Whether you’re driving and need to find parking or a hotel with parking, or flying in and need to get from the airports to the port area, we’ve covered all the options for you to make the best decision.
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Southampton is on the south coast of the UK at the end of the M3 motorway from London which is the road many drivers will take to get to the port. If you are coming from along the south coast or from the west, you will probably use the M27 which passes just to the north of the city.
Driving times from nearby major cities are:
- Birmingham: 2.75 hours (140 miles)
- London: 1.75 hours (80 miles)
- Bristol: 2 hours (100 miles)
- Manchester: 4 hours (225 miles)
Southampton airport is the closest airport to the port and connects to over 30 European cities. If you can’t fly to Southampton direct, then London offers connections around the world from Heathrow, Gatwick and more.
Information (including arrival and departures) for each airport can be found by clicking on the appropriate tab.
Southampton Airport (Code: SOU)
The main airport in Southampton and a Flybe hub, Southampton Airport is located just 5 miles north of Southampton. If you can fly directly to here, it provides the easiest option for getting from the airport to your cruise ship.
London Heathrow (Code: LHR)
London Heathrow is the UK’s premier airport and a British Airways hub offering flights from around the globe. The airport is 15 miles west of London and around 60 miles northeast of Southampton.
London Gatwick (Code: LGW)
London Gatwick is the busiest single-runway airport in the world and provides connections across Europe and beyond. The biggest carriers here are EasyJet and British Airways. The airport is 25 miles south of London and around 50 miles east of Southampton.
London City (Code: LCY)
The only airport actually IN London, City is primarily a business airport, but increasingly offers more leisure-oriented flights. Once again British Airways is the largest airline at the airport which is conveniently located just 7 miles east of London and around 70 miles northeast of Southampton.
London Stansted (Code: STN)
Hosting primarily low-cost airlines which offer flights across Europe and beyond, Lond Stansted’s biggest airline is RyanAir. The airport is 30 miles northeast of London and around 95 miles northeast of Southampton.
London Luton (Code: LTN)
Another airport offering low-cost connections across Europe, London Luton’s major airlines are EasyJet and RyanAir. The airport is just over 25 miles northwest of London and around 75 miles northeast of Southampton.
Information for public transport options from each airport to Southampton can be found by clicking on the appropriate tab.
Trains also leave Southampton airport regularly and take you to Southampton Central Station in just ten minutes. Expect to pay around £4 per person each way. You can check train times by using the National Rail website.
From the coach or railway station in Southampton, we’d advise taking a taxi or Uber/Lyft for less than £10 as public transport leaves you with quite a walk to get to the cruise terminals.
There are many different ways to get to Southampton Port from Heathrow by public transport, but you should expect it to take between two and three hours whichever you choose.
National Express coaches depart from Heathrow for Southampton regularly and will drop you at Southampton coach station. They are direct and can cost less than £25 per person return.
Trains also leave Heathrow terminals 4 and 5 regularly and take you to Southampton Central Station, but are much more expensive than a coach and will involving connections. Change trains at Hayes and Reading from Terminal 4 or at Paddington and Waterloo from Terminal 5. If you are landing at Terminal 2 or 3 you will need to transfer to Terminal 4 or 5 to use the train. Expect to pay around £90 per person return. You can check all possible routes by using the National Rail website.
You can change between terminals at London Heathrow by train or bus for free.
From the coach or railway station in Southampton, we’d advise taking a taxi or Uber/Lyft for less than £10 as public transport leaves you with quite a walk to get to the cruise terminals.
There are two main ways to get to Southampton Port from Gatwick by public transport, but you should expect it to take between two and three hours whichever you choose.
National Express coaches depart from Gatwick for Southampton regularly and will drop you at Southampton coach station. They are direct and can cost less than £30 per person return.
Trains also leave Gatwick regularly and take you to Southampton Central Station, but are quite a bit more expensive than a coach and will involve changing trains at Clapham Junction. If you are landing at the North Terminal you will need to transfer to the South Terminal to use the train. Expect to pay around £45 per person return. You can check all possible routes by using the National Rail website.
You can change between terminals at London Gatwick by inter-terminal shuttle for free.
