Transfer: Southampton—London (incl. LHR/LGW) train, car, other?

[John Bull]

8 hours ago, ksmommy5 said:

I booked to Victoria station and my ticket says Hammersmith. Of course it’s non refundable 🙄 I guess I can hop on the Piccadilly line from here all the way to Kings Cross?? 

 

1 hour ago, gumshoe958 said:

Oops! 
 

Yes, the Piccadilly line runs direct to King’s Cross from there. Or, from a different station just across the street, so do the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines which have nicer (and air-conditioned) trains.

 

Or you could be naughty and just stay on the coach and hope the driver doesn’t notice (or play the confused tourist card) ……

 

 

Clumsy fingers, KSmommy?

Or one glass of wine too many?😄

 

It's the same fare to either London Hammersmith or London Victoria.

And Hammersmith is the last intermediate stop. 

Folk are unlikely to book the Nat Express bus from Hammersmith when they can take the tube or a local bus. Nat Express know this and only list Hammersmith to Victoria for one pick-up per day - at 3 o'clock in the morning, when tubes and local buses are tucked up in bed, so there's no fear of insufficient seats for you to stay on.

 

I suggest you go down Gumshoe's "confused tourist" route, but tell the driver when you board - that way he doesn't have to load your luggage separately & if no-one else wants to get off at Hammersmith he won't have to swing by the Hammersmith stop, which is a couple of roads off the direct route.

 

No worries 🙂

 

JB 🙂

[OhState1]

Great info here , thanks. I am hoping to get a sanity check on our post cruise plan. We disembark on a Thursday morning, have booked a rental car at National Southampton Docks, and want to see Stonehenge and Windsor.  We plan to stay out near Windsor (perhaps Bray on Thames) then head to Heathrow in the morning for our 12:45 flight.  (One way drop charge is £62). Manual transmission is ok for us, we’ve driven there before.  What issues do you spot?  Our ship is Oceania Riviera, not certain which terminal it goes into.  Thanks!

[ksmommy5]

6 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

 

 

Clumsy fingers, KSmommy?

Or one glass of wine too many?😄

 

It's the same fare to either London Hammersmith or London Victoria.

And Hammersmith is the last intermediate stop. 

Folk are unlikely to book the Nat Express bus from Hammersmith when they can take the tube or a local bus. Nat Express know this and only list Hammersmith to Victoria for one pick-up per day - at 3 o'clock in the morning, when tubes and local buses are tucked up in bed, so there's no fear of insufficient seats for you to stay on.

 

I suggest you go down Gumshoe's "confused tourist" route, but tell the driver when you board - that way he doesn't have to load your luggage separately & if no-one else wants to get off at Hammersmith he won't have to swing by the Hammersmith stop, which is a couple of roads off the direct route.

 

No worries 🙂

 

JB 🙂

Ty!! I don’t know what happened haha. NatExpress is actually going to refund me as a courtesy for a first timer lol I’ve since purchased the correct ticket to Victoria station lol 

[John Bull]

3 hours ago, OhState1 said:

Great info here , thanks. I am hoping to get a sanity check on our post cruise plan. We disembark on a Thursday morning, have booked a rental car at National Southampton Docks, and want to see Stonehenge and Windsor.  We plan to stay out near Windsor (perhaps Bray on Thames) then head to Heathrow in the morning for our 12:45 flight.  (One way drop charge is £62). Manual transmission is ok for us, we’ve driven there before.  What issues do you spot?  Our ship is Oceania Riviera, not certain which terminal it goes into.  Thanks!

 

One potential problem is that to be sure of entry into Stonehenge you're advised to pre-book, and choose  an arrival time within a half-hour window. Visitor numbers are limited, and if you arrive after that window you won't be allowed in until / unless numbers are below capacity.

