Southampton-London Transfers - Airport (LHR/LGW) - NEW THREAD!

[SkippersCruisersMN]

What website did you use to book your train tickets from London Waterloo to Southampton. I am trying to book on southwestern railway and it won't let me make an account because my address is not the UK. 

[Island2Dweller]

Any of the train companies can sell tickets for all services.

LNER seems to work OK for folk outside the UK.

[SkippersCruisersMN]

16 hours ago, Island2Dweller said:

Any of the train companies can sell tickets for all services.

LNER seems to work OK for folk outside the UK.

Thank You! I was able to book with them. 🙂

[Down-Unders]

Getting off Queen Anne for a 2.15 PM afternoon flight from Heathrow Terminal 4, any advice appreciated.

[Globaliser]

2 hours ago, Down-Unders said:

Getting off Queen Anne for a 2.15 PM afternoon flight from Heathrow Terminal 4, any advice appreciated.

 

Assuming a normal arrival and disembarkation time, on most days that would basically give you the luxury of lots of time to get to Heathrow by whichever of the options is most appealing to you.

[gumshoe958]

6 hours ago, Down-Unders said:

Getting off Queen Anne for a 2.15 PM afternoon flight from Heathrow Terminal 4, any advice appreciated.

Be aware that National Express coaches from Southampton do not stop at T4, which is some distance from the other terminals on the other side of the airport.

 

If you choose to go by National Express, get off at Heathrow Central then catch the free Elizabeth line train one stop to T4.

[epixx]

Ship docks at 0700 on Saturday in Sept.  Flight departs LHR Terminal 5 at 1630.  Plan to take public transportation, either bus or train.  We would like to walk around Southampton if possible.  What time should we depart Southampton for LHR?  We only have carry on luggage, but I think we would need to find a left luggage location in order to go for a long stroll.  What area of Southampton would be nice for a walk within this time frame?

[TouchstoneFeste]

We'll be travelling from Southampton to Bath, then from Bath to London a few days later. From searching this forum, I see that first class train tickets (at least on the first leg) don't confer much of an advantage. Would that also be true for the Bath-Paddington leg? We won't have much luggage, just carry-ons. Both legs would be on weekdays - the first after disembarkation, the second probably late morning or early afternoon.

 

And ... embarrassing to admit, but the last time we took longer train trips around southen England, we had a lot of trouble finding the first class section, sometimes just giving up and travelling in regular seating. How are they marked?

[T-2]

We are arriving in Southampton 2 days before the cruise, partly to recover from all the time zones but also to take the train up to Bath, wander about. Its been a Long time since we were last there (and it was by tour bus back then) but I remember it being lovely and wanting to show the rest of the family this trip. Then we'll take the train back the same day to Southampton, can I ask how you found the information on the train service please? I had seen it was an option by train and it was something you could do on your own, versus the organized tours to Stonehenge, etc. but I hadn't gotten any further with it yet.

[Host Hattie]

For Bath to London there are photos of both train carriage types here. First Class has more space.

[John Bull]

5 hours ago, T-2 said:

We are arriving in Southampton 2 days before the cruise, partly to recover from all the time zones but also to take the train up to Bath, wander about. Its been a Long time since we were last there (and it was by tour bus back then) but I remember it being lovely and wanting to show the rest of the family this trip. Then we'll take the train back the same day to Southampton, can I ask how you found the information on the train service please? I had seen it was an option by train and it was something you could do on your own, versus the organized tours to Stonehenge, etc. but I hadn't gotten any further with it yet.

 

 Bath

Trains to Bath are operated By Great Western

https://www.gwr.com/

Your departure station is Southampton Central

Your destination station is Bath Spa

Choose only direct trains, they're hourly, and journey time is about  90 minutes. (On sundays only the first direct train isn't until 9.57am)

 

Pricing on UK trains is overly complicated, and the website doesn't deal with it well

The walk-up fare is about £35 each way

Advance tickets are available thro the website from about 12 weeks out. A pain in the neck but will cost only about £15 each way, so worth the effort.

Advance fares are fluid and usually increase as the travel date approaches

They're only good for the train time that you book (altho if you miss that train & present your Advance tickets they may deduct that cost from the walk-up fare).

 

If your date is beyond 2nd August, Advance fare won't yet be available. So choose a random date in June or July to see how it works.

Select the date, and earlies times of your proposed out and return journeys. (return, not "open return")

The single fare shown will be the Advance fare, the return fare will show the walk-up fare for the return.

Click on the time of your preferred out train, it will show the full range of fares - click on the Advance fare.

Only then will the site offer you ticket choices for the return to Southampton - choose a time with a cheap option, click on it and then click on the Advance option.

