Getting Around, Portsmouth Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK)
There are a number of different ways that you can travel around the city of Portsmouth, with bus transport being quite comprehensive and inexpensive. Alternatively you may like to consider riding on the Portsmouth land train, which transports passengers to the Gunwharf Quays, Southsea and many further places of interest.
The Portsmouth train stations provide an easy way to hop between cities in
England, with rail transport departing at regularly intervals seven days a week. If you have brought your car to Portsmouth, then you will find that the surrounding network of roads is more than adequate, with day trips to
Southampton being especially popular. You may like to travel to the nearby island of the
Isle of Wight, with speedy hovercrafts leaving Southsea, crossing the Solent and reaching the Isle of Wight in just ten minutes.
Airports / Arriving by Air
The main airports situated close to Portsmouth are as follows:
Car Rental
Portsmouth is well supported by road and the busy A3 connects London's motorway network (M27 / M3), with the capital city being just over a one and a half hour drive away. The A27 (east) and M27 motorway (west) are also very noteworthy roads, while the M275 actually leads into Portsmouth and heads towards the Southsea seafront. The parking available in the city is quite reasonable, with two large car parks in the town centre and further parking next to the Southsea Common and also at the Gunwharf Quays, as well as limited free road parking. A new Saturday Park and Ride service is also now available, allowing shoppers and tourists to park their car at the Lakeside North Harbour and then travel into the city centre by bus.
Buses and Coaches
Tel: +44 023 9286 2412
Local bus transport in Portsmouth is excellent and the area's bus routes travel as far afield as
Brighton, Chichester, Fareham, Havant and Southampton. Operated by both Stagecoach and First Hampshire and Dorset, city buses often stop at the Hard Interchange or along Commercial Road. Day passes tend to offer the best value and provide passengers with unlimited travel throughout the city and for a little more money, the whole county of Hampshire. National Express coaches are also on hand at the Hard area and run to the main cities around England.
Taxis
There are around 40 separate taxi ranks in the city, accommodating over 250 vehicles. Taxis can also be flagged down on the road if available. Taxi transport in Portsmouth is perfect for short trips from your hotel to attractions, such as the Southsea seafront and the Historic Dockyard.
Trains
There are several different mainline railway stations within Portsmouth, providing a fast and highly convenient mode of transport. Rail services run to cities such as
Bath, Brighton,
Bristol,
Cardiff,
Exeter,
London (Waterloo and Victoria), Reading,
Salisbury and Southampton. The city's train stations are listed below:
- Cosham
- Fratton
- Hilsea
- Portsmouth and Southsea
- Portsmouth Harbour
Boats and Ferries
The Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port offers ferry transport throughout the week, including Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries and P&O. The most popular routes sail to destinations such as the
Channel Islands (
Guernsey and
Jersey),
France (Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre and St. Malo) and
Spain (
Bilbao). From Portsmouth Harbour, regularly ferries and hovercraft travel to and from the Isle of Wight (Wightlink and Hovertravel), together with further ferries to nearby Gosport (the Gosport Ferry).
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