Heathrow to Southampton. How doable on day of sailing?

[boblin]

I've read so many horror stories of immigration backups at Heathrow in the morning when N.A. flights arrive en masse, that I wonder what your experience is arriving at Heathrow day of departure out of Southampton vis a vis the amount of time required for coach to travel what seems to be a short distance between the airport and the pier (or Southampton itself). Seems summer weekend mornings can add to the mayhem. We're on the June 8, 2013 (Saturday!!!) departure of Eclipse. Any advice or warning welcome.

[wednesday]

Given my experience flying and the many delays we have encountered, I would never fly in the day of, it is too risky. Someone on our recent Eclipse cruise out of Southampton missed the ship due to flight delays and had to catch up to the ship in the next port.

 

My reasons have nothing to do with Heathrow in particular but just the unpredictability of air travel, anything can happen and delay you.

[jaz33]

Hi Boblin

 

It depends on the time of your flight but it is very do-able. Heathrow to Southampton by coach should take a maximum of 2 1/2 hrs however it would be quicker if you can go by train.

 

I hope this helps you decide.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[jaz33]

I have to agree with Wednesday though. Any flight delay would make missing the ship more likely. Spend the day before in London and take in a show, or do what we will be doing in 3 weeks time and spend the night before in Southampton and get a view of the Eclipse when you wake in the morning :)

[workingboy]

I see you are in Ontario, but I don't know what part. If you are flying out of Toronto, both Air Canada and British Airways have at least two flights per day going to London. Obviously, if you can go a day ealry that is better. However if you need to fly the same day, (depart the night before), then I would try to get the earliest flight, which normally gets you in to London at 6:00 to 7:00am. I would also try to book through Choice air which I have been found to be reasonable but also gives you some comfort if the flights are delayed. However if you get the earlier flight and it is god forbid cancelled due to mechanical etc, then you stilll have a chance of getting the later flight which normally gets in around 9:00 am.

 

I have arrived at both 6:00 am and 9:00 am and with some luck made the ship.

 

Again if you can go the day before, it is safer.

[boblin]

Thanks guys! Any more comments I'd appreciate it. Thank God we're not arriving heathrow during the Olympics this summer!!!! I always fly in day ahead for peace of mind, but in this case daughter is working and not keen on taking extra day off. We also have trip delay insurance so that's somewhat of a comfort. Yes, flying out of Pearson (another joy!!!!), so am aware of multiple departure times.

[shoreham01]

Just a word of warning. Our roads and motorways are not good. If there is an accident, even a minor one, there can be serious delays. If it is a big accident then you could be stuck in traffic for hours as they close the motorways or roads.

 

Heathrow airport is known for delays in getting through immigration. There are no direct trains from Heathrow airport to Southampton.

 

Yes it is doable, if you are willing to take the risk. My advice is to fly in at least a day earlier and get a National Express bus through to Southampton. Depending on your budget there are many hotels near the docks. We always stay at the Ibis which is fine for one night and very reasonable. There is also a Premier Inn West Quay very near the dock which is also not expensive. I would definately say stay the night in Southampton, not London. You will see very little of London in less than a day. Southampton has wonderful shops, and there is plenty of historic interest too. Premier Inn showing price of £64 for June 7th next year. Ibis Southampton showing £44 for same date. These are room rates.

 

We have just returned from the same Baltic cruise, sail date 9th June, and it was fantastic. A word of advice, take a private tour in St Petersburg. We booked SPB tours for two days and found 6 people on our roll call to share it. All I can say is fantastic, we beat the crowds and enjoyed every single moment of it. The ones that took the ships tours were not so happy because there were so many of them being taken around at the same time. Make sure you are ready to get off the ship the minute it is cleared which was about 15 minutes after the customs boarded, to beat the long queues through customs. We were all through customs in minutes, ships tour waited an hour in the rain.

[CruiseImage]

Check out the National Express website.

They go from LHR T1 & T3 direct to Southampton coach station which is a 5-10 min walk to the ship.

I've just looked at Saturday departures and there's one at 1130hrs getting into Southampton at 1345hrs (2hrs 15mins) and priced at £16.60 each. (perfect!)

It won't show your date of 8th June yet, too far ahead I think, usually about 6 months out - just keep checking

 

Although I'm in the UK I've used NE quite a few times to get to Southampton from the Midlands where I live. My best deal was 99p !!! Yes 99 pence

 

We did it the other way in feb this year to get the Silhouette out of Bayonne.

Left London Heathrow that morning and with the time change etc and then a pre-booked car we made it with 2 hours to spare.. Phew, straight to the Martini Bar for me. !!

 

You'll be fine..