 

That's why I say "Pricing on UK trains is overly complicated, and the website doesn't deal with it well"😡🙄

 

Salisbury & Stonehenge.

Half-hourly train service to Salisbury station, journey-time about 30 minutes then Stonehenge ho-ho from there.

 

Same train operator - but simpler ticketing 🙂.

Direct half-hourly service, journey time about 30 minutes.

Because it's a short & cheap journey there are no "Advance" fares,

Buy return tickets at Southampton station because they cost little more than a single ticket.

At around £12 one-way and £15 return it's simplest to buy return tickets on-the-day at Southampton station, you can go and return at any train time. (the fares are fluid but the range is narrow, buying in advance won't save you more than a pound or two at most).

 

Here's a past thread (Jan 2023) which explains the day & provides links. Do double-check on the links that the ho-ho bus times are up-to-date and for the time of year that you're travelling, and some prices / fares will have changed

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2909775-southhampton-to-stonehenge/

 

JB 🙂

[gumshoe958]

8 hours ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

We'll be travelling from Southampton to Bath, then from Bath to London a few days later. From searching this forum, I see that first class train tickets (at least on the first leg) don't confer much of an advantage. Would that also be true for the Bath-Paddington leg? We won't have much luggage, just carry-ons. Both legs would be on weekdays - the first after disembarkation, the second probably late morning or early afternoon.

 

And ... embarrassing to admit, but the last time we took longer train trips around southen England, we had a lot of trouble finding the first class section, sometimes just giving up and travelling in regular seating. How are they marked?

The hourly direct Southampton to Bath trains do not have first class. If you’re seeing first class fares online, they won’t be for direct trains and you’ll have to change en route (maybe at Reading). YMMV on whether it’s worth the extra hassle.

 

Bath to Paddington trains do have first class. It will normally be at the very front of the train (but on occasions may not). You should get some complimentary drinks and snacks, plus wider seats in a 2+1 layout with more legroom, if that makes a difference.

 

 

[gumshoe958]

12 hours ago, epixx said:

Ship docks at 0700 on Saturday in Sept.  Flight departs LHR Terminal 5 at 1630.  Plan to take public transportation, either bus or train.  We would like to walk around Southampton if possible.  What time should we depart Southampton for LHR?  We only have carry on luggage, but I think we would need to find a left luggage location in order to go for a long stroll.  What area of Southampton would be nice for a walk within this time frame?

The train between Southampton and Heathrow is not easy - it involves two changes with a tube or cab ride across London in the middle. 
 

Easiest is the National Express coach. They leave Southampton at 9:45 (arrive Heathrow Central 12:00) and 11:45 (14:10). The later one doesn’t give terribly much margin for error if it’s late, which is annoying, but up to you whether you’re prepared to risk it as obviously that would give you a couple more hours to wander around Southampton.

[Down-Unders]

14 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

Be aware that National Express coaches from Southampton do not stop at T4, which is some distance from the other terminals on the other side of the airport.

 

If you choose to go by National Express, get off at Heathrow Central then catch the free Elizabeth line train one stop to T4.

Thank you.

[Down-Unders]

18 hours ago, Globaliser said:

 

Assuming a normal arrival and disembarkation time, on most days that would basically give you the luxury of lots of time to get to Heathrow by whichever of the options is most appealing to you.

Thank you.

[T-2]

I hoped to include John Bulls message about taking the train to Bath but I will have to settle for just a Huge Thank You for your help to my question above in post 211. I can't wait to give the ticket purchases a try tomorrow, it's late in my time zone, but fingers crossed, with all that helpful info- I am anxious to give it a try. We're only about 8 weeks out, so I know I won't see the cheapest price- I missed that window. But maybe even 2 months is still a bit of an advanced ticket.

BTW- I loved your helpful thread 'Clocks'. Over a decade ago we had a ride transfer to the Paris airport for our 9am flight, they were going to pick us up at 5:30am- imagine my shock when they called from the lobby wondering where we were- now we are Always on time- it was only 4:30 in the morning, the last of our group just out of the shower for the long transatlantic flight home and they're ready to leave without us right that minute. We made it downstairs in 5 minutes just mortified. While clocks had changed to spring ahead back in the U.S. weeks ago- apparently they change in Europe much later. You have saved a lot of people some very embarrassing moments or missed rides. Thank you from all of us and making planning our trips to England easier.

[Cotswold Eagle]

1 hour ago, T-2 said:

I can't wait to give the ticket purchases a try tomorrow,

As JB says, the GWR site may not be the easiest for a ‘novice’ user (I use it all the time, but I’m on GWR trains very frequently!j. The journey planner at National Rail has a different layout and may be easier for you - you will be redirected to GWR to book. Both have apps as well, of course! 
 

