Time Needed to clear Customs and catch the Bus to Southampton

[MsDolly]

We are arriving to terminal 3 Heathrow from Canada at noon on a Saturday.  We want to take the National Express Bus from there to Southampton and are wondering approximately how much time to leave ourselves from arrival in LHR to departure on the bus.

 

We have been reading about several other airports out there experiencing terrible delays in disembarking and clearing customs but haven’t heard this about Heathrow.

 

Any insight on what a sensible amount of time to allow would be appreciated.

[CruiserBruce]

Immigration is going to be the time issue, not Customs. Customs was the red/green system last time  we were there...takes seconds unless you get randomly selected for further screening, which is rare. There have been some reports things are a little slower at LHR for Immigration, but  not significantly.

 

I would allow at least an hour, perhaps 90 minutes.

[Cotswold Eagle]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Immigration is going to be the time issue, not Customs. Customs was the red/green system last time  we were there...takes seconds unless you get randomly selected for further screening, which is rare. There have been some reports things are a little slower at LHR for Immigration, but  not significantly.

 

I would allow at least an hour, perhaps 90 minutes.

The real bottleneck recently has been ground handling, particularly delivery of baggage (but also getting aircraft onto stands) caused my significant staff shortages post-pandemic. BA has been badly affected at busy times. I've not been through LHR for a few weeks, but my impression is that is getting better for arriving flights. Hopefully some of our more frequent flyers will chip in.

 

I think you can change National Express tickets to later services if delayed (only at the airport), but John B will hopefully be along to confirm that.

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

 

I think you can change National Express tickets to later services if delayed (only at the airport), but John B will hopefully be along to confirm that.

 

Things are a little different now.

Tickets used to be valid only for the booked time - but with the exception of departing from airports because Nat Express appreciated that customers have no control over delayed flights. So passengers at airports could switch to a later (or earlier) coach if space was available, I believe there was a £5 admin fee.

 

But now there are different ticket options, so its a little complicated and no special treatment for travel from airports.

Ticket options (regardless of where you board) are broadly :

Restricted tickets- no amendments, no refunds.

Standard - not refundable, but you can - prior to the journey  - change the date or time - prior to the journey - 

Fully-flexible - refundable if cancelled at least 24 hours before departure, amendable  prior to the journey. 

For an extra £5 you can add "change & go" to standard or fully-flexible tickets, allowing you to switch to a later (or earlier) coach if you're delayed. Effectively the same as the exception for passengers at airports but now fortravel from anywhere.

 

No personal experience of the new tickets.

Ticket types : 

https://faq.nationalexpress.com/s/article/What-is-the-difference-between-a-Restricted-fare-Standard-fare-and-a-Fully-Flexible-fare-1581438956696?language=en_US

Change & Go add-on :

 https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/change-go

 

I think Nat Express may have head-hunted booking executives from the train operators, who are experts at complicating ticket terms and pricing 🙄

 

Dolly - I agree at least 90 minutes from touch-down, but preferably 2 hours.

If you quote your scheduled landing time & latest cruise terminal check-in time we can suggest what time bus to book.

 

Also subject to your landing time, you have the options of ship's transfer bus or a slightly complicated bus+train combo. Both are significantly more expensive than the Nat Express bus  

 

JB 🙂

[MsDolly]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

 

 

Dolly - I agree at least 90 minutes from touch-down, but preferably 2 hours.

If you quote your scheduled landing time & latest cruise terminal check-in time we can suggest what time bus to book.

 

Also subject to your landing time, you have the options of ship's transfer bus or a slightly complicated bus+train combo. Both are significantly more expensive than the Nat Express bus  

 

JB 🙂

Our Flight into Terminal 3 is scheduled to land at 12pm.  We are arriving a day ahead of our cruise.  When reviewing the bus schedule it appears there is a bus leaving at 2:30pm which is the one we are hoping to make as the next bus appears to be a couple hours later.  
 

After the long flight from Western Canada (rarely am able to sleep on a flight) the earlier the better seeing as the bus ride is another couple of hours! 

[John Bull]

6 hours ago, MsDolly said:

Our Flight into Terminal 3 is scheduled to land at 12pm.  We are arriving a day ahead of our cruise.  When reviewing the bus schedule it appears there is a bus leaving at 2:30pm which is the one we are hoping to make as the next bus appears to be a couple hours later.  
 

After the long flight from Western Canada (rarely am able to sleep on a flight) the earlier the better seeing as the bus ride is another couple of hours! 