Anecdotally I've been told that's normally only a problem at very busy times such as weekends, but it's best to pre-book and figure an arrival time

So figure when you're going to set off, allow 90 minutes to get there, plus 60 to 90 mins in Salisbury if you chose to stop there, and make that time the start of your half-hour window. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/prices-and-opening-times/

The timing is only for admission, there's no limit to how long you want to stay there, 60 to 90 minutes is good for most folk

To those taking a coach tour or the ho-ho bus from Salisbury - Stonehenge tickets bought with your tour or ho-ho are good for arrival at any time

 

Salisbury is a good place to stop for an hour or 90 minutes en-route to Stonehenge (superb cathedral with an original Magna Carta), but last admission to Windsor Castle is 4pm and you might consider a stop in Salisbury too much of a squeeze on your time. 

Southampton to Salisbury is about an hour, Salisbury to Stonehenge 30 minutes, Stonehenge to Windsor 1 hr 40 minutes. Allow time for parking etc.

 

So for instance drive away from the rental depot at 9am & arrive Salisbury by 10am, depart Salisbury 11.30 & arr. Stonehenge 12 noon, dep Stonehenge 1.15pm & arrive Windsor 2.45pm.

If you plan to drop your luggage at your hotel before exploring Windsor build that into the timing, and if you fall behind the clock limit your time in Salisbury or skip it entirely.

 

Ask at your hotel how long it takes to drive to Heathrow, it's 10 to 12 miles. Rental agency depots are spread around the airport, allow time for the transfer to your terminal 

 

 

---------------------------------------------

- Rental cars include insurance, but with a high excess - £1200 to £1800 - for damage to the vehicle. Accepting a rental agency's zero excess upgrade can double the total cost !!

We have an annual zero excess policy from a third party but its also available for just a day or two (google "car hire excess insurance UK") . In this case if the vehicle is damaged, the cost up to the excess will be debited from your credit card and you claim it back from the third party insurer. Don't know if it works well, never had to use it - but it's saved a packet on premiums. Check the car for pre-existing damage including windshield and light clusters, mebbe take photos

- Ideally rent a car small enough to be easy-to-drive but big enough to keep your luggage out-of-sight. Crime levels are low at Salisbury, Stonehenge & Windsor but best to play safe.

- Remember your car will be right-hand drive and if you rent a shift-stick you'll start off by trying to use the arm-rest to change gear 😄.

- But right-hand drive does help you to drive on the correct side, there'll be traffic on the roads so you just follow their lead, and after Stonehenge most of the route will be on a motorway divided highway.

- Leave a note something like "Drive on the right, you dummy" on the steering wheel when you park - and even when you stop for gas.

- Gas is much more expensive at motorway service stations. At all gas stations you fill then pay.

- At roundabouts ("traffic islands" in Americanspeak ?) give way to traffic on the roundabout (ie on your right)

- Overtake only on the right.

- No turn-out  on a red light - red means stop.

 - Lots of speed cameras, so keep to speed limits  - 30 or 40 mph in urban areas, 60 mph on single-carriageways, 70 mph on divided highways

 

JB 🙂

[OhState1]

Thank you so much for the very detailed and helpful advice!  We were going to check insurance tomorrow.  Our regular carrier offers some coverage overseas, and I’ve previously purchased trip insurance that included the rental car.  I don’t think my credit card covers much, but will double check.  After our experience with Hertz in Dublin (no spare tire, and a tire that had a slow leak) we will definitely carefully inspect the car.  We drove a manual in Ireland and it was interesting but doable.  
 

He’s rented a small SUV. Nissan Qashqai or similar, whatever that is. I hope it has a cover for the back as it won’t have a typical boot.  (I had an MGB in the ‘80’s so I picked up a bit of the lingo, ha). 
 

In the state where we live, roundabouts are called traffic calming circles.  People still have a hard time with them.  🙂.  
 

