Getting Around, Southampton Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK)
The public transport in and around the city of Southampton is excellent and buses, coaches and trains are all in plentiful supply, being reasonably priced and extremely convenient. Southampton is well linked to the south of
England by a series of fast motorways and prominent A-roads, and is also connected to
France and
Spain by numerous ferries, which operate from its busy harbour.
Visitors flying into this part of Hampshire will arrive at the nearby Southampton International Airport, close to the city's Swaythling district. The airport features a range of ground transport, with popular travel options including car rental, buses and taxis.
Southampton International Airport (SOU) / Arriiving by Air
Address: Wide Lane, Southampton, Hampshire, SO18 2NL, UK
Tel: +44 870 040 0009
A modern and busy international gateway,
Southampton Airport can be found approximately 4 miles / 6 km, on the north-eastern side of the city. The airport is serviced by a number of major airlines, including British Airways and Air France. Popular destinations include
Amsterdam,
Brussels,
Derry,
Paris and
Zurich, together with many popular holiday resorts around Spain.
Southampton Airport Guide
Car Rental
Car hire companies are available both at the airport and around Southampton city centre, with popular firms including Alamo, Auto Europe, Hertz and also Thrifty. Although the city centre can get busy at times, driving around Southampton is rarely a problem and traffic jams are usually quick to clear. Plenty of large car parks are dotted around the city, with a number alongside the numerous shopping centres, including the popular West Quay.
Those looking to travel outside of central Southampton will find the city extremely well connected to the West Country. The M27 borders the city's outskirts and links to the M3 and also the M271. Other prominent roads in the Southampton area include the A33, the A3057, Winchester Road, Shirley Road and Portsmouth Road. Hire cars provide the perfect way to explore the countryside surrounding Southampton and day trips to nearby
Bournemouth,
Christchurch,
Poole, the
New Forest, Fareham and
Portsmouth are all possible.
Buses and Coaches
Tel: +44 023 8022 4854
City buses in Southampton travel around much of the city and are operated by First Southampton, the Solent Blue Line and also UniLink. Bus fares tend to be fairly inexpensive and travelcards and season tickets are available, offering useful discounts. City buses also provide transport to and from Southampton Airport, while National Express coaches travel further afield, linking Bournemouth,
London and
Heathrow, Portsmouth and
Winchester, amongst other locations. A 'Wilts and Dorset' bus is available and connects many nearby towns in the New Forest area.
Trains
Regular trains travel between the city's Central Station and London's Waterloo station every two hours, with a journey time of around one hour and 20 minutes.
Further trains travel to and from Bournemouth (30 minutes), Portsmouth (50 minutes), and Winchester (20 minutes), all of which operate every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day.
Taxis
The city's main taxi ranks are located around the bus and train stations, the harbour area and at a number of central locations. Taxis are never far from the Mayflower Theatre along Commercial Road, and the central Guildhall, particularly after a performance.
Boats and Ferries
Address: Ocean Gate, Atlantic Way, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 3QN, England, UK
Tel: +44 023 8048 8800
Ferries operating at Southampton are run by Red Funnel and travel to Cowes on the
Isle of Wight, and also to Hythe in the New Forest area. Cross-channel ferries are also available at the harbour and are operated by Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, LD Lines ad also P&O, linking many European destinations, such as Cherbourg in France, and
Bilbao in Spain. Southampton's port is one of the biggest and most important harbours on the whole of England's southern coastline.
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