LHR to Southampton? Train or Bus???

[sgilmore]

Can anyone tell me what is best to take from Heathrow to Southampton and then returning to London for a 1 night post stay. If you take the train or bus, can you come/go from differet areas of London?

 

We will also have 2 med- lg pieces of luggage each. We are trying to do it the most economical way possible.

 

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,

Sally

[Nickwolf]

You will get your bus information at National Express and your train information at Q Jump.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Nick

 

Star 14th March 2004

Wolves - Back Where We Belong!

[Globaliser]

I'd suggest taking the coach (bus) from Heathrow to Southampton - it's a reasonably fast direct service from the airport itself to the bus station in Southampton, where you should be able to get a cab to the cruise terminal.

 

If your post-cruise stay is in central London, though, take the train back. There's a good service to Waterloo station. Again, you'll need a cab from the cruise terminal to the railway station but that should be easy.

 

If rock bottom price is really necessary, then it may be cheaper to get a coach back to central London - Victoria coach station is the easiest destination. But it's likely to be rather slower because the train's so good on that route. Price the alternatives using the links that Nickwolf has given and see whether the extra time is worth the money saved. I myself use thetrainline for train tickets but the core engine is the same as on qjump.

[sgilmore]

Thanks for your replies. One more thing, I guess they day we are traveling home (12Jun) is the Trooping of the Color. If we took a bus that arrived near Victoria Station, will there be traffic in that area at 10am?? Maybe train is better home??

 

Also, any idea if the airport or central Southampton location is nearest to the cruise terminal?

Sally

[Globaliser]

Victoria coach station is just far enough away that it ought to be clear of any traffic congestion on the day of Trooping the Colour, but close enough that there is a risk that it will be significantly busier than usual for a Saturday. But Saturday mornings at that sort of time are generally quiet, anyway. If you were driving you could expect to get in to central London much faster than a weekday, although the coach will no doubt be working to a timetable and adherence to the speed limits when compared to, say, me in a car.

 

Southampton (Eastleigh) airport is miles away from the sea, let alone the cruise terminal. Don't even think about it! You definitely want the central Southampton coach station and/or Southampton Central railway station. The taxi to and from the railway station to a ship last year cost me less than £5 each way - great with four people in the cab. It looks like the coach station may be even closer.