Gatwick or Heathrow to Southampton

[bardstowntraveller]

We have the option of flying into either airport for our cruise from Southampton. Which airport provides the quickest transportation options to Southampton? How much time should we allow ? How about price?

[handfordr]

It depends on where your priorities lie and your personal judgement of convenience and speed verses cost.

Heathrow is better than Gatwick if you want door to door transportation by car to the cruise terminal - crudely around 170 GBP for a car and will take about 90 minutes

Cheapest option is normally the National Express Bus from Heathrow, currently at most 15 GBP one way with big discounts for returns. Downside is the walk to the bus station at Heathrow and you need a taxi at Southampton costing about 6 to 9 GBP. Will take about an hour longer than car plus waiting time for bus (crudely hourly). Other downside is a formal luggage allowance of 2 cases per person, neither of which should weigh more than 441bs.

From Gatwick most days there are direct trains to Southampton with the station in the South Terminal. Slightly more expensive than National Express from Heathrow and you still need the taxi at Southampton but you can walk around better on the train and the amount of lugguage is limited only by what you can carry aboard.

[HeinBloed]

Originally Posted by handfordr

Heathrow is better than Gatwick if you want door to door transportation by car to the cruise terminal - crudely around 170 GBP for a car and will take about 90 minutes

The best is to pre-book the car and to fix the rate:

you see:

Taxi companies from Southampton to Heathrow: 98 GBP as orientation...





from Heathrow to Southampton it's 215 GBP...

Originally Posted by handfordr

From Gatwick most days there are direct trains to Southampton with the station in the South Terminal. Slightly more expensive than National Express from Heathrow and you still need the taxi at Southampton but you can walk around better on the train and the amount of lugguage is limited only by what you can carry aboard.

Check also the schedule ahead. Are you going on a Sunday??? No direct train service from Gatwick to Southampton in the current schedule.

Regards,
HeinBloed

[scottbee]

Originally Posted by bardstowntraveller

We have the option of flying into either airport for our cruise from Southampton. Which airport provides the quickest transportation options to Southampton? How much time should we allow ? How about price?

Heathrow -> Southampton; take the coach when you arrive
Gatwick -> Southampton; take the train when you arrive

personally I like the train, but entirely up to you.

[insidecabin]

The train from Gatwick can be the cheapest and is relativly easy.

£10pp £20 for 4pax, kids go cheap.

2hrs for most trains DOES NOT RUN Sundays.

short taxi ride at Southampton, depends on which cruise terminal QEII is further


http://www.southernrailway.com/buyti...=TicketDetails

[Globaliser]

Originally Posted by bardstowntraveller

We have the option of flying into either airport for our cruise from Southampton.

You'll have seen from the replies why the transfer from airport to Southampton should really feature relatively little in your choice of airport. It will probably be rather more important to get your air travel right. That should be the primary driver of your choice of London airport to fly to.