Isle of Wight--weekend or week day

We'll be in Southampton 3 days pre-cruise August 22-24. We'd like to visit the Isle of Wight. Will it be less crowded on a Monday rather than Saturday or Sunday?

Also are cabs readily available for traveling around the island? We want to visit Osborne House and other sights.

We'll be in Southampton 3 days pre-cruise August 22-24. We'd like to visit the Isle of Wight. Will it be less crowded on a Monday rather than Saturday or Sunday?

 

Also are cabs readily available for traveling around the island? We want to visit Osborne House and other sights.

Yes, Monday will be quieter than the weekend.

There are taxis available at the ferry terminals at East Cowes for the traditional car ferry and (West) Cowes for the Red Jet fast-ferry. But, as elsewhere in the UK, taking one from a taxi rank (taxi stand) is expensive unless for a simple short A to B.

If you want to tour the island you'll do better to pre-book a car - most economically for collecting you after you've visited Osborne House or dropping you at Osborne House near the end of the day.

You can travel between Osborne House and East Cowes ferry terminal by bus or a taxi from the rank, it's little over a mile though there's quite a long walk down the Drive from the road to the House.

From the fast-ferry terminal at (West) Cowes it's a little more complicated - a ten minute walk to the chain-bridge which takes just 3 or 4 minutes to cross the River Medina to East Cowes for the bus/taxi. I think the chain ferry is still free for foot-passengers runs every 10 - 15 minutes.

On the other hand, the fast-ferry is about 30 minutes quicker than the car ferry.

(West) Cowes is a yachtsman's haven & pleasant to walk around, East Cowes is rather bleak.

Mebbe ring the changes, fast ferry out & car ferry back or vice versa - which way round might depend on what other sights you want to see on the island. The two ferries berth within 100 yards of each-other in Southampton.

You have other options:

Rent a car on the island (unless you already have a rental car on the mainland it's not economic to rent in Southampton due to ferry prices for cars)

Use the island's hop-on buses.

Use the island's service buses (although they're quite frequent virtually all routes converge on the island capital, Newport)

Whatever your means of transport, bear in mind that the island's roads are slow - the average speed is little better than 30mph, and less when you're trapped behind a bus or truck or tractor because there are few places where you can overtake.

These websites may be useful

https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/ferry-travel/

http://islandbreezers.islandbuses.info/

http://www.islandbuses.info/timetables/ (routes 4 & 5 for East Cowes / Osborne House)

selection of island car rentals via: http://www.redfunnel.co.uk/travel-connections/car-van-motorhome-hire/

Local taxi operators from the internet, no personal experience:

http://www.alphaiow.co.uk/taxis-isle-of-wight.php

http://www.rydetaxisltd.com/

http://www.tjtaxiservices.co.uk/

http://www.asaptaxis.co.uk/

JB :)

Thanks, John. This was exactly what I was looking for. I didn't realize there was a hop on, hop off service on the island--they're our favorite way to travel.

We'll plan on going to the Isle of W. on Monday, the 24th.