Travel between London and Portsmouth cruise port

[Tyskie]

I have read quite a few threads about transportation between London and Southampton but not for Portsmouth.

 

Does anyone have recommendations?  Staying in London for 3 days (near Victoria Sta) and cruising Oceania 2 Sept 2023.

 

I have reached out to Blackberry for LHR to London.  They do have the ability to transport to Portsmouth but thought I'd check for other choices.

 

Thanks 🌞

[JHLH821]

29 minutes ago, Tyskie said:

I have read quite a few threads about transportation between London and Southampton but not for Portsmouth.

 

Does anyone have recommendations?  Staying in London for 3 days (near Victoria Sta) and cruising Oceania 2 Sept 2023.

 

I have reached out to Blackberry for LHR to London.  They do have the ability to transport to Portsmouth but thought I'd check for other choices.

 

Thanks 🌞

Eddie Manning's  https://www.limo.co.uk/- professional, excellent reviews and reasonable pricing. If they are booked, try gunwharf  https://gunwharf-executive-travel.co.uk/

 

[Bob++]

There is a direct train every 30 minutes between Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour station (do not get off at the first station, Portsmouth & Southsea). There is an hourly service from Victoria as well, but it means changing trains at Havant.

https://www.thetrainline.com/

 

A third (and the cheapest) option is a coach from Victoria Coach Station direct to Portsmouth Cruise Port. Book in advance and it can cost as little as £4.00.

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/destinations/portsmouth/london-to-portsmouth

[gumshoe958]

If you get the train, the cruise port is a 10 minute cab ride from either Portsmouth & Southsea or Portsmouth Harbour station.

 

National Express run a few coaches from London that stop close to the terminal. You want the ‘Portsmouth International Port’ stop if possible; the main Portsmouth stop ‘The Hard’ has a more frequent service but is a 10 minute cab ride from the terminal.

[Globaliser]

5 hours ago, Bob++ said:

There is a direct train every 30 minutes between Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour station (do not get off at the first station, Portsmouth & Southsea).

 

56 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

If you get the train, the cruise port is a 10 minute cab ride from either Portsmouth & Southsea or Portsmouth Harbour station.

 

FWIW, the port's website - https://portsmouth-port.co.uk/at-the-port/find-us/ - suggests using Portsmouth and Southsea "which has a taxi rank right outside". Looking at Google Maps, it looks like it may be a shorter walk from the platforms to the taxi rank than at Portsmouth Harbour.

[Tyskie]

Thank you all for different possibilities - all good information!

@Bob++  I tried the bus option but it seems it's not an option from Victoria Sta.

 

 

[gumshoe958]

10 minutes ago, Tyskie said:

Thank you all for different possibilities - all good information!

@Bob++  I tried the bus option but it seems it's not an option from Victoria Sta.

 

 

There are two direct coaches a day from Victoria coach station (NOT train station, although close by) to Portsmouth International Port, at 11.00am and 3.30pm. 
 

If those times aren’t convenient there are regular coaches to Portsmouth, The Hard from where it’s a 10 minute cab ride to the port.

 

[Bob++]

I checked the National Express site for 2 Sept 2023. The only suitable coach from Victoria coach Station to Portsmouth is at 11:00, arriving at 12:55.

 

£24 for 2 passengers. No changes.

 

In case you are doubtful about coach travel, you are likely to find several other people on board heading for the same cruise. Coaches are modern and fitted with aeroplane styles seats with seatbelts. Your luggage will be stowed by the driver in lockers under the coach.

 

On a two-hour drive, it's unlikely that there will be a 'comfort break' but there is a toilet on board for emergencies.

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Bob++

[KEA20]

Thanks to everyone for the comments and suggestions.  We are also on the British Isles Riviera Cruise.  We are connecting in London to catch a train to Edinburgh and wanted to take a car service to London so we don't have to change train stations or make endless stops on trains and busses.  GunWarf is already booked and I have tried 5 other car services.  Most don't cover Portsmouth or are already booked.  (Blacklane, Addison Lee, West Quay was 230L and put us off until end of July to book, etc.). If anyone else has any ideas for reasonable car service from Portsmouth to London, I would appreciate it.  Southampton was so much easier to arrange.  Not sure why Oceania is using Portsmouth this time.  