We did fine driving out of London to Wales last time (2015). By we, I mean the Mr.  Caught the ferry to Dublin and flew home from there.  I think we should be fine, but airports can be confusing for sure.  At least the signs will be in English (as opposed to the time we returned the rental car at the Rome airport.)
 

Is google maps reliable for directions?  
 

Again, many thanks for the advice.  We’ll review tomorrow morning and start booking the sights.  We hadn’t considered Salisbury and will take a look.  After reading 21 pages of advice, you are a true treasure here.  

[gnome12]

11 minutes ago, OhState1 said:

Nissan Qashqai or similar, whatever that is

Nissan Qashqai is what in the US is called the Rogue Sport, I believe. It is the smaller version of the Nissan Rogue.

[John Bull]

14 hours ago, OhState1 said:

Thank you so much for the very detailed and helpful advice!  We were going to check insurance tomorrow.  Our regular carrier offers some coverage overseas, and I’ve previously purchased trip insurance that included the rental car.  I don’t think my credit card covers much, but will double check.  After our experience with Hertz in Dublin (no spare tire, and a tire that had a slow leak) we will definitely carefully inspect the car.  We drove a manual in Ireland and it was interesting but doable.  
 

He’s rented a small SUV. Nissan Qashqai or similar, whatever that is. I hope it has a cover for the back as it won’t have a typical boot.  (I had an MGB in the ‘80’s so I picked up a bit of the lingo, ha). 
 

In the state where we live, roundabouts are called traffic calming circles.  People still have a hard time with them.  🙂.  
 

We did fine driving out of London to Wales last time (2015). By we, I mean the Mr.  Caught the ferry to Dublin and flew home from there.  I think we should be fine, but airports can be confusing for sure.  At least the signs will be in English (as opposed to the time we returned the rental car at the Rome airport.)
 

Is google maps reliable for directions?  
 

Again, many thanks for the advice.  We’ll review tomorrow morning and start booking the sights.  We hadn’t considered Salisbury and will take a look.  After reading 21 pages of advice, you are a true treasure here.  

 

Yes, the Qashqai has a cover for the back.

 

In Concord MA I met an American hood-to-hood on a roundabout.

I was the UK tourist, he was the one going the wrong way round  🙄 

He sheepishly turned off 😄

 

 

I find Googlemaps pretty accurate.

Sometimes the journey times are a bit optimistic, whereas I'm always quicker than TomTom

I find streetview helps with recognising junctions - (turn left immediately after the BP gas station, turn right opposite the Blue Boar pub, etc)

National Car Rental Heathrow is recognised by Googlemaps.

 

If you choose in advance not to visit Salisbury, set your GPS for Winchester then once you're settled onto the motorway switch it to Stonehenge. Once out of Southampton that route is all simple divided highway - M3, A34. A303.  15 miles further but adds just six minutes to the journey time.

 

JB 🙂

[clojacks]

We are sailing into and out of Southampton on the same day, but on 2 different lines. Cruising into Southampton Celebrity, disembarking and then embarking on Princess. Any suggestions for getting from Terminal to Terminal?

[gumshoe958]

45 minutes ago, clojacks said:

We are sailing into and out of Southampton on the same day, but on 2 different lines. Cruising into Southampton Celebrity, disembarking and then embarking on Princess. Any suggestions for getting from Terminal to Terminal?

Depends on the terminals.

 

Mayflower <> Horizon and City <> Horizon are walkable in about 10 minutes. 

Mayflower <> City and Ocean <> QE2 are walkable in 15-20 minutes.

 

Otherwise, it’s a short cab or Uber journey.

 

But bear in mind you may be sitting around for a couple of hours waiting for Princess check-in to open. There’s not a lot to do around the terminals.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by gumshoe958

[macmax]

Where do you board the National Express coach at Heathrow T5? Is it the arrivals or departures level?

[gumshoe958]

1 hour ago, macmax said:

Where do you board the National Express coach at Heathrow T5? Is it the arrivals or departures level?

