Transportation from LHR to Port of Southampton

[Lindagop]

Greetings everyone, we will be flying into LHR  two days prior to our 12 December cruise. This will be our first from Southampton. Can anyone please help with information regarding transfers offered from the airport to Southampton - does Cunard offer anything or perhaps other companies. I cannot seem to find any info  here in Canada. Thank you for any help.

[david63]

Unless it is a Cunard arranged flight then I doubt that Cunard will have anything in place.

 

There several options to get from Heathrow to Southampton - coach, train, taxi, hire car, chauffeur car. A lot will depend on timings and budget. I would suggest that you do a Google search (I just had over 800k results)

[safarigal]

There is a Cunard coach from Heathrow to the ship.

 

We use TMR Chauffeurs (https://www.tmrchauffeurs.co.uk). They may not be the cheapest, but they have always been very reliable for us, and we use them for day trips if we are staying on the ship in Southampton on back to back cruises.

[BigMac1953]

We are using TMR, again, tomorrow! for about the 20th time!

 

As Safarigal says, very reliable with great vehicles.

Edited November 23, 2023 by BigMac1953

[Lindagop]

Thankyou for this

[MCC retired]

We used National Express bus several times . Clean buses that are reservable online and above all economical .😊

[WantedOnVoyage]

 Cunard run a coach from LHR direct to the ship day of sailing. Just call Cunard and book it. Chances are you'll even get a private car transfer, too... I did. BUT... do try and negotiate the pick up time from LHR.  I wound up with a four-hour wait at the pier.  

 

I think the cost is $95 person so way cheaper than any taxi.  But you'd have to get yourself back to LHR if you have time before in London

Edited November 23, 2023 by WantedOnVoyage

[TouchstoneFeste]

There is an entire "sticky" thread on transfers between the airports and Southampton here in the British Isles/Western Europe Cruise Ports forum:

As you can see, a predecessor thread was 34 pages long, so they just restarted it (but link to the original thread).

 

There is a poster there who goes by "John Bull" who is particularly reliable.

[Graeme1873]

Hi there

Living in Southampton we regularly travel up and back to Heathrow. Unfortunately there is no direct rail line (yet) so the options are a bit limited.
 

Taxi

Definitely the easiest way but by far the most expensive. When we don’t drive ourselves we normally pay about £110 (c$140) one way using a local Southampton taxi firm. They are normally cheaper then the limo companies so let me know if you want me to send you the details of the firm we use. 
 

National Express

As someone has said before they are reliable and clean and very good value. The coach station is right in the city near the waterfront so if you are staying at one of the main hotels you will be quite close but may need a taxi if you have lots of luggage.

 

Heathrow Rail Air

There is a regular coach service from T5 to Woking Station from whee you can pick up the train to Southampton Central - the trains run every 30 mins or so.  Again the station is quite handy for the hotels but prob not walkable. We’ve used this a few times and it generally runs well although depending on connections it can take a bit longer.

https://www.railair.com/timetables/RA2

Hope that helps

 

Donald

[Lindagop]

Thank you so much to everyone for the great information - have a great evening

 

 

 

[alc13]

We've tried the Cunard bus (worked well) and a chauffeured transfer (Twelve Transfers, excellent).

 

Have a great trip.  We've done that Dec 12 crossing twice and loved it.

[Lindagop]

Thank you so much we booked this only a few days ago and are still not comprehending sailing in 2 weeks - very happy to be sailing Cunard for the first time  - have sailed most other lines but this will be exciting . Than you for the information 

[foodsvcmgr]

We had a good experience this summer with Empire UK Chauffeur for a private car.

[rog747]

Do not rely on any Trains here in UK right now; there are strikes, daily delays and engineering works, all are out of control on the SWR line from Waterloo-Southampton-Weymouth (where I live) so travel on a Train at your peril lol.

