Train from Victoria Station to Southampton - Purchase tickets now?

We're cruising on 8/18 out of Southampton. Prior to the cruise we'll be in London a few nights and staying near Victoria Station. Should I purchase our train tickets now online? Just wondering if there's a benefit to doing it this far in advance. Thanks for sharing any info. We're newbies to traveling in the UK.

The train goes a fairly circuitous route (south then west) and takes 2 1/2 hrs for £30.40ea and looks like only one direct train every 2 hrs. National Express coach leaves from Victoria coach station (not the same as the railway station, but only 300yds down the road) to Southampton every hour, takes 2hrs 15mins and currently the 10am bus is £7.70 and the 11am bus is £5.80. These are really comfortable coaches, driver stows luggage in the hold for you, but you MUST book these...earlier the better. I know which way I'd go! https://www.nationalexpress.com/en

Simon

From Victoria, the National Express Coach is a better option (and cheaper). The Coach station is separate from. but adjacent to the Train station. If you book online, they say you need to allow 28 days for the tickets to arrive, so now would be good.

https://book.nationalexpress.com

From Victoria, the National Express Coach is a better option (and cheaper). The Coach station is separate from. but adjacent to the Train station. If you book online, they say you need to allow 28 days for the tickets to arrive, so now would be good.

 

https://book.nationalexpress.com

With National Express you can request E-tickets, which you just print out when you've made the booking.:D

At the end of April of this year, we were in London for a few days pre-cruise, then headed to Southampton for one night before we got on the Royal Princess for a BI cruise. Taking a coach v rail was a no brainer for us. The thought of hauling luggage up steps and onto a train, wasn't something I wanted to do.

I purchased coach tickets a few months in advance, you can even reserve specific seats - I didn't think there was a need if we arrived early enough. I printed my tickets & luggage tags, etc., and when we arrived at Victoria Coach, about 8:30AM for the 9: trip, checked the board to find our gate #, and headed in that direction. DH grabbed coffee, and within a few minutes, showed our coach tickets at the gate door, toted luggage to the bus for the driver to load. Though not a fan of bus trips, it was a pleasant and relaxing trip, one quick stop outside London and another at Southampton University, then through the city and arrival at the coach station. From there, we toted our luggage to our nearby hotel. Would I use coach again? Yes.

Darcy

Great info from everyone! Thank you! CruiseCritic members are the best for sharing valuable info.

The answer to your question, OP, is "yes".

Prices increase as the travel date gets nearer.

But having just checked your trip here .

Sadly, it would appear you have already 'missed the boat' for the Victoria trains. August 18 is in the height of the UK tourist season - and it's a Saturday, so the currrent minimum out of Victoria, on a direct train is GBP30+. The Express buses will be very busy, too.

Good news: out of nearby Waterloo station, trains to Southampton are available for under GBP10. Might take you five more (cab) minutes to get to Waterloo, but the trains take less than 90 minutes to Southampton. And their luggage space is less onerous.

Book soon.