Advice - transportation Southampton to London after cruise

[Globaliser]

3 minutes ago, Dohmacc said:

Should I ask the cab take us to Moorgate station off Moorfields (instead of Liverpool Street) and that will be dropped off near that Cards Galore store on the corner, but walk forward and enter the Underground from this big entrance:

 

...

 

And once inside, we'll be able to easily navigate to the Elizabeth line, right?

 

Yes, that's what I would do. That entrance is primarily for the Elizabeth Line, so it'll be really easy once you get inside the gate line.

[gumshoe958]

@Dohmacc Do note that there are (normally) six Elizabeth line trains an hour to Heathrow, but only two serve T5.

 

If, when you arrive on the platform at Liverpool Street, the first Heathrow train is to T4 rather than T5, it might be quicker to catch it anyway, get off at Heathrow Central and wait on the same platform for the first train to T5 (which might be a Heathrow Express but that’s fine, your ticket’s still valid).

[Dohmacc]

On 7/4/2024 at 1:08 PM, Globaliser said:

 

Yes, that's what I would do. That entrance is primarily for the Elizabeth Line, so it'll be really easy once you get inside the gate line.

 

Perfect thanks!

 

5 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

@Dohmacc Do note that there are (normally) six Elizabeth line trains an hour to Heathrow, but only two serve T5.

 

If, when you arrive on the platform at Liverpool Street, the first Heathrow train is to T4 rather than T5, it might be quicker to catch it anyway, get off at Heathrow Central and wait on the same platform for the first train to T5 (which might be a Heathrow Express but that’s fine, your ticket’s still valid).

 

Great tip thank you!

 

I'll be sure to check in after my trip in a few weeks to let everyone know how everything went! Much appreciated!

 

[travelbuds]

We are looking to take train after disembarking (scheduled to arrive at 6AM) at Southampton and going to Paddington station. Wondering if it makes a difference between CrossCountry and GWR. Thank you.

[Globaliser]

12 minutes ago, travelbuds said:

We are looking to take train after disembarking (scheduled to arrive at 6AM) at Southampton and going to Paddington station. Wondering if it makes a difference between CrossCountry and GWR.

 

I don't think that you really have a choice if you must go from Southampton Central to London Paddington as one journey. Off the top of my head, I think it has to be CrossCountry from Southampton to Reading, then Great Western Railway from Reading to Paddington.

 

In theory, you could take the Elizabeth Line from Reading to Paddington, but I'm not sure that you can buy a through fare from Southampton to Paddington that's valid on the Elizabeth Line. Nor would there be much reason to do this, given that the Elizabeth Line will probably be rather slower than some GWR trains that you could take.

[travelbuds]

19 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

 

I don't think that you really have a choice if you must go from Southampton Central to London Paddington as one journey. Off the top of my head, I think it has to be CrossCountry from Southampton to Reading, then Great Western Railway from Reading to Paddington.....

How much time at Reading is needed to make the transfer to GWR? We have never been there and each will have 2 roller bags. Is it easy to go from one platform to the other? I have found the Reading station map online. What would you suggest be the earliest ticket time to get? We will probably just walk from ship to station if not raining. Thank you.

[John Bull]

44 minutes ago, travelbuds said:

We are looking to take train after disembarking (scheduled to arrive at 6AM) at Southampton and going to Paddington station. Wondering if it makes a difference between CrossCountry and GWR. Thank you.

 

 

Disembarkation is usually around 7am unassisted, with regular disembarkation in tranches from 7.30 to about 9am (if you are allocated a late disembarkation slot you can ask at Guest Relations for an earlier slot  - and luggage tags to suit - citing your onward travel arrangements) 

 

The simplest is via a change at Reading, as per @Globaliser's post. The trains depart Southampton Central at 15 minutes past the hour.

At Reading you change from a Cross-Country train to a Great Western train.

You can buy through tickets from either CC or GWR, or from any other train operator (eg LNER ) even though they don't cover that part of the country, or simply buy through tickets at the station,

There are no cheap Advance tickets on this route - whichever train operator you book with, or if you buy at the station, the fare will be £54.50 pp (£45.20 on sundays)

 

You do have a cheaper option..........

By buying cheap Advance tickets, a direct train from Southampton Central to London Waterloo, then London Underground ("the Tube") direct from London Waterloo to Paddington, can cost as little as £15.00 pp.

The snags.......

- Advance ticket prices are dynamic, they're available from about 12 weeks out and the prices increase as the date draws close.

- Advance tickets are only valid for the train time that you book. Miss that train and you'll have to buy walk-up tickets @ £48 to £57 (depending on train time) for the next train (though if you present your Advance tickets, that walk-up fare will be discounted by what you paid for the them)

- The Tube from Waterloo to Paddington isn't easy with luggage - but I'll leave a Londoner like @Globaliser to advise on that

 

I find the National Rail site easier to use (if you continue on this website to book you'll be transferred to the operator's site)

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

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[travelbuds]

30 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

 

Disembarkation is usually around 7am unassisted, with regular disembarkation in tranches from 7.30 to about 9am (if you are allocated a late disembarkation slot you can ask at Guest Relations for an earlier slot  - and luggage tags to suit - citing your onward travel arrangements) 

 

The simplest is via a change at Reading, as per @Globaliser's post. The trains depart Southampton Central at 15 minutes past the hour.

At Reading you change from a Cross-Country train to a Great Western train.

You can buy through tickets from either CC or GWR........

There are no cheap Advance tickets on this route - whichever train operator you book with, or if you buy at the station, the fare will be £54.50 pp (£45.20 on sundays)

 

You do have a cheaper option............