Feel free to check back here with your results 😀

Edited April 20 by Cotswold Eagle

[Cotswold Eagle]

5 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

Bath to Paddington trains do have first class. It will normally be at the very front of the train (but on occasions may not).

Yes, it should be at the London-end of the train. On GWR 9-car trains that will be coaches L and K, on 5-car sets it’s D and E.  On GWR trains there is a large white sign with a ‘1’ and the words ‘First Class’ by the door on the First Class carriages.  

 

The platform train indicator sign will usually say if they are at the front or rear on the day (it will have a rolling scroll of information beneath the train indication), as will the train announcements. At some stations, and I’m afraid I’m not sure about Bath, there are ‘zones’ on the platform and so you may hear that First Class is in Zone 1, for example - the zones are indicated by numbers on the platform itself.

[Island2Dweller]

The GWR website has a habit of refusing credit cards that weren't issued in the UK.

If that problem occurs, you can buy the same ticket from any of the other rail company sites.  I find LNER easy, but there are plenty to choose from, which will work with non-UK cards.

[TouchstoneFeste]

4 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

Yes, it should be at the London-end of the train. On GWR 9-car trains that will be coaches L and K, on 5-car sets it’s D and E.  On GWR trains there is a large white sign with a ‘1’ and the words ‘First Class’ by the door on the First Class carriages.  

 

The platform train indicator sign will usually say if they are at the front or rear on the day (it will have a rolling scroll of information beneath the train indication), as will the train announcements. At some stations, and I’m afraid I’m not sure about Bath, there are ‘zones’ on the platform and so you may hear that First Class is in Zone 1, for example - the zones are indicated by numbers on the platform itself.

Very much appreciate your help (and that of @gumshoe958).

[T-2]

JB's directions on buying the train tickets were amazing, it did take just a little time but everything was absolutely straight forward, no problems using my U.S. address or c.c., and I can pick up the tickets at the station, they give you a confirmation number. This advice was so worth while, as he said, same day tickets can run about £35 each way.  I am at 2 months advance and I was able to buy Four tickets outbound for a total of about £47 for the 3 adults and 1 tween (11-15 yr olds are half price of adult fare). Added with the return and taxes it was only  £120 for Four round trip tickets vs potentially £245 had I bought them on the day of. In dollars that's about $152 vs $315. Don't let booking train travel intimidate you, his help is unbelieveable!   Thank You JB & Cotswald Eagle!!!

Edited April 20 by T-2

[alc13]

On 4/19/2024 at 7:33 AM, gumshoe958 said:

Be aware that National Express coaches from Southampton do not stop at T4, which is some distance from the other terminals on the other side of the airport.

 

If you choose to go by National Express, get off at Heathrow Central then catch the free Elizabeth line train one stop to T4.

Is that correct?  I've been on the National Express website and they do show a T4 stop.  Both going to and returning from Southampton.

 

I have a related question.  If we book a changeable fare in advance and then miss the bus because of a holdup in immigration (this is for LHR to SOU), can we rebook right away to the next available bus?

Edited April 20 by alc13

[gumshoe958]

1 hour ago, alc13 said:

Is that correct?  I've been on the National Express website and they do show a T4 stop.  Both going to and returning from Southampton.

 

I have a related question.  If we book a changeable fare in advance and then miss the bus because of a holdup in immigration (this is for LHR to SOU), can we rebook right away to the next available bus?

You’re right. My bad. They do now stop at T4, which makes National Express a no-brainer.

 

For an extra £5 you can upgrade at the time of booking to Change & Go which allows you to move to any coach up to 12 hours either side of the one you booked. You can call up to rebook as soon as you miss your booked coach, if necessary.

 

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/change-go

[alc13]

6 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

You’re right. My bad. They do now stop at T4, which makes National Express a no-brainer.

 

For an extra £5 you can upgrade at the time of booking to Change & Go which allows you to move to any coach up to 12 hours either side of the one you booked. You can call up to rebook as soon as you miss your booked coach, if necessary.

 

https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/help/change-go

No brainer is right!  As fast as a private car and a fraction of the cost.  And thanks for the info about rebooking, too.

[TouchstoneFeste]

12 hours ago, T-2 said:

I can pick up the tickets at the station, they give you a confirmation number. 

If you pick up your tickets at the station kiosk, be sure you have the credit card you used to purchase them (I use American Express to purchase things online, but don't always carry it with me overseas because it's not as widely accepted). You can still see the agent with your confirmation number, but that can take longer (depending on how many confused tourists are ahead of you in line).