How much time needed for Southampton to Gatwick transfer?

[oceans2]

We're looking at a cruise around the British Isles at the end of June. We've found a flight that leaves Gatwick at noon on the day we arrive back in Southampton (at 5 am, coming from Paris the previous day). It's not a Sunday so I'm assuming we can take the train but we're wondering if time would be too tight. If we disembarked at 7 am (or even earlier if that's allowed) would we have enough time to get to the airport for 3 hours ahead of our flight? If anyone has done this I'd love to hear from them. Thanks!

[sddsddean]

Looking on the national rail site http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search , I've done a couple of dummy runs. I don't think you will get off until at least 7am, so lets say 7.30am and you have still got to get to the station...say 8am (though you should do it quicker). On Friday 24th there is nothing that will get you to Gatwick by 9am. Best you can do is 0810 direct train which arrives 1006. To get there by 9am you would have to get a train at 0635 and you just aren't going to do it!

On Saturday 25th there is a 0713 train which gets you in at 0906, but I think you will struggle to get off the ship in time. Most likely train is 0813 which gets you in at 1006.

Don't know whether its worth asking the airline how strict they are on 3 hours pre flight. If they say you can do 2 hours you might get away with it. Only other thing I can suggest, is stay in Southampton for the day and do a day trip and either stay for a night and get an early train, or go to Gatwick and stay in a hotel there. I think even a car service would struggle to get you there by 9am.

 

Simon

[Keith1010]

I would post on your cruise line board to find out the experience of others who have arrived back to Southampton on the ship you are on as to what time disembarkation began.

 

For me this would be too tight but I worry about all the things that can go wrong including the ship arriving back to port late. It happens.

 

Keith

[Cotswold Eagle]

There doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to spend the last night on the ship crossing the English Channel just to go straight to Gatwick. You could disembark in France, have some time in Paris and fly home from there.

[John Bull]

Unassisted disembarkation is normally from about 7am, sometimes mebbe 15 minutes earlier. Staggered assisted disembarkation is usually from 7.30.

 

By choosing unassisted, not only can you get off about 30 minutes earlier than the masses but you'll not have the worry of finding your bags (rarely a problem, but best avoided) or get stuck in lines for immigration or for taxis.

You should be at the taxi stand by 7.15 & at the train station before 7.30.

There may be a short line for tickets at the station - Murphy's Law says the line moves quickly, except when you're in a hurry.

 

On a random weekday in June there are trains at

- 7.33 A strong probability you won't make that one. Not direct, one very simple change of train early in the journey, at Havant.

- 8.00 Not direct, a more awkward change at Clapham Junction. And arrives at Gatwick only 15 minutes ahead of .......

- 8.10. Direct service, arrives Gatwick 10.06

With unassisted disembarkation you should have no problem making the 8.00 or the 8.10

 

Trains stop inside the South terminal at Gatwick. If your flight is from Gatwick North add 10-15 minutes for the transfer.

 

None of these trains are going to get you to Gatwick three hours ahead of your flight. But 3 hours is recommended by airports & airlines to give a big margin & ease the pressure on check-in / security staff. Find out your airline's latest check-in time - it's probably 60 minutes before flight time. That's cutting it fine for security lines, but 90 minutes shouldn't present a problem.

 

Not an ideal situation, not a huge margin for delays, but perfectly do-able in normal circumstances

 

JB :)

Edited April 24, 2016 by John Bull

[oceans2]

Thanks everyone. I was hoping to hear that it wouldn't be a problem but didn't really expect that would be the case. We're always early for everything so the stress would probably ruin the last couple of days of the cruise for us. sddsddean - good idea about staying over a night in Southampton and we'd thought of that - but the flight is a lot more expensive the following day so not really an option with added hotel and increased flight cost. I hadn't thought of leaving the ship in Paris, Cotswold Eagle, and will definitely explore that option. We love Paris and wouldn't mind an extra night or two there. Really appreciate your suggestions and advice too, John Bull and Keith1010. Thanks for the help!

[tabletalk]

HI Oceans 2, I may be on the same flight as you (Air Transat to Toronto). Have you made a decision regarding a transfer to Gatwick on July 5? I'm also looking, eh!