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Bath to Portsmouth Historical Dockyard

Posted by on

Nest Spring we are planing to visit, starting in Bath without a car then driving roughly the Rick recommended itinerary Cotswolds, N Wales, Lake District finishing in York.

Our problem is that we would like to spend a day in Portsmouth and that makes for quite a bit of backtracking. I am considering remaining in Bath an extra night and doing it as a day trip. Google gives it 1:50 to 2:20 each way by car and that's not too appealing. The Great Western Railway covers the route direct in 2:30.

My question is, will we find the rail journey relaxing, scenic, or are we just setting ourselves up for 5 hours of cramped boredom? Will there be food service? Neither of us have been on a train outside of the US so we have no idea what to expect.

Posted by
2600 posts

wouldn't it make more sense to start in Portsmouth then go to Bath? (I assume you're actually starting at LHR)

it'll be less cramped than a car and you can stand up and stretch your legs

there'll likely be a trolley service where you can buy sandwiches, crisps, hot/cold drinks

Posted by
2599 posts

Yes, it would definately make more sense to start from Portsmouth Harbour & then go to Bath before picking up the hire car. The trains should take about 2 hours 20 minutes to do the trip. They are Express Sprinters on this route. Watch out for any coaches with open flap windows as that is a sure sign that the air-con is not working - so find a coach with closed windows. The trains are usually only 3 coaches and can get quite busy. (5 coach trains are due on this route in 2017>18).

The cheapest you can do Portsmouth Harbour to Bath is £10.50 one way > providing you pre-book ahead a specific train around 10 weeks ahead. Even getting a ticket the day before should get you a ticket for around £14 and you can reserve a seat. (If you don't like your seat, you can go to another one that has no reservation tab). Book tickets with GWR and you will get a booking number. Use same debit card in UK - insert into ticket machine - type in Booking Number & out will come the tickets. Alternatively, take booking number to staffed office. Please check the following site for engineering works as the Bath area is being electrified.https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering

This site is good for finding train times & fares:> www.nationalrail.co.uk

If driving, you have 2 routes. One involves driving around the N of Southampton on M27 & then M3 towards Winchester - which is worth a visit. Then A34 north to join M4 near Newbury and then west before dropping down into Bath - which is congested.
The other route involves poorer roads (not dulled) via Salisbury - worth a visit > and Stonehenge is also 'just a few miles north'.
http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp

Suggest you look at the roads on Google Earth.

Posted by
98 posts

The section of the rail journey between Bath and Salisbury is scenic, running beside the river for a while and in generally appealing countryside. The section between Southampton and Portsmouth is intermittently interesting.
If you drove via Salisbury most of the journey between Bath and the outskirts of Southampton is pleasant enough but the motorway from Southampton and Portsmouth is often congested and certainly not scenic. The train is much better.

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