Getting to Southhampton

[pepperrn]

You certainly would not get a smoker. As for talking or radio playing surely if you don't want these you would only need to ask. Personally I am quite happy to have a talkative driver. Listeners always learn more than talkers. David.

 

We are all different, a friendly driver, chatting away... "an' I'll tell you 'nother 'fing"... for a couple of hours, would drive me nuts.

 

OK if it is a "proper" limo, not just a saloon car, and there is a screen so passengers have some privacy.

 

As for asking them not to tell you how they would sort out the Euro crisis; in my experience, no matter how politely this is put, it could easily cause offence.

 

Very best wishes.

[capnpugwash]

I don't mind chatty drivers but I just hate it when they fire up that bong. :)

[T5LHR]

If you can get them. All I am getting is "No tickets available on the chosen date"

 

David.

 

I just went to have a look... When are you looking for?

 

I put in a few random dates towards the end of the available booking period, and all days had tickets available for £1...

 

A bargain if you can get them though! Compared to the exact same train bought through Southwest Trains for £38...

 

T5

[david,Mississauga]

... London lacks a main central railway station, the western, northern and eastern stations are in a huge curve, the Southern stations do, at least, come closer to the centre of things.

(As you'd need a cab from many central London hotels, the river makes little or no difference. Waterloo is well placed for the "West End". Passengers staying to the east in "The City" or to the north along the Euston road area etc. might find it further to get to. If people choose to travel by train, then a cab ride is required by many to start the journey. In addition there are, of course, hotels within short walking distance of Waterloo Station)

 

Very best wishes.

 

Even though we travel in the UK with a Britrail Pass that gives unlimited first class travel I confess that, as we get older, we find it convenient to use Smiths or even the coach from Southampton to Gatwick, from where we eventually fly home to Toronto. (We stay at a hotel there at the beginning and end of our visit - and sometimes again in the middle - and leave our heavier luggage there so we can travel about on the rail network with just light bags.)

 

For anyone staying in the St. Pancras area of London it is reasonably convenient, depending on your luggage, to get to or from Southampton by train with just one change. First Capital Connect operates frequent service from St. Pancras to Gatwick and Brighton. Southern operates hourly service from those two stations to Southampton. From my experience it is more convenient to change trains in Brighton because there is no need to use lifts or stairs to change platforms as at Gatwick. But it is generally cheaper to go via Gatwick and it isn’t too difficult to change platforms.

 

Some fares on a randomly chosen date about two weeks hence: St. Pancras to Gatwick, ₤9.90; to Brighton ₤15.40. From Gatwick to Southampton, ₤10 (or sometimes as low as ₤7.50); from Brighton to Southampton, ₤14.90, although I have previously seen a much lower fare. Through fares can be had, but this costs more. The National Rail Website is determined to make you ride the tube through London or take other routings, even though I used the advanced search feature and said “travel via Gatwick” and another search “travel via Brighton.”

[Yorkiebargirl]

I must admit I find the idea of being whisked from my front door up here in the grim north directly to the docks in Soton to be very seductive. However, Pepper's caveat about a 'friendly' driver would definitely give me pause. Is it possible to stipulate that you get a non-smoking, non-radio-playing, non-talking driver?

 

Shiny

It has been my experience that they only speak to you if you speak to them. Ask for a non smoker, if you do not want the radio on, or another station request say, if they even attempt the phone routine then ask them to pull over and deal with the call, this normally only happens with a taxi A car and driver hire is TOTALY different from getting a cab. It is pre booked cost and details sorted befored hand.

[Route6A]

When you add in the taxi costs either end, for another £10 you could have taken a car service from door to door in comfort. www.smithsforairports.com is the way I would go.:)

This is precisely what we chose to do on our last crossing, thanks to your advice. I recommend Smiths highly. Fair pricing and a very pleasant driver. It is also less expensive than using taxis on both ends and taking the train.

[2irisheyes]

balf/t5lhr

We have used megatrain to Soton but megatrain tickets Waterloo-Soton are not available on Sundays and you can only book them so far in advance. When I checked recently for the return journey Soton-Waterloo the first train available with the cheap ticket was about 12.55 - a bit late in the day for us. Victoria to Soton via Gatwick Airport (on the slower trains) are cheaper with no changes. You generally have to specify via GA or you will get results via Clapham Junction (change). The Victoria-Soton trains are operated by Southern Railways.

[PeterSt]

For anyone staying in the St. Pancras area of London it is reasonably convenient, depending on your luggage, to get to or from Southampton by train with just one change. First Capital Connect operates frequent service from St. Pancras to Gatwick and Brighton. Southern operates hourly service from those two stations to Southampton. From my experience it is more convenient to change trains in Brighton because there is no need to use lifts or stairs to change platforms as at Gatwick. But it is generally cheaper to go via Gatwick and it isn’t too difficult to change platforms.

 

If travelling from St Pancras to Southampton then if you change at Haywards Heath the journey will be quicker (than via Brighton) and it will definitely be a same-platform or adjacent-platform interchange. There is a very high change of it being a same-platform interchange at either East Croydon or Gatwick Airport but there is a risk of having to move between the platforms.

 

I would have said that changing at Brighton is not ideal because you are guaranteed to have to move between platforms and the services from Brighton to Southampton are slower from those from London Victoria to Southampton.

[stevet2607]

I agree that for 2 passengers or more, then the most convenient and cost comparitive method is a private hire car. I always use waterside cars near southampton. Email info@watersideexecutivecars.co.uk

They would charge around £100 from central london. I've always had a lovely car and very pleasant drivers