Southampton Airport (SOU) Information
(Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK)
An ancient Roman villa once stood on the land where Southampton Airport now resides, to the north-east of the city in a borough named Eastleigh. Southampton Airport's modern history began in 1910, when the farmland on which the site was built became the takeoff and landing area for a small monoplane.
The airport later became the location of the Supermarine Spitfire's first test flight in 1936. Commemorating this event, a sculpture of the first Spitfire has towered over the road entrance since 2004.
The first decade of the new millennium saw the annual passenger throughput grow by nearly two million, meaning that this transport hub now ranks within the UK's 20 largest. The most active of the 45+ routes currently handled here include those of
Edinburgh,
Jersey,
Glasgow,
Guernsey and
Dublin.
Summer is understandably the busiest season, as this is when most tourists head for southern England's numerous seaside resorts, including the nearby
Isle of Wight. The site is well connected to the Southampton Airport Parkway rail station, as well as both the M27 and M3 motorways.
Southampton Airport (SOU) Information
Address: Wide Lane, Southampton, Hampshire, SO18 2NL, UK
Tel: +44 870 040 0009
Serving England's central southern coast, Southampton's airport lies 4 miles / 6 km north-east of the city centre, near the M27 and M3 motorway junction, and alongside the university's Sports Ground. The London Waterloo Station is just over an hour's rail journey from the Southampton Airport Parkway Station, which is only a minute's walk from the actual terminal.
Facilities:
- Wireless broadband Internet access
- World Duty Free shop
- WHSmith outlet
- Two Aura outlets serving snacks, along with Starbucks coffee
- Alamo, Avis, Hertz, National and Enterprise car hire companies on the ground floor
- Bureau de change
- Barclays ATM
- Flybe and British Airways VIP business lounges
- Full disabled persons' facilities and reserved parking spaces
- Baby changing room
Cars
Apart from heavy traffic during the busy summer holidays, motorists should encounter few problems driving between the airport and the surrounding Hampshire region. The site is situated close to the M3 / M27 motorway junction, as well as the smaller A33 and A34 roads. The drive into Southampton takes around 15 minutes, via the A335 (Thomas Lewis Way).
Buses
Local bus number 101 connects the airport with the city centre and Southampton University. This bus departs at least once per hour. Unilink and First Group private shuttle services also regularly travel to and from regional destinations, while select local hotels offer complimentary shuttle services to and from the airport.
Trains
No other European air facility stands as close to a major railway station as Southampton Airport, which is a mere stroll away from the Southampton Airport Parkway Station. Each hour, up to three trains make the one-hour journey to London's Waterloo Station, although it should be noted that many other InterCity destinations can also be reached directly from the station.
Taxis
Airportcarz, the main resident taxi service, operates 24 hours, seven days a week. Passengers can book taxis in advance or visit the Airportcarz office opposite the Arrivals area. The taxi stand is located to the left of the terminal building.
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