 

I find the National Rail site easier to use (if you continue on this website to book you'll be transferred to the operator's site)

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

 

JB 🙂

 

 

Thank you! You are a big help. Looks like that National Rail site is easy to use. When scheduling, how much time would you recommend  in order to make the connection at Reading? Both of us will be pulling 2 roller bags in a place where we will be visiting for the first time. Thank you.

[gumshoe958]

1 hour ago, travelbuds said:

Thank you! You are a big help. Looks like that National Rail site is easy to use. When scheduling, how much time would you recommend  in order to make the connection at Reading? Both of us will be pulling 2 roller bags in a place where we will be visiting for the first time. Thank you.

There is an hourly CrossCountry train from Southampton at :15 past the hour which typically has a 15 minute connection into a Paddington train at Reading, giving an overall journey time of just over 90 minutes.

 

That should be fine - while a big station, Reading is easy enough to navigate around and there are lifts to and from the footbridge should you need to change platforms, which you almost certainly will.

[Globaliser]

4 hours ago, travelbuds said:

When scheduling, how much time would you recommend in order to make the connection at Reading?

 

Don't worry about it. If there are no Advance tickets on the route, then you are not tied to taking any specific train from Reading to Paddington. Having a quick look at information for right now, it looks like there will be a dozen fast trains (non-stop from Reading to Paddington) in the next hour. They're all planned to depart from platforms 10 or 11 (which are either side of the same island).

 

So after you get onto the platform there'll be an average wait of 2½ minutes before the next fast train. If the first train looks too busy, just wait for the next one, or the one after that, or the one after that, or whatever. Or sit and have a coffee and a slice of cake if you want a break.

 

Don't even think about getting on any train unless it says that it will call at London Paddington only. There is absolutely no point getting on a slow train.

 

You will almost certainly need to change platforms, because an equally quick look shows that the Southampton to Reading train is likely to arrive on either platform 3 or platform 8, so you'll need to cross over to platforms 10/11.

 

As John Bull's post hints, there is always the question of why you are going to Paddington rather than to somewhere in central London (for which London Waterloo is the obvious route). But I assume that you have already thought this through.

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, travelbuds said:

Thank you! You are a big help. Looks like that National Rail site is easy to use. When scheduling, how much time would you recommend  in order to make the connection at Reading? Both of us will be pulling 2 roller bags in a place where we will be visiting for the first time. Thank you.

 

At Reading you switch from platform 7 to platform 11. The station went thro a major re-vamp a few years ago, using elevators to cross the tracks is easy and well-signed.

As posted by @gumshoe958 you have about 15 minutes to make the switch, but trains to Paddington are very frequent.

No worries

 

JB 🙂

Edited July 9 by John Bull

[Cotswold Eagle]

14 hours ago, John Bull said:

platform 11.

11 or 10, as it happens, but they are both either side of the same island platform (and therefore down the same lift or escalator 😀) Trains may leave in a different order to arriving, but not worth stressing about, unless you are very late for a meeting in town (ahem). 
 

But do ignore any trains to Paddington posted from higher numbered platforms - these will be stoppers and take an extra 20-30 minutes, depending on how many extra places they stop at! 

[travelbuds]

15 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

At Reading you switch from platform 7 to platform 11.........As posted by @gumshoe958 you have about 15 minutes to make the switch, but trains to Paddington are very frequent.

No worries

 

JB 🙂

I guess my concern was when I saw 7 minutes for a transfer time at Reading on a 10:15AM trip.

Thank you.

[travelbuds]

59 minutes ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

11 or 10, as it happens, but they are both either side of the same island platform (and therefore down the same lift or escalator 😀) ......
But do ignore any trains to Paddington posted from higher numbered platforms - these will be stoppers and take an extra 20-30 minutes, depending on how many extra places they stop at! 

I'll look for platforms 11 and below. Thanks.

[travelbuds]

15 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

.... Having a quick look at information for right now, it looks like there will be a dozen fast trains (non-stop from Reading to Paddington) in the next hour...........

So after you get onto the platform there'll be an average wait of 2½ minutes before the next fast train.......

I didn't realize that there are so many fast trains going through. I have been on thetrainline.com and nationalrail.com. I must be reading the schedules wrong because I see only one transfer time at Reading for each trip---7 minutes for the 10:15AM trip and 19 minutes for the 9:15AM trip. May I ask what site you use for info? Thanks.

[Cotswold Eagle]

5 hours ago, travelbuds said:

I didn't realize that there are so many fast trains going through. I have been on thetrainline.com and nationalrail.com. I must be reading the schedules wrong because I see only one transfer time at Reading for each trip---7 minutes for the 10:15AM trip and 19 minutes for the 9:15AM trip. May I ask what site you use for info? Thanks.

That’s the system showing you the most convenient transfer, assuming on time services.

 

If you search just for Reading to Paddington trains you will see how many there are. Just jump on the first fast one when you get to the platform. . 
 

 

[Globaliser]

7 hours ago, travelbuds said:

I'll look for platforms 11 and below.

 

10 or 11. It's as simple as that. Another quick look suggests that normally, the only trains that use these platforms are fast trains to Paddington.

 

7 hours ago, travelbuds said:

May I ask what site you use for info?

 

For stuff like this, realtimetrains.co.uk - this only gives operational information, with nothing about connections or fares.

 

AIUI, the real-time information about trains that are currently on the move is taken directly from the signalling system, so it's very accurate. This is particularly useful when you need to see whether you qualify for delay compensation.

[Thejuggler]

If you want to see where on the network a service is the Traksy mapping is excellent.