National Express Coaches, as mentioned here are really great (and quite cheap usually) and go from LHR Terminals, or from London Victoria Coach Station (if you're staying in Town). The coaches go to the coach station in SOU where you can grab a quick Taxi ride to the Ship's berth or to your Hotel (you cannot walk it with luggage to the Ship) 

or, there are a few good chauffeur driven car firms listed above on here that will meet and greet you at LHR.


 

[Winifred 22]

I second that do not rely on trains in this part of the world. Southampton is caught between several operators. I work in Southampton and have lost count of the number  of people who have ended up with either an extra day working from home, left early to get home or ended up with a hefty taxi ride to get back to the station where they left their car. Sometimes when you know it’s a strike day you can plan but it’s the ad hoc cancellations that can be a worry. Strikes are planned for December. 

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

I second that do not rely on trains in this part of the world. Southampton is caught between several operators. I work in Southampton and have lost count of the number  of people who have ended up with either an extra day working from home, left early to get home or ended up with a hefty taxi ride to get back to the station where they left their car. Sometimes when you know it’s a strike day you can plan but it’s the ad hoc cancellations that can be a worry. Strikes are planned for December. 

At least Southampton usually gets trains even on strike days, which is not the case further west. 

[Winifred 22]

It’s noticeable on strike days at my daughter’s who lives very near the costal route in the south west. Though you normally screen out the noise of the trains after a while you do notice they are not running.  

[exlondoner]

23 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

It’s noticeable on strike days at my daughter’s who lives very near the costal route in the south west. Though you normally screen out the noise of the trains after a while you do notice they are not running.  

Yes, it is strange isn’t it. We can hear the trains from our garden, and you suddenly think ‘I haven’t heard a train all day.’

[Graeme1873]

Yeah the strikes are really annoying as the service into Waterloo is so convenient and it’s quite relaxing travelling through the Hampshire and Surrey countryside. I actually travel up to London from Southampton Parkway on the train for work once a week and as long as you avoid the planned strike days my experience is that the service is still really good. 
 

I agree however the lack of a direct line from Heathrow and the uncertainty means it’s probably not worth considering at this time.  Our local paper has said however that there are plans to create a direct line from Heathrow to Southampton which will be a huge step forward.

 

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23787985.direct-train-heathrow-southampton-one-step-closer/

[exlondoner]

13 minutes ago, Graeme1873 said:

Yeah the strikes are really annoying as the service into Waterloo is so convenient and it’s quite relaxing travelling through the Hampshire and Surrey countryside. I actually travel up to London from Southampton Parkway on the train for work once a week and as long as you avoid the planned strike days my experience is that the service is still really good. 
 

I agree however the lack of a direct line from Heathrow and the uncertainty means it’s probably not worth considering at this time.  Our local paper has said however that there are plans to create a direct line from Heathrow to Southampton which will be a huge step forward.

 

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23787985.direct-train-heathrow-southampton-one-step-closer/

Yes, on a good day, I think it is a lovely journey, all the way to Weymouth, though I have not got over the phasing out of refreshment trolleys. The only thing is that the limitation of luggage space makes it hard for people catching ships.

[Graeme1873]

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Yes, on a good day, I think it is a lovely journey, all the way to Weymouth, though I have not got over the phasing out of refreshment trolleys. The only thing is that the limitation of luggage space makes it hard for people catching ships.

Yeah that’s true although hopefully the planners will bear this in mind if the line ever does get connected to the airport. Not holding my breath mind you 😂

 

Also with Southampton airport having extended their runway it should open up a lot more routes and perhaps offer some new options via connections for our US friends. 

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Graeme1873 said:

Yeah that’s true although hopefully the planners will bear this in mind if the line ever does get connected to the airport. Not holding my breath mind you 😂

 

Also with Southampton airport having extended their runway it should open up a lot more routes and perhaps offer some new options via connections for our US friends. 

Because Southampton Airport is the most brilliant connected airport to the train, and is excellent in most other respects. But that may be because it doesn’t have many planes.

