Southampton disembark to St Pancras same day

[meadowlander]

Disembarking on a Friday in Southampton following a TA. Considering travel to Paris on same day via Eurostar from St. Pancras.  Allowing for immigration, travel to London and travel time from Waterloo or Victoria coach station to St. Pancras, would booking Eurostar after 14:00 be okay or should I book after 15:00. Thanks in advance.

[sddsddean]

You should be able to do this no problem. Friday is obviously a work day, so I would wait until rush hour is over, so aim to get a train from Southampton Central to London Waterloo about 0930 (check or do a dummy run at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk ).

This will get you to Waterloo before 1100. With luggage, don't even contemplate the tube, just grab a black cab on the rank outside to St Pancras. Probably be about £15-20 and will easily have you there by 1200, so you could easily do the 1400 train...it will give you lots of wiggle room too in case of problems. Don't forget, France is an hour ahead of the UK when you look at timetables. So you know, unless you are very unlucky, you will more or less walk straight out of the cruise terminal at Southampton...negligable immigration/customs. Its not like us entering the US!!

 

Simon

[John Bull]

As well as the timescales you're considering, Eurostar check-in closes 45 minutes before the train time.

 

No worries about making the 2.00pm Eurostar.

 

You have a number of options.....

 

Some ships provide a ship's transfer bus direct from ship to St Pancras station. Check with your cruise line whether they offer this option, and their recommended earliest Eurostar time. I'll hazard a guess that'd be around 1.00pm.

 

National Express bus.

A maximum of 10 mins / £10 taxi from any cruise terminal to Southampton coach station.

On current timetable, it'd be very risky to aim for the 07.30 bus from Southampton coach station,  but should be no problem making the 08.40am, which arrives Victoria coach station 11.10am.  Fare as low as just £5, but do pre-book.

You then either

- walk to Victoria tube station and take the Victoria line tube (light blue) five stops in the direction of Walthamstow Central to Kings Cross-St Pancras, though the tube is no fun with luggage

or - taxi all the way from Victoria coach station to St Pancras International, about 4 crowded miles  (?£20 - £25?)

Whichever option, allow an hour or so from Victoria coach station to St Pancras International, so you should be there by 12 - 12.30pm..

Nat Express bus plus tube is cheapest of all options by far but the tube is no fun with luggage.

https://book.nationalexpress.com/

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf

 

Train.

A max of 10 mins / £10 taxi from any cruise terminal to Southampton Central station. Ask the driver to drop you on the London-bound side of the station. 

On the current timetable you have the choice of four direct trains to London Waterloo between 08.48am and 09.55am. Simon's suggestion of the 09.30am train makes sense.

Advance tickets ( £12 - £15) are available on all of them from about 10 weeks out, but bear in mind that those tickets are only good for the train time that you select - miss it and you'll have to pay the walk-up price of over £40 for the next train.

At about 90 minutes the train is by far the quickest option.

You then either

- take the Northern line (black) tube in the direction of Edgware or Mill Hill East or High Barnet (I think they all run from the same platform so you just take the first one) to Euston then walk  (15 mins) or short taxi hop (?£6?) or one stop on the tube to Kings Cross-St Pancras Same difficulties with luggage as above.

- or taxi all the way from Waterloo to St Pancras International, about 3 crowded miles (?£15 - £20?)

 

Pre-booked private transfer from ship to Eurostar would be no quicker than train plus tube or London cab, and cost about £130 - £140 total.

 

Note that Eurostar fares escalate as the date draws near.

 

You also have the choice of direct flights Southampton airport to Paris CDG, or ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre.

 

All of which is a long-winded way of saying that Simon's suggestion is probably the best.

 

JB 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by John Bull

[sddsddean]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

 

All of which is a long-winded way of saying that Simon's suggestion is probably the best.

 

JB 

 

 

I'll even accept back handed compliments!!😁

 

Simon

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, sddsddean said:

I'll even accept back handed compliments!!😁

 

Simon

 

 

It's Christmas, Simon.

Usual wind-ups recommence after 12th Night 

 

JB 

[meadowlander]

Thank you both for the detailed response. Having been in London earlier this year, I found out how crowded the tubes are. I just wanted to be certain I had the timing right, still considering staying in Southampton on Friday and traveling to Paris on Saturday or Monday. Thanks again.

[sddsddean]

58 minutes ago, meadowlander said:

Thank you both for the detailed response. Having been in London earlier this year, I found out how crowded the tubes are. I just wanted to be certain I had the timing right, still considering staying in Southampton on Friday and traveling to Paris on Saturday or Monday. Thanks again.

 

If you are thinking of staying in Southampton, consider flying to Paris. https://www.flybe.com/  fly several times a day and probably for a lot less than the Eurostar and its only a 1hr 20min flight. However, they are a budget airline, so its essential you do a dummy booking to work out their luggage charges etc. Southampton airport is really easy to get through...not the zoo in security like LHR or EWR! and its only a £20 cab ride from the city. To use your day up in Southampton it is really easy to get the train to Salisbury to see the cathedral (tallest in UK, oldest working mechanical clock in the world and a copy of the Magna Carta) and you can even do the side trip to Stonehenge from the railway station if you want http://www.thestonehengetour.info/

 

Simon