 

You wouldn't make the 12.45 bus, and the 2.30 bus wouldn't arrive in Southampton in time for a cruise departing same-day, which is why I wanted to know your arrival time at LHR.

But yes, altho you may have an hour to wait in the bus station cafe, the 2.30 bus is ideal for you because you're not sailing same-day.

(there's a 5 - 10 minute walk from T3 to the bus station)

 

You're going to have to decide whether to hedge your bets with ticket upgrades.

You'd be very unlucky to miss the 2.30 and I can't see you missing later coaches, so you're unlikely to need the refund option. But you could consider standard tickets plus Change-and-Go if you feel it worth the extra cost, altho buying fresh restricted tickets wouldn't cost a lot more.

 

JB 🙂

 

[phabric]

My flight’s arrival was 6:35am on Friday May 27 Terminal 5.  I had purchased online  standard National Express tickets for LHR Terminal 5 to Southampton for 9:45am.

 

We had to take a bus from plane to the terminal 5 so we missed the long walk to Immigration.  At that time, there was not too many people at Immigration, we were before the crowds.    At Immigration, it was a facial recognition machine where you put your passport in a slot.  If you could not make it work there was a live person looking at your passport.

 

Our luggage was just arriving when we got in the baggage area.

 

Total time from arrival (6:35am) to luggage pickup was under 30 minutes.  I could not believe how fast it was.

 

Walked to where the National Express Coach stops outside LHR terminal 5.  There was a person who had a later ticket and driver let him on an earlier bus.

 

My sister’s arrival time changed as plane arrived late at her home airport so was 2 hours late..  She was suppose to arrive at 6:30am and be on the same Coach as me but from LHR terminal 2/3 at 9:39am and I was joining the same Coach at 9:45am at terminal 5.

 

She said Terminal 2 Immigration had long lines and their was waiting fir them.  She was able to change her 9:30am ticket (with no fee) to the 11:30am.

 

The morning of my flight we received an email that the route 204 LHR to Southampton National Express Coach would not be a National Express Coach but another Coach company’s Coach.

 

I talked to a Coach driver waiting and he said the day before May 26, route 204 LHR to Southampton was cancelled due to lack of coaches and drivers plus 5 other routes.  He said on May 27 (my day) Bournemouth was supplying the Coach and National Express the driver.  I had purchased seats tickets for £2/pp I was told since it was not a National Express Coach, no reserved seats.

 

*** FYI - Look for route 204 Bournemouth ( is the end of the line) on the Coach sign.  The route 204 goes to

LHR - Winchester - Southampton- Bournemouth.

 

The first time I used the Coach terminal at terminal 2/3, I thought the Coach sign would show Southampton until I asked “that the sign would show the last stop which was Bournemouth”.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2022 by phabric

[victory2020]

If I arrive at 11;45 am day of cruise & take ship transfer, am I cutting it too close? Other option is come in the day before & ???

[Globaliser]

9 hours ago, victory2020 said:

If I arrive at 11;45 am day of cruise & take ship transfer, am I cutting it too close?

 

What time does your ship sail? Can you book the ship's transfer for that flight arrival time?

 

And are you prepared to take the risk of something going wrong on the day? What if your flight arrives three hours late (which is not uncommon)? If you have connecting flights, what if your first flight is late and you miss the connection to the trans-Atlantic flight? Would the ship do anything for you if you miss the last transfer, or are you on your own to work out how to catch up with the ship, wherever it has gone?

[phabric]

14 hours ago, victory2020 said:

If I arrive at 11;45 am day of cruise & take ship transfer, am I cutting it too close? Other option is come in the day before & ???

My sister was suppose to have arrived at LHR at 6:30am Friday May 27 for our cruise the next day Saturday May 28.  Her non stop flight from her home airport was 2 1/2 hours late due the plane’s late arrival from another country.  She spend over 1 1/4 hours going through immigration and luggage pickup.  She missed her 9:30am National Express Coach and was able to get on a later Coach.  She arrived in Southampton after 2pm.

 

You never know if planes will be on time.  Going the day before will help with jet lag.

 

Go the day before your cruise. Stay at a hotel near LHR or a hotel attached to LHR if you want the cruise line transfer.

 

Take National Express Coach www.nationalexpress.com from LHR to Southampton Coach station. Stay at a Southampton hotel (check Port of Call - Britain for hotel suggestions).  Take a taxi from National Express Coach station to hotel and a taxi to the port. 

 

 

[victory2020]

9 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

What time does your ship sail? Can you book the ship's transfer for that flight arrival time?