[BMT]

A thought - if you fly in to Gatwick, the train takes only about an hour to Southampton. Much more doable and reliable if you fly in on the day. Don't hear anything about immigration lines at Gatwick either.:eek:

[besberry]

A thought - if you fly in to Gatwick, the train takes only about an hour to Southampton. Much more doable and reliable if you fly in on the day. Don't hear anything about immigration lines at Gatwick either.:eek:

I'm currently working as an Olympics volunteer at Heathrow (Terminals 1 and 4). There can be queues at immigration, but they do seem to be dealing with them quickly. That however, may be because of extra officers being utilised for the Olympics. Personally I wouldn't take the risk, so many things can go wrong, delayed plane, lost bags, traffic accidents (it took me 4 hours to get to Southampton, when it should have taken 2, thanks to an accident). Come in a day early.

[RickT]

Check out the National Express website.

They go from LHR T1 & T3 direct to Southampton coach station which is a 5-10 min walk to the ship.

I've just looked at Saturday departures and there's one at 1130hrs getting into Southampton at 1345hrs (2hrs 15mins) and priced at £16.60 each. (perfect!)

 

 

You'll be fine..

 

We've also used National Express a couple of times out of Heathrow with no problems. We booked a bus that left approx 2 hrs after we landed to allow for any flight delays/immigration delays and it still got us in with plenty of time to spare. The bus stop is fairly close to the pier so you can walk if you'd like, or take a quick cab ride.

 

The buses are frequent and very inexpensive compared to what Celebrity offers.

 

As someone else has said, just make sure you get in to Heathrow on one of the earlier flights just to be sure.

[Presto2]

Without wanting to upset anyone who like Heathrow or works there - if you have to fly in the day of the cruise, but have a choice of airports I'd avoid Heathrow like the plague. Over recent years the one airport that seems to have hit the press over here (for lots of negative reasons) is Heathrow and British Airways (and that's another story!)

[DebbieMacG]

A thought - if you fly in to Gatwick, the train takes only about an hour to Southampton. Much more doable and reliable if you fly in on the day. Don't hear anything about immigration lines at Gatwick either.:eek:

 

 

It's 1hr 50 from Gatwick to Southampton on the train. Gatwick is less crowded most of the time but I still wouldn't fly in on the day. We only flew down from Inverness but did so the day before and stayed in the new Premier Inn west Quay that was great.

 

Another option is to fly in a few days early and spend some time in London :)

[sddsddean]

Possible, but as others have said, probably not advisable. Heres what I'd do. Fly in the day (or 2) before .Get the NE coach from LHR to Southampton coach station (ignore the 'cruise terminal' option) http://www.nationalexpress.com/coach/index.cfm

Stay at the Holiday Inn, Herbert Walker Avenue. This is a 5 - 10 min walk from the coach station and right beside Dock Gate 8 and only 300yds from the City Cruise terminal where the Eclipse will dock (the ship will be closer to you than the terminal!!). If you have time, you can get a train to Salisbury (Southampton station is only a 10 min walk away). Go and visit Stonehenge and Salisbury cathedral (highest spire in England, original of the Magna Carta and the oldest working clock in the world). England is much more than just London!!

 

Simon

[boblin]

Many thanks to all the helpful posters who made many excellent points, some I'd even thot of before, especially those "locals" who were able to give such detailed personal info on hotels, etc. Still thinking it over. I know there's a Can. airline that flies into Gatwick which has the direct train to Southampton., but I want to use AC aeroplan points. Any comments on the option of taking the Heathrow express into central London & then a train to Southampton? I think the train to be a more dependable option, unless British train personnel are like their Italian counterparts who strike unexpectedly and frequently.

[ginopingoly]

How about the other way around, from Southhampton to Heathrow on arrival day?

Is it safe to try for a 12:30pm flight?

[BMT]

Many thanks to all the helpful posters who made many excellent points, some I'd even thot of before, especially those "locals" who were able to give such detailed personal info on hotels, etc. Still thinking it over. I know there's a Can. airline that flies into Gatwick which has the direct train to Southampton., but I want to use AC aeroplan points. Any comments on the option of taking the Heathrow express into central London & then a train to Southampton? I think the train to be a more dependable option, unless British train personnel are like their Italian counterparts who strike unexpectedly and frequently.

 

Could take Heathrow Express - it comes into Paddington Station and you will then need to get to Waterloo Station across town. So, dragging luggage on the tube or a taxi - which could be expensive depending on traffic and I think you would still be cutting it quite fine - if something goes wrong...............:eek::eek:

 

If I had the choice, I would either stay overnight or fly to Gatwick and "let the train take the strain"!!

 

We always stay overnight.

