland, but it does not run very regularly.

 

By public transport, I think you'd be best to take a train from London Waterloo to Weymouth. You'd need to head from Heathrow in to town if you are going to start at Waterloo, but Waterloo to Weymouth is one of South Western Railway's main routes. There's a train every half an hour during the day on weekdays, and they take 2¾ to 3 hours.

 

If you're at Heathrow, there is the option of taking the Railair coach from Heathrow to Woking and catching a train there. However, only one train every hour routes through Woking, and it's then 2¼ hours to Weymouth.

 

Either way, you'd then have to get from Weymouth to Portland, but AIUI that's just a few miles in a cab.

[Globaliser]

6 minutes ago, sddsddean said:

... I think your best plan of attack is to go to Southampton on your booked NE coach (so you don't lose your fare), then get a train from Southampton Central to Weymouth (about £11 to £12 and 1hr 30 mins).

 

However, if the OP were to be so late that they miss the ship, that would mean that they've been delayed by more than 24 hours. (Even if they're only 24 hours late, they might still be able to get a coach to Southampton in time to board the ship.) AIUI, Change and Go is only valid for 12 hours after the booked service, so the National Express ticket would be toast anyway.

 

I do think that a 1345 coach after a 1210 arrival is a bit optimistic, but that's the sort of thing that Change and Go is designed to cater for.

[sleepingcat]

portland is the harbour for the seaside town of Weymouth, which is on the main UK rail network.  In the event something does go horribly wrong for you, head to London Waterloo from which trains depart hourly direct to Weymouth rail station.   From there a short taxi  ride will get you to Portland. 

 

 

 

 

[gumshoe958]

This really is worst case scenario stuff.

 

In the unlikely event of a flight cancellation or severe delay, assuming @ssawjo is flying in from the US or Canada there are likely to be any number of rerouting options that would get them into Heathrow later the same day or possibly early the next day, still in plenty of time to make the ship at Southampton.

 

So my advice is - chill!

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by gumshoe958

[ssawjo]

13 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

This really is worst case scenario stuff.

 

In the unlikely event of a flight cancellation or severe delay, assuming @ssawjo is flying in from the US or Canada there are likely to be any number of rerouting options that would get them into Heathrow later the same day or possibly early the next day, still in plenty of time to make the ship at Southampton.

 

So my advice is - chill!

 

The reason I am asking is because the flight we are on, AA0194 from Phoenix to LHR nonstop, was cancelled at 9:30 PM, which is 3.5 hours after scheduled departure.  There were no other flights out that evening that would put us into LHR on 4 September.  The BA flight from Phoenix that evening had already departed.  What we could possibly do is get a flight to Dallas (DFW) and get an earlier flight to LHR from there, or another gateway city AA uses.  There are flights that leave early on 4 September to LHR with one stop and arrive very early on 5 September.  Same airline, American. They might work in a pinch if there is space.

 

Yes, it is a worst-case scenario.  But I like to have options.  Just in case!

 

I like the suggestion Sleepingcat has.  

 

Bill

Edited August 24, 2023 by ssawjo
Additional information

[sddsddean]

37 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

 

However, if the OP were to be so late that they miss the ship, that would mean that they've been delayed by more than 24 hours. (Even if they're only 24 hours late, they might still be able to get a coach to Southampton in time to board the ship.) AIUI, Change and Go is only valid for 12 hours after the booked service, so the National Express ticket would be toast anyway.

 

I do think that a 1345 coach after a 1210 arrival is a bit optimistic, but that's the sort of thing that Change and Go is designed to cater for.

Fair point G...I think its a case of wait and see what happens (if anything). Always good to have options!

 

Simon

[Globaliser]

24 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

The reason I am asking is because the flight we are on, AA0194 from Phoenix to LHR nonstop, was cancelled at 9:30 PM, which is 3.5 hours after scheduled departure.  There were no other flights out that evening that would put us into LHR on 4 September.  The BA flight from Phoenix that evening had already departed.  What we could possibly do is get a flight to Dallas (DFW) and get an earlier flight to LHR from there, or another gateway city AA uses.  There are flights that leave early on 4 September to LHR with one stop and arrive very early on 5 September.  Same airline, American. They might work in a pinch if there is space.

 

If the same thing were to happen to you on 3 September, you might be able to get on the 2359 to Chicago and connect to the day flight, which would get you to LHR in the late evening of 4 September. With a little more leeway, you might be able to get the 2155 to New York JFK and connect to either of the day flights from there, which would get you to LHR in the evening of 4 September. That would be plenty of margin.

 

But even if that's not possible, there are dozens of combinations of one-stop flights that would get you on to a conventional overnight flight on 4 September that arrives at LHR in the morning of 5 September, which would leave you time to get to Southampton for the ship. Things would have to go very badly wrong for you to be unable to find one of these combinations that works.

 

And even if you were simply to go on the same AA flight 24 hours later, you still might make it to the ship on time.

 

16 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

I like the suggestion Sleepingcat has.

 

Given what sleepingcat said, I've just checked the frequency again. As I said before, there is a Waterloo to Weymouth train every 30 minutes (not hourly).

[John Bull]

As others have said there are two direct trains per hour from London Waterloo to Weymouth.

Those trains also stop at Woking and Southampton central en-route.

 

Heathrow to Waterloo is a pain - you're starting out in the opposite direction and into central London.

And whether you go into London by train or metro or bus you then have to cross the centre to Waterloo station. Train journey time about 2hrs 45mins. 

 

From Heathrow it's quicker and cheaper to

- take the RailAir bus to Woking, you might be able to trade your Nat Express LHR to Southampton tickets for that bus. Then catch the same direct train to Weymouth, train journey time 2 hrs 15 mins.