[Tyskie]

@KEA20

We ended up booking a car service

 

We're using Blackberry - recommended on CC by many. 

Blackberry Cars

www.blackberrycars.com

6-16 Arbutus Street, London E8 4DT

+44 20 7254 3344

 

Pricey yes, but we decided this would work best for us. 

[John Bull]

On 3/21/2023 at 4:58 PM, Bob++ said:

There is a direct train every 30 minutes between Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour station (do not get off at the first station, Portsmouth & Southsea). There is an hourly service from Victoria as well, but it means changing trains at Havant.

https://www.thetrainline.com/

 

A third (and the cheapest) option is a coach from Victoria Coach Station direct to Portsmouth Cruise Port. Book in advance and it can cost as little as £4.00.

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/destinations/portsmouth/london-to-portsmouth

 

 

Yes train from London Waterloo is quickest and much much cheaper than a private transfer.

Get off at either the main Portsmouth&Southsea station or Portsmouth Harbour (the train's terminus) and take a short taxi hop from either to .Portsmouth International Port, which cruise ships share with the cross-channel ferries - it's not the same place as Portsmouth Harbour.

 

National Express coach is slower but starts at Victoria coach station and includes a stop at Portsmouth International Port, so much simpler & no need for taxis. It too is very good value.

 

Blackberry come well-recommended on Cruise Critic, but are more expensive than most.

 

Portsmouth is gaining cruise business from Southampton, but it can't handle large cruise ships.

It's also a much more interesting city than Southampton, well-worth a day and more pre or post-cruise

 

JB 🙂

.

Edited June 27, 2023 by John Bull

[KEA20]

23 hours ago, Tyskie said:

@KEA20

We ended up booking a car service

 

We're using Blackberry - recommended on CC by many. 

Blackberry Cars

www.blackberrycars.com

6-16 Arbutus Street, London E8 4DT

+44 20 7254 3344

 

Pricey yes, but we decided this would work best for us. 

Thank you for this information.  I will check it out.  

[KEA20]

15 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

 

Yes train from London Waterloo is quickest and much much cheaper than a private transfer.

Get off at either the main Portsmouth&Southsea station or Portsmouth Harbour (the train's terminus) and take a short taxi hop from either to .Portsmouth International Port, which cruise ships share with the cross-channel ferries - it's not the same place as Portsmouth Harbour.

 

National Express coach is slower but starts at Victoria coach station and includes a stop at Portsmouth International Port, so much simpler & no need for taxis. It too is very good value.

 

Blackberry come well-recommended on Cruise Critic, but are more expensive than most.

 

Portsmouth is gaining cruise business from Southampton, but it can't handle large cruise ships.

It's also a much more interesting city than Southampton, well-worth a day and more pre or post-cruise

 

JB 🙂

.

Good information on why Portsmouth vs. Southampton.  We are staying in Brighton pre-cruise but maybe we will move to Portsmouth the day before and check out the port city.

[KEA20]

3 minutes ago, KEA20 said:

Thank you for this information.  I will check it out.  

 

3 minutes ago, KEA20 said:

Thank you for this information.  I will check it out.  

FYI, I contacted APL (Airport Pickups London) who we used on an Oceania cruise in May from Southampton and they will do a pickup from Portsmouth cruise port and drop us at the London Train Station we need to leave from to Edinburgh after the cruise.  I just received a quote of L211.  It may be a little pricey, but we prefer the no-hassle approach so we can make easy transfers for the remainder of our travel.  Also, we aren't the lightest packers so we were concerned about the bus and local train transfers and those headaches.  We did the Two Together Railcard for Great Britain and it was an easy 10 minute on line process and the discounts on all our train travel for the remainder of the trip covered the $35 cost several times over.  Again, thanks for the car info!