Day trip to Portsmouth

I was wondering if anybody has taken a trip to Portsmouth while docked in Southampton? The Early train I would imagine, but any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you.

No need to go too earl as the train service is quite frequent and does not get too crowded. The most popular place is, of course, the Historic Dockyard, still a Royal Naval establishment but a world class museum. The highlights are Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory and the remains of Henry 8th's flagship, Mary Rose. The dockyard is a short stroll from the station. You get a small discount for booking in advance.

http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/

There is a lot else besides - Spinnaker Tower and the D-Day Museum for example.

http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/things-to-do/places-to-visit

Only a few ships call at Southampton as a mid-cruise port-of-call.

Is this a back-to-back, and do you know your sailing time? Your time available may be less than you think.

Southampton central train station is no more than 10 mins by taxi from any cruise terminal. The train takes something under an hour using direct trains (approx. 2 per hour) or something over an hour by one or two other trains per hour which involve one simple change.

Ask for "cheap day return" tickets, they cost just £11 per person. You don't have to specify a return train, you can return any time same-day.

Your destination is Portsmouth Harbour. Very simple, it's the end of the line & after the city's main Portsmouth&Southsea station. It's right alongside the historic dockyard & ships and the Spinnaker Tower.

The D-Day museum, the adjacent small (but free :)) Southsea Castle, and many other sights along Southsea seafront are well worth the five minute taxi or bus ride from the harbour, though in a foreshortened day you probably won't have time for that - the dockyard and ships are worth a pretty full day by themselves.

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Alternatively you can travel to Portsmouth by National Express coach (bus).

Southampton coach station is near the rail station, journey time & fares to Portsmouth are similar to the train, and the destination - although it has a different name (The Hard interchange) - is the same place as the train.

http://www.nationalexpress.com/

But I'd recommend the train, because frequency is much better and there's a significantly lower risk of a delay.

JB :)

No need to go too earl as the train service is quite frequent and does not get too crowded. The most popular place is, of course, the Historic Dockyard, still a Royal Naval establishment but a world class museum. The highlights are Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory and the remains of Henry 8th's flagship, Mary Rose. The dockyard is a short stroll from the station. You get a small discount for booking in advance.

http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/

 

There is a lot else besides - Spinnaker Tower and the D-Day Museum for example.

http://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/things-to-do/places-to-visit

millions $ have been spent to rehabilitate / enclose the remains

of the ship & exhibit 19,000+ relics recovered from it

in probably the best museum we have ever seen -

spent a few hours there - you will love it !! ;)

millions $ have been spent to rehabilitate / enclose the remains

of the ship & exhibit 19,000+ relics recovered from it

in probably the best museum we have ever seen -

spent a few hours there - you will love it !! ;)

It is truly remarkable and I vividly remember watching the TV with bated breath as they lifted the remains from the sea bed.

To get an idea have a look here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-22639505 - but you need to see it and walk through and around it to appreciate the what they have done to give us a glimps into that time, 500 years ago - only a few years after Columbus 'discovered' America. .

I am not the OP but thank you Bob++ and JB for the information on how to get to Portsmouth from Southampton. We are planning a cruise out of Southampton next year (this will be our third time there :D) and DH is keen to go to Portsmouth. Thinking of coming in several days early, resting up and going before the cruise. We've been through Portsmouth on the National Express bus but never had time to return for the day.

Thanks again.

<<<Karen>>>

"From a long line of Men and Maids of Kent"

I am not the OP but thank you Bob++ and JB for the information on how to get to Portsmouth from Southampton. We are planning a cruise out of Southampton next year (this will be our third time there :D) and DH is keen to go to Portsmouth. Thinking of coming in several days early, resting up and going before the cruise. We've been through Portsmouth on the National Express bus but never had time to return for the day.

 

Thanks again.

 

<<<Karen>>>

"From a long line of Men and Maids of Kent"

Why not stay in Portsmouth - there are some very good small hotels.

[My sister lives in Chatham and my Daughter in Portsmouth :)]

We really like the Premier Inn West Quay. Will probably stay there an extra night and have an easy taxi ride to the cruise terminal. Also we won't have to move our luggage again once we're in Southampton, just get ourselves to the train station ;). But thanks for the suggestion.

My people came from the Canterbury area in the 1890's, some a few years before. Still have "cousins" in the area.

<<<Karen>>>

It is truly remarkable and I vividly remember watching the TV with bated breath as they lifted the remains from the sea bed.

 

To get an idea have a look here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-22639505 - but you need to see it and walk through and around it to appreciate the what they have done to give us a glimps into that time, 500 years ago - only a few years after Columbus 'discovered' America. .

thanks for this wonderful article !!

what we loved so much besides seeing all the people on forklifts

working on the ship was the individual rooms and glass cases

depicting the areas of the ship where the relics were found

We really like the Premier Inn West Quay. Will probably stay there an extra night and have an easy taxi ride to the cruise terminal. Also we won't have to move our luggage again once we're in Southampton, just get ourselves to the train station ;). But thanks for the suggestion.

 

My people came from the Canterbury area in the 1890's, some a few years before. Still have "cousins" in the area.

 

<<<Karen>>>

when will you be there ??

we were there for 5 nights in 2013 - went to winchester,

salisbury, portsmouth on 3 day trips & spent 1 day in

southampton at the beautiful museum w/ titantic exhibit &

the very very old tudor house & garden

we plan on staying 2 or 3 nights again 20 - 22 may 2016

before renting car to tour bath and as much of wales as we

can see for 7 to 10 days before 4 or 5 nights in london to

see some of what we did not see in 2013

Why not stay in Portsmouth - there are some very good small hotels.