[Graeme1873]

6 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Because Southampton Airport is the most brilliant connected airport to the train, and is excellent in most other respects. But that may be because it doesn’t have many planes.

Yeah it’s fantastic isn’t it. I actually work on the aviation industry and the airport owners have sone really ambitious plans. The main thing about the runway extension is that it will allow larger, fully laden aircraft to use the airport . It won’t cope with wide bodies from US but I can see connections from other UK / European hubs opening up very soon. Already KLM offer connecting flights to their network through Schipol but there are only a couple of flights a day. 
 

Tbh we are quite lucky living where we do with  all the transport options and having the Cruise port on our doorstep is another massive bonus. 

[rog747]

35 minutes ago, Graeme1873 said:

 

Also with Southampton airport having extended their runway it should open up a lot more routes and perhaps offer some new options via connections for our US friends. 

The limited runway extension of 164m allows for the current larger types that use SOU Airport such as the A319/320 and A320Neo (up to 186 seats) to be able to now fly further with an economical payload such as to Faro and Alicante which Easyjet Europe have just added for next summer, along with a couple of Domestic routes with Easyjet UK flying in from GLA and BFS, it is a start.

DUB EDI GLA NCL ABZ and Belfast City are served too with the likes of Loganair and Aer Lingus, but these are all small planes. (along with the Channel Islands and KLM Amsterdam as well)
Sadly CDG has not come back to SOU which is a shame.

But SOU Airport cannot and will not, ever see the likes of Ryanair, Jet2, TUI, or any airline using the Boeing 737-800NG or 737-M8/M8-200 as the runway operating limitations for these types mean inhibiting very restrictive payload restrictions which are not economical. 
The 737NG and the 737 MAX (as it was known as) is a slippery beast, meaning higher approach speeds and longer stopping distances which inhibit the use of SOU at high gross weights for take off or landing.
Yes, it did use SEN Southend which as a similar length runway but obstacle clearances at SOU means the type cannot.

Back on Topic, 

Train Tickets have been booked for ages from Dorsetshire to Waterloo and back on the 6th DEC for a very important ENT Consultant Surgeon appointment 10:15 at the UCH Euston and guess what, the 6th is ASLEF Union strike day and NO trains will run from my neck of the woods.
And now my 'escape route' using the other line from Weymouth up to Westbury then change for Paddington has had the first early 05:45 train from Weymouth cancelled out of the GWR Timetable.
Got to now go up the day before and come back the day after - Don't have to buy new tickets as SWR say they can be used anytime any day next week, on any trains.

Lucky I have a good pal in SW3 who can put me up, so Dinner and a Show is on the cards.

I agree using SOU is a dream - love the KLM AMS connex's

Edited November 26, 2023 by rog747

[NE John]

5 hours ago, rog747 said:

Do not rely on any Trains here in UK right now; there are strikes, daily delays and engineering works, all are out of control on the SWR line from Waterloo-Southampton-Weymouth (where I live) so travel on a Train at your peril lol.

National Express Coaches, as mentioned here are really great (and quite cheap usually) and go from LHR Terminals, or from London Victoria Coach Station (if you're staying in Town). The coaches go to the coach station in SOU where you can grab a quick Taxi ride to the Ship's berth or to your Hotel (you cannot walk it with luggage to the Ship) 

or, there are a few good chauffeur driven car firms listed above on here that will meet and greet you at LHR.


 

We’ve read so much about train strikes that the best splurge we did on a recent trip was to take an Uber from London to Bath (we rented a car and traveled around there five days) and used said rental to drive to S’hampton for QM2 departure. The London-Bath Uber ride cost an extra 100£ vs Uber/cab to Paddington, train fare x2, then Uber to hotel in Bath - all well worth it. Car rental/hire was about $50/day. Plus I got to drive around beautiful countryside and no lugging luggage around. 

Edited November 26, 2023 by NE John