[scumbers]

i wouldnt chance it as even if you fly through immigration etc there are so many road works and hold ups on the motorways lately it isnt worth taking the risk of sitting in traffic for 2 hours and not moving

 

if possible i would come in a day early

[smtcan]

Many thanks to all the helpful posters who made many excellent points, some I'd even thot of before, especially those "locals" who were able to give such detailed personal info on hotels, etc. Still thinking it over. I know there's a Can. airline that flies into Gatwick which has the direct train to Southampton., but I want to use AC aeroplan points. Any comments on the option of taking the Heathrow express into central London & then a train to Southampton? I think the train to be a more dependable option, unless British train personnel are like their Italian counterparts who strike unexpectedly and frequently.

 

I would look very carefully at using Aeroplan for a flight to Heathrow. We considered this a few days ago, but discovered that the taxes and fees made up such a large part of the ticket price that we were better to use our points for a different destination. Of course if you are flying Business Class the saving would be more significant. We fly to UK at least twice a year and almost always use Air Transat into Gatwick for cost reasons, certainly not for comfort.

Sheila

[boblin]

You guys are great! So much to think about! Re: train from Paddington to Southampton- Found online PAD - SOU depart 10:03 a.m. arrive 11:42 a.m. Am I overlooking something here? A poster mentioned getting over to Waterloo stn from Paddington to get to Southampton. I'm just a dumb Canuck. We don't use trains much!

[sddsddean]

You guys are great! So much to think about! Re: train from Paddington to Southampton- Found online PAD - SOU depart 10:03 a.m. arrive 11:42 a.m. Am I overlooking something here? A poster mentioned getting over to Waterloo stn from Paddington to get to Southampton. I'm just a dumb Canuck. We don't use trains much!

 

Yes, you can do Pad - Sou, but have to change at Reading. That will make 3 trains (inc the Heathrow Express). It is much easier and cheaper to use the NE coach from any Heathrow terminal to Southampton (normally the coach fare is the price of the Heathrow Express alone). If you are not going into London to stay, it is the thing to do!

 

Simon

[BMT]

You guys are great! So much to think about! Re: train from Paddington to Southampton- Found online PAD - SOU depart 10:03 a.m. arrive 11:42 a.m. Am I overlooking something here? A poster mentioned getting over to Waterloo stn from Paddington to get to Southampton. I'm just a dumb Canuck. We don't use trains much!

 

Still cutting it fine if you have to get through immigration and then down to Heathrow Express and into Paddington and then change to another train to Reading where you change trains again for Southampton. I have looked it up and there are elevators at Reading, so luggage won't be too much of a problem.

 

We just go to Waterloo and get the direct train to Soham. Just thinking about all the train changes makes me tired!:D:eek:

 

Best to go day before - there are some perfectly adequate places to stay in Southampton, reasonably priced.

[wednesday]

How about the other way around, from Southhampton to Heathrow on arrival day?

Is it safe to try for a 12:30pm flight?

 

We had a 12:15 pm flight out of terminal 3. We used West Quay cars and had them pick us up at 7:30am. We made it in plenty of time and were able to sit in the AA lounge for an hour or so.

[besberry]

The Heathrow Express is very expensive (Can$25, each for a single journey :eek:). If you want to take a train, use the Heathrow Connect, it's much cheaper because it stops about 5 times, but isn't that much longer a journey. Both run from the same platforms. The Express runs ½ hourly on the ¼ hour. Not sure about the Connect, but it's also ½ hourly. You can get the info you need about getting from Paddington to whichever terminus you need for Southampton here http://www.tfl.gov.uk/

Personally I still wouldn't risk it, but the least you can do is to be well prepared on your options. Good luck, whichever option you choose, and enjoy the cruise.

[url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/][/url]

[Fixit2010]

As a Londoner, I know the city well, its roads and rail links. On a clear run it takes me 90 minutes to drive to Southampton.

 

Theoretically it is doable if you land early and take a coach (thats a bus) from Heatherow to Southampton. However there are 2 hurdles to clear.

 

A) London traffic. I can take you a good hour to travel the best part of 10 miles in our rush hour. Its is all start/stop.

 

B) The M25 and M3. Again the M25 is the worlds largest car park. Again it can take 2 hours to clear about 30 miles, especially around the M4/M25 junction which is where Heathrow sits. The top end of the M3 can also be heavy with traffic up to Fleet and Camberly.

 

On the otherhand if fate is smiling and its is celar then you are looking at 2 hours or so once you start moving.

 

Fortunately Celebrity usually sails on a Saturday and you don't get the commuters traveling, but still at least its a 2.30 hours.

 

However one accident on the motorway (freeway) and you can easily add an hour or so on to your journey. Even on a weekend.