 

And are you prepared to take the risk of something going wrong on the day? What if your flight arrives three hours late (which is not uncommon)? If you have connecting flights, what if your first flight is late and you miss the connection to the trans-Atlantic flight? Would the ship do anything for you if you miss the last transfer, or are you on your own to work out how to catch up with the ship, wherever it has gone?

I've thought all this out - it's a direct flight (would never risk connections). Airline is offering this flight so I'm guessing they regularly book this. The last 2 cruises I have been on will no let you join en route so I'm assuming their guarantee of getting you to the ship isn't valid any more. May do day before, just didn't know what to do in Southampton & how to get there without ship transfer

[victory2020]

4 hours ago, phabric said:

My sister was suppose to have arrived at LHR at 6:30am Friday May 27 for our cruise the next day Saturday May 28.  Her non stop flight from her home airport was 2 1/2 hours late due the plane’s late arrival from another country.  She spend over 1 1/4 hours going through immigration and luggage pickup.  She missed her 9:30am National Express Coach and was able to get on a later Coach.  She arrived in Southampton after 2pm.

 

You never know if planes will be on time.  Going the day before will help with jet lag.

 

Go the day before your cruise. Stay at a hotel near LHR or a hotel attached to LHR if you want the cruise line transfer.

 

Take National Express Coach www.nationalexpress.com from LHR to Southampton Coach station. Stay at a Southampton hotel (check Port of Call - Britain for hotel suggestions).  Take a taxi from National Express Coach station to hotel and a taxi to the port. 

 

 

May do this - sounds more complicated than just hopping on ship transfer haha

[phabric]

National Express is much cheaper than Princess transfer.  If going direct home after cruise, I have taken Princess transfer or Princess post cruise excursion back to Heathrow.  

 

You purchase your National Express Coach timed ticket online leaving minimum of 90 minutes after flight arrive . My ticket was £17/pp LHR Terminal 5 to Southampton for Friday, May 27.

 

National Express will let you change to another Coach (if seats are available) if you are late/early for your timed ticket with no change fee only at the airports.

 

Depending on your airline which terminal you land at, where you will find National Express Coach terminal.  Check out Heathrow airport web site for your airline  terminal and National Express Coach information.

 

Once you have picked up your luggage, exit luggage area and follow signs for Coaches.

Terminal 2/3 - a 10-15 minute walk all indoors, no seats to rest along the way, easy to follow

Terminal 5 - follow signs for Coaches, there is a shelter with seats to wait.
 

Drivers get out of coaches to load luggage and will help direct you.

 

NOTE your Coach route number on your booking.  On the Coach sign, will not say Southampton, it will show the last stop.  Our Coach was -route #204, Bournemouth.  It was Heathrow, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth.

[robin13]

On 6/13/2022 at 1:39 PM, phabric said:

National Express is much cheaper than Princess transfer.  If going direct home after cruise, I have taken Princess transfer or Princess post cruise excursion back to Heathrow.  

 

You purchase your National Express Coach timed ticket online leaving minimum of 90 minutes after flight arrive . My ticket was £17/pp LHR Terminal 5 to Southampton for Friday, May 27.

 

National Express will let you change to another Coach (if seats are available) if you are late/early for your timed ticket with no change fee only at the airports.

 

Depending on your airline which terminal you land at, where you will find National Express Coach terminal.  Check out Heathrow airport web site for your airline  terminal and National Express Coach information.

 

Once you have picked up your luggage, exit luggage area and follow signs for Coaches.

Terminal 2/3 - a 10-15 minute walk all indoors, no seats to rest along the way, easy to follow

Terminal 5 - follow signs for Coaches, there is a shelter with seats to wait.
 

Drivers get out of coaches to load luggage and will help direct you.

 

NOTE your Coach route number on your booking.  On the Coach sign, will not say Southampton, it will show the last stop.  Our Coach was -route #204, Bournemouth.  It was Heathrow, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth.

Can you tell me if I purchase my ticket online do I just go directly to the coach or do I need to go to the counter to check in?  

[phabric]

9 hours ago, robin13 said:

Can you tell me if I purchase my ticket online do I just go directly to the coach or do I need to go to the counter to check in?  

Depending on which airline you use will determine which National Express terminal  station you are going to use.  Check www.heathrow.com website for more information which terminal your airlines uses, also under National Express.

 

-I have used this terminal before. 