From the coach or railway station in Southampton, we’d advise taking a taxi or Uber/Lyft for less than £10 as public transport leaves you with quite a walk to get to the cruise terminals.
There are a couple of different ways to get to Southampton Port from London City by public transport, but you should expect it to take between two and three hours whichever you choose.
London City is on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and trains from here can take you to West Ham where you can change to the Jubilee Line (Silver colour) to get to Waterloo. From Waterloo, South Western trains depart for Southampton Central regularly. Expect to pay around £45 per person return, please check ticket prices as it can be cheaper to buy two singles than a return. You can check all possible routes by using the National Rail website.
A cheaper option is to use the DLR and underground to get to Victoria coach station. National Express coaches depart from Victoria for Southampton regularly and will drop you at Southampton coach station. They are direct and can cost less than £15 per person return, plus about £10 to get from the airport to the coach station.
From the coach or railway station in Southampton, we’d advise taking a taxi or Uber/Lyft for less than £10 as public transport leaves you with quite a walk to get to the cruise terminals.
There are two main ways to get to Southampton Port from Stansted by public transport, but you should expect it to take between three and five hours whichever you choose.
Stansted airport has its own station from which trains arrive in Liverpool Street, From there use the underground Central Line (Red) to Oxford Circus and the Bakerloo line (Brown) to Waterloo. From Waterloo, South Western trains depart for Southampton Central regularly. Expect to pay around £60 per person return, please check ticket prices as it can be cheaper to buy two singles than a return. You can check all possible routes by using the National Rail website.
A cheaper option is to use National Express coaches, these depart Stansted regularly for Victoria in London and then from there to Southampton coach station. They are direct and can cost less than £40 per person return.
From the coach or railway station in Southampton, we’d advise taking a taxi or Uber/Lyft for less than £10 as public transport leaves you with quite a walk to get to the cruise terminals.
There are two main ways to get to Southampton Port from Luton by public transport, but you should expect it to take between three and five hours whichever you choose.
Luton airport does not have its own station, however, a shuttle bus runs to nearby Luton Parkway from the airport. From there, trains arrive at London Blackfriars station where you can use the Circle or District Line (Yellow or Green) to Embankment and the Northern line (Black) to get to Waterloo. From Waterloo, South Western trains depart for Southampton Central regularly. Expect to pay around £60 per person return. You can check all possible routes by using the National Rail website.
A cheaper, but slower option, is to use National Express coaches, these depart Stansted regularly for Victoria in London and then from there to Southampton coach station. They are direct and can cost less than £35 per person return.
From the coach or railway station in Southampton, we’d advise taking a taxi or Uber/Lyft for less than £10 as public transport leaves you with quite a walk to get to the cruise terminals.
From Southampton airport, you can pick up a taxi from outside the terminal and it should cost less than £15.
From London, a taxi is going to be very expensive and we would generally recommend using one of the other options available. But if you are a larger group, prices can be competitive with other options. If you want the luxury of a private transfer, the companies below can all accommodate you.
Offering everything from saloons for 3 people to minibuses for 8, Airport Pickups London should be able to meet your transport needs.
If your group is at 8 people or fewer, then Southampton Cruise Transfers can offer private transfers at a competitive rate.
Real Transfers can provide private transfers for between 1 and 8 cruise passengers.
Due to the distance between London airports and the cruise terminal, we are not aware of any shuttle services. What options we found are actually just booking people into taxis at higher prices than you could arrange for yourself.
From Southampton Airport, it is quick and easy to use other options.
Prices to Southampton from all airports except London City can be competitive if you are a party of two or more. This option may only make sense if you want to see something on the way to or from the port such as Stonehenge. Hertz, Enterprise and National all have rental offices within the port area.
Estimated prices for renting a car to get from each of the airports to the port.
Southampton: £35 / Heathrow: £85 / Gatwick: £85 / London City: £170 / Stansted: £75 / Luton: £60
Due to the distances involved, we are not aware of any hotels offering transfers from London Airports.
For hotels in and around Southampton, click here.
Looking for more information to plan your visit to Southampton?
You may find these articles helpful.
Southampton Cruise Port Guide
Where to Stay in Southampton with ‘Park & Cruise’ Deals
Southampton Cruise Parking Options
Things to See and Do in Southampton
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