We have purchased our tickets for the Hop On/Hop Off in London but we will need a way to get from Southampton to London and back later that same day. I've been looking at possibly taking the train. The last rate I saw was 64 pounds for the two of us. We are both over 60. Does that price sound about right or is it rather high? Would we be better off purchasing train tickets once there? Would taking the motorcoach be a better choice? Your help is much appreciated.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33995 posts
A coach may be a touch cheaper but is likely to be Considerably slower, and to go such a long distance and back in one day I should have thought that going more quickly would be more valuable than a few pounds saved.
You might be able to get a discount on the National Express coaches because of your age - I don't do buses except local ones - and I don't know about Megabus but I wouldn't want ride on one of those even more than I don't want to ride National Express.
On the trains you can only get a discount for being old - although 60 is by no means old - if you pay £30 each for a Senior Railcard, or £30 together plus photos for a Two Together Railcard. If you are only doing this one trip it would never pay off.
If you have found £64 for two, return, that's pretty good - only £16 per person each way.
How soon? What date? What day of the week? When does your ship dock and when do you have to be back onboard?
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you for your reply. Yes we would rather be able to spend more time in London than on riding a bus to get there. Never having been there before and usually driving everywhere here in the U.S., I just wasn't sure about the train ticket price. Thank you for your input on it.
We are spending a few days in Southampton before we sail out of the port there. We arrive the morning of Nov. 1 so don't expect to be doing much that day after flying all night. Want to visit the Sea Museum and the Tudor House in Southampton. Spend a day in London and go to Portsmouth one day. Would also like to visit the National Auto Museum in Beaulieu one day. That should take up our days there.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5554 posts
Too high? That's a good price for two people! Train travel in Britain is very expensive especially in comparison to the excellent rail networks throughout Europe that are owned by the government.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
According to https://www.viamichelin.com/ by road it takes 2 hours and costs £22 in fuel, plus parking plus car hire costs. Not that I would ever suggest you should drive into central London, but purely for comparison. In practice it will take longer due to road congestion, and a bus would take even longer due to stops.
I looked up http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ for a random day in October, this is showing fares "from" £32.30 per person return with advance booking, about what you posted, and it takes 1 hour 25.
A train is more comfortable, faster and more reliable.
Portsmouth is also easy by train. Beaulieu I don't know about.
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2600 posts
if yo can choose your day go on a Saturday or Sunday as cheaper off-peak tickets are valid all day - -just buy at the station
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you to all who have replied. You have convinced me to purchase tickets for the train to London. I honestly did not know so i do appreciate your replies.
Posted by
Oxford, United Kingdom
5466 posts
The absolutely cheapest price is £9.10 per person one way for an Advance, limited to the booked train. If you don't see anything this low, then the quota at this price has already been filled.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
If you have not already booked a hotel, we stayed at the Ibis two years ago before a cruise, and found it convenient and quite decent hotel, to boot.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Norma, thank you but we are staying at an Airbnb location in Southampton for 5 nights. Friends stayed at various Airbnb locations last year while traveling in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Good experience for them. Hope we will have the same experience.
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
mtet53
We found the taxi company called West Quay to be very professional and friendly, and affordable for tours here and there in the S'hampton area, and to deliver us to the QM2 dock on departure day.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
Another answer to a question you didn't ask: If time permits, try to get to Winchester, whose cathedral is one of the best. It also has the tomb of Jane Austen if you're into her books. About 15 minutes by train from Southampton Central, don't know the fare but it must be cheap.
Posted by
2599 posts
You could also go by train to Salisbury - which has a medieval cathedral. Shuttle buses operate from here to Stonehenge.http://www.thestonehengetour.info/timetable
Trains take as little as 29 minutes to get from SOU > SAL and the return fare is only £10.50 (off peak) = 9.10am or later on weekdays. Pay at Southampton station on the day. www.nationalrail.co.uk