 The Central Coach terminal for Terminal 3 - you need to follow the sign for the Coach station, about a 10 minute walk all indoors, no seats to rest.  There will be a board on the wall to tell which coach bay to go to.  It will be the last stop (town) on the route of your ticket for which bay.  You go direct to the bay for the coach. The driver will be there to take your luggage.  ASK driver to make sure correct coach. There is a live person at the ticket booth for any help. I had to ask as I didn't see any signs for Southampton. There is a small store there and benches to wait.  Use airport bathroom before going as they charge at coach station.

 

- I used this terminal in May.

Terminal 5 - Follow the signs for Coaches outside arrivals of the airport.  Their coach signs (stops 9-15) are close to the  outside exit door.  There is an glass shelter there with seats.  There are a few signs with numbers for their coaches. I asked  a driver, which numbered sign was for Southampton, he said as the coaches come in, they line up - first coach, second coach third coach, not at a certain sign.  WATCH the name (last town on the route) on the coach.  ASK the driver or any driver that stops for the correct coach. The driver exits the coach and puts luggage under the coach.  Use bathroom at airport before exiting the airport.

 

I believe there are a small bathroom on the coaches(?).

 

The coaches start at Central Coach then about 15 minutes later a stop at Terminal 5 then a straight drive to Southampton unless there is a stop at a town, my coach had a stopped at Winchester to let a person off.

[SomewhereGirl]

1 hour ago, phabric said:

There is a live person at the ticket booth for any help. I had to ask as I didn't see any signs for Southampton.

 

When I was there a few weeks ago, mid-day on a Wednesday, the ticket booth was closed.  The National Express representatives walking around to answering questions said the booth had been closed for over a year.  If the ticket booth is still closed, look for a NE representative wearing a vest.

[robin13]

On 9/14/2022 at 7:46 AM, phabric said:

Depending on which airline you use will determine which National Express terminal  station you are going to use.  Check www.heathrow.com website for more information which terminal your airlines uses, also under National Express.

 

-I have used this terminal before. 

 The Central Coach terminal for Terminal 3 - you need to follow the sign for the Coach station, about a 10 minute walk all indoors, no seats to rest.  There will be a board on the wall to tell which coach bay to go to.  It will be the last stop (town) on the route of your ticket for which bay.  You go direct to the bay for the coach. The driver will be there to take your luggage.  ASK driver to make sure correct coach. There is a live person at the ticket booth for any help. I had to ask as I didn't see any signs for Southampton. There is a small store there and benches to wait.  Use airport bathroom before going as they charge at coach station.

 

- I used this terminal in May.

Terminal 5 - Follow the signs for Coaches outside arrivals of the airport.  Their coach signs (stops 9-15) are close to the  outside exit door.  There is an glass shelter there with seats.  There are a few signs with numbers for their coaches. I asked  a driver, which numbered sign was for Southampton, he said as the coaches come in, they line up - first coach, second coach third coach, not at a certain sign.  WATCH the name (last town on the route) on the coach.  ASK the driver or any driver that stops for the correct coach. The driver exits the coach and puts luggage under the coach.  Use bathroom at airport before exiting the airport.

 

I believe there are a small bathroom on the coaches(?).

 

The coaches start at Central Coach then about 15 minutes later a stop at Terminal 5 then a straight drive to Southampton unless there is a stop at a town, my coach had a stopped at Winchester to let a person off.

Thanks for the information.  I'm arriving Terminal 3 so this helps me a lot.  Just one more question.  My plane lands at 7:55am.  Should I book the 9:45am bus or the 11am bus?  The early bus is 18 pounds where the later bus is 23.60 pounds.  

[phabric]

I was told leave 90 minutes after arrival to go through customs/immigration/ baggage to purchase timed tickets.  At airports terminal, if you miss your timed ticket and if there are seats on the next coach they will honour the ticket without a charge.

 

In May, I arrived at Terminal 5 we were bussed from plane to building and missed the long walk and was through customs/immigration/ luggage in 20 minutes.

 

My sister plane was late leaving Montreal by 2 hours.  She arrived at Terminal 3.  Long long lines at least 1 hour for customs/immigration/luggage. Then the walk to the coach station.  She missed her coach that was suppose to meet me at Terminal 5.  She was able to get a later coach with no problem.

 

You never know how long the lines will be.  Just make sure there are other coach times after yours encase you miss yours.

[Froufie]

I picked a time around 2 hrs after my (supposed?) landing - but added the extra $$ for a flex tickets which allows you to change buses within 12 hrs of the original ticket!

[gfkcruiser]

I purchased a ticket for 12:45 or so based on my arrival at 10 am nonstop from US. Purchased the ticket that could be changed.  We now arrive at 7:10 am so will hope to get on earlier coach.  My first time using this company.