Private Day Tours Southampton

[RosieRoo]

I have read a ton of posts about transportation from Southampton to London which include stops in Stonehenge, but I cannot find any info on day tours to and from Southampton. We will be spending one full day after disembarking Anthem before embarking on the Prima. We’d like to do a private car tour from and back to our hotel in Southampton. Any recommendations?

[marys350]

You might want to check out Paragon Taxis, based in Southampton. We have booked a transfer from Heathrow to our hotel in Southampton with a Windsor Castle tour for the day before our cruise in 2024. Adrian responded promptly to my email inquiry and answered all my questions before I decided to book and the booking process was easy. They also do day tours from Southampton. I also read excellent customer reviews of the company on Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor before booking. Good luck in your search for a private tour out of Southampton.

https://paragontaxis.co.uk/

Edited October 20, 2023 by marys350

[RosieRoo]

2 hours ago, marys350 said:

You might want to check out Paragon Taxis, based in Southampton. We have booked a transfer from Heathrow to our hotel in Southampton with a Windsor Castle tour for the day before our cruise in 2024. Adrian responded promptly to my email inquiry and answered all my questions before I decided to book and the booking process was easy. They also do day tours from Southampton. I also read excellent customer reviews of the company on Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor before booking. Good luck in your search for a private tour out of Southampton.

https://paragontaxis.co.uk/

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I will look into them. 

[John Bull]

 

Just to clarify, like their competitors Paragon Taxis provide your transport - drivers are usually knowledgeable but are not "guides". They don't usually accompany clients into Stonehenge, but audio-tours available on-site are perfectly satisfactory.

Aw well as about 90 to 120minutes at Stonehenge give yourselves an hour or two in Salisbury, a historic laid-back city with one of England's most stunning cathedrals.

 

Visitors to Stonehenge are advised to pre-book tickets, especially at busy times of the year.

When booking you have to select a 30-minute arrival slot - if you miss your slot (or arrive un-booked) you won't be admitted until visitors drop below maximum numbers. That could be for hours, which would really screw-up your day 😮.

So confer with your transport provider about what time to book.

When folk go by train and the Stonehenge Tour bus I usually advise stopping off in Salisbury city centre after Stonehenge because Stonehenge tickets bought with the Stonehenge Tour bus (and other coach tours) allow admission at any time. But because of the risk of a traffic delay en-route I'd advise planning to spend an hour or two in Salisbury before Stonehenge. Stonehenge is only 10 miles / 20 minutes beyond Salisbury and if you've been delayed you can shorten or abandon your stop-off in Salisbury in order to arrive at Stonehenge within that window

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/prices-and-opening-times/

https://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/salisbury/things-to-do

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An alternative to private transport is the afore-mentioned train to Salisbury & the Stonehenge Tour bus from there to Stonehenge.

Here is part of my reply to a previous question.......................

 

Most folk  use the train from Southampton to Salisbury plus the Stonehenge hop-on tour bus from Salisbury station.

Half-hourly train service from Southampton central station, journey time 35 minutes, return (out & back) tickets cost around £13, no need to buy in advance.

 

Stonehenge Tour bus takes about 30 minutes each-way, bus will be waiting on the station forecourt, Not a busy time, but i's probably best to book in advance. And simplest to buy Stonehenge tickets with your bus booking  or from the driver (only by cash on the bus).

 

On the return Tour bus get off to explore Old Sarum only if the weather is decent, it's even more exposed than Stonehenge. If you choose to get off there, check with the driver whether your ticket is good for the  frequent Salisbury Reds buses which use the same stop - they all go to Salisbury city centre and might save you a long wait for the next tour bus.

 

Get off the bus in Salisbury city centre, it's worth a couple of hours, including its fine cathedral (tallest spire in the UK, one of the four original Magna Cartas, world's oldest clock)

Then tour bus if conveniently timed, or local bus or taxi or 20-minute walk to the station for the train back to Southampton. No need to book train times.

 

Stonehenge visitor numbers are limited, on busy days folk need to pre-book a 30-minute Stonehenge arrival window to be sure of gaining admission as soon as they arrive.

But no need to worry about that - Stonehenge tickets bought with the Tour Bus are admission at any time.

There's no limit on how long you stay at Stonehenge, but 90 minutes to 2 hours is fine for most folk.

 

If you want to keep your options open you could decide on-the-day.

No money up-front, no saving on the train fare by buying in advance, no risk of Stonehenge being up to maximum numbers.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

https://www.thestonehengetour.info/

 

JB 🙂

 

[RosieRoo]

@John Bull,thanks so much for your detailed advice. I do not like to travel by bus. That is why I am trying to find a private car tour.  I will only have the one full day in Southampton so I was hoping to make the most of it. 

[John Bull]

34 minutes ago, RosieRoo said:

@John Bull,thanks so much for your detailed advice. I do not like to travel by bus. That is why I am trying to find a private car tour.  I will only have the one full day in Southampton so I was hoping to make the most of it. 

 

Hi, Rosie,

 

Your day out, so your choice - I just mentioned train+bus as an option.

But if your date is during the season & especially at a weekend do take care in choosing an arrival time for booking Stonehenge

 

JB 🙂