- or probably better to use your Nat Express tickets to Southampton & catch the same direct train to Weymouth, train journey time about 90 minutes.

 

Weymouth station to Portland harbour is about 5 miles (taxi £15+) .

The harbour is a secure navy facility - your taxi-driver may be able to sweet-talk security, or you may have to wait at the gate for a (free) shuttlebus.

 

JB 🙂

[Globaliser]

6 hours ago, John Bull said:

As others have said there are two direct trains per hour from London Waterloo to Weymouth.

Those trains also stop at Woking and Southampton central en-route.

 

For clarity (again):

• There are two trains per hour from Waterloo to Weymouth. These depart at 05 and 35 minutes past the hour (during the regular daytime pattern).
• The xx05 train takes ~3 hours to reach Weymouth. It does not call at Woking.
• The xx35 train takes ~2¾ hours to reach Weymouth. It does call at Woking.
• There is therefore only one train per hour from Woking to Weymouth. This departs Woking on the hour (xx00), and takes ~2¼ hours to reach Weymouth.
• All of these trains call at Southampton Central.

 

If the OP needs to do this, it will be because they don't reach Heathrow until the afternoon of 5 September (24 hours after their scheduled arrival time or more) or 6 September. If they don't reach Heathrow until 6 September, then time will be pretty tight. Hence it's probably important that they know what the frequencies are from each of Waterloo and Woking, given that it will take time to transfer to either of them (probably best by taxi to Waterloo despite the expense; or Railair coach to Woking, which has its own timetable, linked to above).

 

I thought that by this stage (more than 12 hours after the originally-booked National Express coach) the National Express tickets would no longer be valid as it's outside the Change and Go window? If that's right, then although National Express coach to Southampton (1¾ to 2 hours) --> transfer to Southampton Central station --> train to Weymouth (~1½ hours) is theoretically possible, it would involve buying a new coach ticket as well as a train ticket, and possibly a longer overall journey time. The coach frequency between Heathrow and Southampton Central is also less good than the train frequency between Waterloo and Weymouth.

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

For clarity (again):

• There are two trains per hour from Waterloo to Weymouth. These depart at 05 and 35 minutes past the hour (during the regular daytime pattern).
• The xx05 train takes ~3 hours to reach Weymouth. It does not call at Woking.
• The xx35 train takes ~2¾ hours to reach Weymouth. It does call at Woking.
• There is therefore only one train per hour from Woking to Weymouth. This departs Woking on the hour (xx00), and takes ~2¼ hours to reach Weymouth.
• All of these trains call at Southampton Central.

 

If the OP needs to do this, it will be because they don't reach Heathrow until the afternoon of 5 September (24 hours after their scheduled arrival time or more) or 6 September. If they don't reach Heathrow until 6 September, then time will be pretty tight. Hence it's probably important that they know what the frequencies are from each of Waterloo and Woking, given that it will take time to transfer to either of them (probably best by taxi to Waterloo despite the expense; or Railair coach to Woking, which has its own timetable, linked to above).

 

I thought that by this stage (more than 12 hours after the originally-booked National Express coach) the National Express tickets would no longer be valid as it's outside the Change and Go window? If that's right, then although National Express coach to Southampton (1¾ to 2 hours) --> transfer to Southampton Central station --> train to Weymouth (~1½ hours) is theoretically possible, it would involve buying a new coach ticket as well as a train ticket, and possibly a longer overall journey time. The coach frequency between Heathrow and Southampton Central is also less good than the train frequency between Waterloo and Weymouth.

 

 

Thanks for the correction re Woking.

Yes, only one direct Woking to Weymouth train per hour - the other hourly service involves same-platform changes at both Basingstoke and Southampton.

 

On the matter of date of travel I hadn't noticed that the OP was concerned that instead of arriving on 4th September as planned they wouldn't arrive until the 5th or the 6th - I'd be very very surprised if they were delayed by more than 24 hours !!!!!!!!!

But the ship is scheduled to depart Portland 7pm on the 6th, so even if they were delayed by 48 hours they'd still have over 5 hours to get from LHR to Portland.

 

Yes, 48 hours later they'd be out-of-time to use their Nat Express tickets, but Nat Express tickets to Southampton for that time of day cost just £19. Add £26.50 (walk-up fare) for the train Southampton to Weymouth and the total for LHR to Weymouth works out at £45.50 per person.

It'd cost most of that just for a taxi from the rank at LHR to London Waterloo station. Then add £66.50 or more per person for walk-up tickets Waterloo to Weymouth and the overall cost for two would be well over £150 more than Nat Express plus train - that's pre-dinner drinks for the whole cruise 😏

The total time taken by either option is about the same - because of variable journey times from LHR into London the Nat Express LHR to Southampton option is more certain.

 

 

So even with a 48 hour delay I agree with @sddsddean - Nat Express LHR to Southampton, train Southampton to Weymouth.

But I also agree with @gumshoe958, this is very much a worst-case scenario 🙂.

 

JB 🙂

 

[ssawjo]

All great advice everyone.  I will print out your advice and take it with me JUST IN CASE.  I also have travel insurance and that should alleviate some of the extra expenses incurred.

 

Bill

[Globaliser]

21 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

I will print out your advice and take it with me JUST IN CASE.

 

I bet that the fact that you thought of, and asked, the question will guarantee that you won't need the answers! I hope that all the travel goes well.

[ssawjo]

1 hour ago, Globaliser said:

 

I bet that the fact that you thought of, and asked, the question will guarantee that you won't need the answers! I hope that all the travel goes well.

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  Thank you for your answers and advice.  Actually, I will let you know how my journey went.  We leave on Sept. 3 on AA194 (PHX-LHR) if you want to track us on FlightAware.

 

Bill