Arrivals level, from bus stops 13-15 just outside the terminal.

[Senga]

1 hour ago, macmax said:

Where do you board the National Express coach at Heathrow T5? Is it the arrivals or departures level?

Check out the National Express website; they have a map with all the directions you would need.  What airline are you flying?  Air Canada arrives at T2.

[Senga]

Gunwharf Executive Travel, which has excellent reviews, quoted 140 GBP for a private transfer for 2 people from LHR to Southampton.

[macmax]

2 minutes ago, Senga said:

Check out the National Express website; they have a map with all the directions you would need.  What airline are you flying?  Air Canada arrives at T2.

Their website does not specify which level only...

National Express Coaches to Terminal 5 will use stops 13-16 just outside the terminal building for pick up and drop off.

 

We are flying BA which uses T5. We flew AC last Sept and used the very convenient Central Bus Station.

[macmax]

19 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

Arrivals level, from bus stops 13-15 just outside the terminal.

Thank you. that's what I wanted to know.

Edited February 17, 2023 by macmax

[Senga]

2 minutes ago, macmax said:

We are flying BA which uses T5. We flew AC last Sept and used the very convenient Central Bus Station.

We were planning on using a private transfer but when we read how simple it is to get a bus from the Central Bus Station we decided to save ourselves close to $200! 

[macmax]

9 minutes ago, Senga said:

We were planning on using a private transfer but when we read how simple it is to get a bus from the Central Bus Station we decided to save ourselves close to $200! 

Speaking from personal experience, it's a great option.  It's an easy 5-10 min walk from the baggage claim and we are in our 70's and my wife uses a cane,

[irisbax3]

We are flying in on Virgin Atlantic from LAX.  Can someone tell me what terminal Virgin Atlantic uses at Heathrow? Do we walk to the Central Bus Station or is there a pickup at the VA terminal? TIA

[gumshoe958]

11 minutes ago, irisbax3 said:

We are flying in on Virgin Atlantic from LAX.  Can someone tell me what terminal Virgin Atlantic uses at Heathrow? Do we walk to the Central Bus Station or is there a pickup at the VA terminal? TIA

VS use Terminal 3. You will need to walk to the central bus station. There’s an underground walkway, with travelators (if they’re working), direct from the arrivals hall and elevators up to the bus station. Just follow the signs.

[Senga]

5 hours ago, macmax said:

Speaking from personal experience, it's a great option.  It's an easy 5-10 min walk from the baggage claim and we are in our 70's and my wife uses a cane,

Great!  We are in our 70’s and I use a cane!  

[macmax]

18 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

VS use Terminal 3. You will need to walk to the central bus station. There’s an underground walkway, with travelators (if they’re working), direct from the arrivals hall and elevators up to the bus station. Just follow the signs.

I just want to add, that you can use one of the luggage carts from baggage claim all the way to the bus.

[irisbax3]

On 2/17/2023 at 1:48 PM, gumshoe958 said:

VS use Terminal 3. You will need to walk to the central bus station. There’s an underground walkway, with travelators (if they’re working), direct from the arrivals hall and elevators up to the bus station. Just follow the signs.

 

6 hours ago, macmax said:

I just want to add, that you can use one of the luggage carts from baggage claim all the way to the bus.

Thanks, Gumshoe958 and macmax, for this valuable information. That's exactly what I needed to make my decision. Really appreciate you taking time to answer my question.

[Kgills]

@irisbax3 I did some research for my trip last Fall and found this YouTube video showing how easy it is to walk from Terminal 3 to the central bus station:

 

[wowzz]

On 2/11/2023 at 12:27 AM, OhState1 said:

He’s rented a small SUV. Nissan Qashqai

In the UK, a Qashqai would not be considered small !

[Senga]

If we take National Express from LHR to Southampton central bus station, will it be easy to get a taxi to Holiday Inn Express, Herbert Walker Avenue?