Southampton to Winchester?

We thinking of going to Winchester for a day while we are in Southampton.

We get lost easily.

Which would be better using the train or National Express?

How do we get from either the train or National Express to the sites?

I'd go by train. Winchester Cathedral is within easy walking distance of the station.

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Train is much quicker (15 - 20 minutes), much more frequent (3 or 4 per hour), and costs only £6 for the round-trip)

It's a 15 minute walk from the station to the cathedral. On the way stop off at the Great Hall (the only surviving part of Winchester Castle) and mebbe the little museum in the Westgate, then carry on downhill through the pedestrianised High Street..

If you don't fancy the walk back up to the station, there's a taxi rank outside the Guildhall in Broadway.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/51.0669916,-1.3196338/51.0618021,-1.3153907/@51.0642444,-1.3179784,17z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-1.315142!2d51.0623062!3s0x48740d895f161ba7:0x63e89a46fd1b2ee2!1m0!3e2

The Nat Express and Blue Star buses stop at Broadway, but Blue Star take a slow circuitous route and Nat Express aren't frequent (only half the Heathrow/London-bound Nat Express buses call in at Winchester).

JB :)

Thank you for this information, I have printed it to bring with us.

We decided to stay in Winchester and use a car service to get to Southampton for the cruise. Lots to do!

http://www.thewinchesterhotel.co.uk/

http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/whats-on/guided-tours/

http://winchestertouristguides.com/index.php/tours/city-walking-tours

http://www.visitwinchester.co.uk/

http://www.hiwwt.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/Living%20Landscapes/Itchen/Mills__Meadows.pdf

We decided to stay in Winchester and use a car service to get to Southampton for the cruise. Lots to do!

http://www.thewinchesterhotel.co.uk/

http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/whats-on/guided-tours/

http://winchestertouristguides.com/index.php/tours/city-walking-tours

http://www.visitwinchester.co.uk/

http://www.hiwwt.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/Living%20Landscapes/Itchen/Mills__Meadows.pdf

We are planning for 2018.

Have you done your stay, yet? How did like this hotel? If not yet, can you come back and tell us about about your stay?

Was this hotel walking distance to the Winchester Cathedral?

Which car service will you use to get to Southampton?

How did you get to Winchester?

We travelled by train from Southampton Central to Winchester after we disembarked our repositioning cruise, so unfortunately we had hand luggage with us, hence we wern't allowed into the Cathedral or museum, so one of us sat outside while the other went around the museum. Not too much hardship, as there were screens set up showing the para olympics (2012)

We are planning for 2018.

Have you done your stay, yet? How did like this hotel? If not yet, can you come back and tell us about about your stay?

Was this hotel walking distance to the Winchester Cathedral?

Which car service will you use to get to Southampton?

How did you get to Winchester?

We will be there this May and will be sure to write a review. The hotel has a Heritage Break package that we are using. Smiths for Airports will get us from LHR - Winchester ($76) and then on to the cruise terminal ($44).

Train is much quicker (15 - 20 minutes), much more frequent (3 or 4 per hour), and costs only £6 for the round-trip)

It's a 15 minute walk from the station to the cathedral. On the way stop off at the Great Hall (the only surviving part of Winchester Castle) and mebbe the little museum in the Westgate, then carry on downhill through the pedestrianised High Street..

If you don't fancy the walk back up to the station, there's a taxi rank outside the Guildhall in Broadway.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/51.0669916,-1.3196338/51.0618021,-1.3153907/@51.0642444,-1.3179784,17z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-1.315142!2d51.0623062!3s0x48740d895f161ba7:0x63e89a46fd1b2ee2!1m0!3e2

 

The Nat Express and Blue Star buses stop at Broadway, but Blue Star take a slow circuitous route and Nat Express aren't frequent (only half the Heathrow/London-bound Nat Express buses call in at Winchester).

 

JB :)

Do we need to pre purchase are train tickets at either end? We will be going on a Thursday or Friday in July.

I have been to Portsmouth before. I think the National Express station is between the shopping mall and the Dockyard?

Is it best way to go to Portsmouth the train or National Express?

If by train, which train station as I noticed there are a couple?

How to get to the Dockyard from the train station?

Do we need to pre purchase are train tickets at either end? We will be going on a Thursday or Friday in July.

 

I have been to Portsmouth before. I think the National Express station is between the shopping mall and the Dockyard?

 

Is it best way to go to Portsmouth the train or National Express?

 

If by train, which train station as I noticed there are a couple?

 

How to get to the Dockyard from the train station?

No need or reason to pre-purchase train tickets for these short trips. But do buy return (round-trip) tickets, they cost only pennies more than a single (one-way) ticket. No need to specify a return time.

In Portsmouth, yes the main Nat Express stop is in the bus station between the Gunwharf Quays mall/entertainment complex and the historic dockyard / ships. The Nat Express timetable simply calls that stop "Portsmouth", it's not the "International Port".

Directly behind that bus station is Portsmouth Harbour rail station. It's at the end of the line, after the main Portsmouth&Southsea station.

So bus and train end up at the same place. :)

Your hotel is close to Southampton rail station but only 5 mins from the Nat Express coach station.

Journey times are similar, the Nat Express is only a couple of pounds cheaper than the train.

You do have to specify bus times when you book in advance, and you run the risk of no seats available for your preferred times if you don't pre-book.

No worries about that with the train, plus better frequency, and for the return journey you're boarding at the terminus so plenty of choice of seats. Neither bus nor train provide desperately attractive scenery, but the train has the edge.

Train wins for me, but its no big deal.

JB :)

Thanks for the helpful information.

The train it is. I am leaning towards Southampton as a base, one day going to Winchester and the next to Portsmouth before a cruise on Saturday.

Now to decide the hotel - Premier Inn West Quay, which I have stayed at a couple of times, a bit further to the station or Novotel closer to the stations? Is the Novotel the same quality in room and breakfast as the Premier Inn?

Thanks for the helpful information.

 

The train it is. I am leaning towards Southampton as a base, one day going to Winchester and the next to Portsmouth before a cruise on Saturday.

 

Now to decide the hotel - Premier Inn West Quay, which I have stayed at a couple of times, a bit further to the station or Novotel closer to the stations? Is the Novotel the same quality in room and breakfast as the Premier Inn?

Perfectly sensible arrangement. :)

I only know the public areas (at functions) at Novotel, I've never been inside that Premier Inn. Hence I've not responded to that thread.

Premier Inn West Quay is about ten minutes further from the rail station. But I understand from another thread that they're offering promo prices on some dates - their regular prices are around £70 per night room-only.

JB :)

Thanks for all your help.

At the train stations is there a person or only a ticket machine to purchase tickets?

At the train stations is there a person or only a ticket machine to purchase tickets?

There's a manned ticket office, so you have a choice. :)

JB :)