 

[My sister lives in Chatham and my Daughter in Portsmouth :)]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Portsmouth. It was waterfront attached to the shopping mall and walking distance to the Royal Naval Museum and the National Express stop.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Portsmouth. It was waterfront attached to the shopping mall and walking distance to the Royal Naval Museum and the National Express stop.

I have stayed there too and it is ok - for a chain. There are some more interesting places to stay though.

when will you be there ??

We are looking at a Baltic cruise on the Emerald Princess leaving June 4, 2016. Love the Baltics :D and this would be our third cruise to them. We have sailed out of Southampton twice and came in just the day before sailing. This time we thought we come in earlier and for sure see Portsmouth. DH builds wooden ship models as a hobby and would really like to see the Victory and the Mary Rose. We may add another extra day and finally make it to Winchester.

Did we do a cruise with you???

<<<Karen>>>

Thank you for all the replies. We have been to the Dock Yard in Portsmouth a few years ago and enjoyed it. We thought to see a bit more of Portsmouth this time. We are doing a back to back Transatlantic crossing. Would Winchester be a good trip? We wonder why Cunard don't offer more local trips for the time docked in Southampton. I am originally from Liverpool so spend a lot of time in England but mostly in the North so these places are new to me too.

Thank you for all the replies. We have been to the Dock Yard in Portsmouth a few years ago and enjoyed it. We thought to see a bit more of Portsmouth this time. We are doing a back to back Transatlantic crossing. Would Winchester be a good trip? We wonder why Cunard don't offer more local trips for the time docked in Southampton. I am originally from Liverpool so spend a lot of time in England but mostly in the North so these places are new to me too.

winchester was a wonderful place as were all the other places

we visited in 2013 !!;)

We are looking at a Baltic cruise on the Emerald Princess leaving June 4, 2016. Love the Baltics :D and this would be our third cruise to them. We have sailed out of Southampton twice and came in just the day before sailing. This time we thought we come in earlier and for sure see Portsmouth. DH builds wooden ship models as a hobby and would really like to see the Victory and the Mary Rose. We may add another extra day and finally make it to Winchester.

 

Did we do a cruise with you???

 

<<<Karen>>>

karen, your dh will enjoy victory & mary rose museum !!

check out our 15 princess & 7 carnival cruises below

- perhaps we did meet ??? ;)

ann & jim in so calif

when will you be there ??

 

we plan on staying 2 or 3 nights again 20 - 22 may 2016

before renting car to tour bath and as much of wales as we

can see for 7 to 10 days before 4 or 5 nights in london to

see some of what we did not see in 2013

Ann and Jim,

We will also be in Southampton May 20-22 pre-cruise. We are doing the Baltic cruise on Celebrity Eclipse May 22. Thank you for all the information about Portsmouth to you and Bob. I had no idea these ships/museums are there. Post cruise we plan to take the train to Portsmouth to catch a ferry to Normandy for D Day activities. Are the ferry ports easily accessible from the Portsmouth Harbour train station? We plan to take the ferry to Caen, but plan to stay near St. Mere E'Glise. Has anyone done this pre/post cruise trip or anything similar before?

Ann and Jim,

We will also be in Southampton May 20-22 pre-cruise. We are doing the Baltic cruise on Celebrity Eclipse May 22. Thank you for all the information about Portsmouth to you and Bob. I had no idea these ships/museums are there. Post cruise we plan to take the train to Portsmouth to catch a ferry to Normandy for D Day activities. Are the ferry ports easily accessible from the Portsmouth Harbour train station? We plan to take the ferry to Caen, but plan to stay near St. Mere E'Glise. Has anyone done this pre/post cruise trip or anything similar before?

glad you are able to do a little touring before & after your cruise -

when we have to fly anywhere we try to make our trip last as long

as possible :D

have no idea about the train station & ferries but am sure

there are taxis - have a fabulous time !!;)

Ann and Jim,

We will also be in Southampton May 20-22 pre-cruise. We are doing the Baltic cruise on Celebrity Eclipse May 22. Thank you for all the information about Portsmouth to you and Bob. I had no idea these ships/museums are there. Post cruise we plan to take the train to Portsmouth to catch a ferry to Normandy for D Day activities. Are the ferry ports easily accessible from the Portsmouth Harbour train station? We plan to take the ferry to Caen, but plan to stay near St. Mere E'Glise. Has anyone done this pre/post cruise trip or anything similar before?

Plenty of taxis at Portsmouth Harbour -it's a travel interchange with buses, cross-harbour ferries & ferries to the Isle of Wight as well as being adjacent to the historic dockyard & ships, Gunwharf Quays, & the Spinnaker Tower.

It's a five/ten minute taxi ride between Portsmouth Harbour and the International Port about 2 - 3 miles away for the ferry to Ouistreham (Caen).

But a better option would be to take the National Express bus from Southampton - poorer frequency than the train but similar cost & journey time and it has a stop at the International Port so no need for a taxi. http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx

There's also left-luggage at the International Port if you wanted to spend the day in Portsmouth & take the overnite ferry.

At Ouistreham there's a shuttlebus from the ferry to Caen rail station (about 7 miles) for a train to Carentan, then a local bus to Ste Mere-Eglise.

But if you're planning to tour the D-Day sights you'll need either a tour (they operate from Bayeux & possibly from Caen, but will luggage be a problem?) or a rented car. There are two or three car rental agencies close to Caen rail station.

Ste Mere-Eglise is a pretty and laid-back little town, with an excellent airborne museum.

JB :)

And if Ouistreham rings a bell, it is the site of the famous Pegasus bridge, taken and held by the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, who landed in gliders on 6 June 1944 and took the bridge 10 minutes later. It is claimed that Café Gondrée near the bridge was the first to be liberated on D Day.

Trust the British soldiers to find a café