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Getting To Stonehenge by Car

Posted by (Virginia ) on

I will be docking in Southampton on May 10th. I want to visit Portsmouth and my son wants to see Stonehenge. We have one night to spend, a car that needs to be picked up AND dropped off in Southampton after our visit to Stonehenge on May 11th.

We’ll spend the 10th, picking up the car & driving to our Portsmouth hotel close to the marina for tours of the Mary Rose Victory.

About 10a on Saturday, May 11th, we’ll drive to Stonehenge. My question: How much time will it take to drive there, see the stones, go through the exhibit & drive back to Southampton? We need to catch a train to London & have a 3 night stay at the Park Plaza County Hall in Waterloo.

We’d like to get to Waterloo Station to enjoy Saturday night in the area with a nice dinner. Any recommendations for good seafood nearby?

I need to book a train from Southampton to London on Saturday after visiting Stonehenge & dropping my car off at the station. My question is: What time should I book the train out of Southampton to London? I was thinking 4p but will we be able to see Stonehenge in its totality & be back to SOU in time for the 4pm train? I’d like to get to London earlier if I can.

Someone with knowledge of the area & traffic expectations on a Saturday in May… Please advise me as to the best plan! ( I wanted to drive to London & drop off the car around Waterloo, but there’s a huge drop off fee. Same for the Gatwick Airport & Heathrow. It adds a couple 100 to the car rental rate.

Thanks for your help, everyone!!
Carole Berry

Posted by
890 posts

Are you picking up the car in central Southampton or at Southampton airport? The latter is easier to get back to and there is a station to Waterloo there. If you haven't booked the car it might be worth pricing up pick up in Southampton and drop off at the airport - that might not generate a drop-off fee.

The drive should be something like 75-90 minutes there and an hour back to the airport. That should leave you plenty enough time to see Stonehenge and get back for a train.

Given the train only takes 80 minutes from Southampton and 70 from the airport I presume that you could book a train more like 5pm and still have plenty of time for an evening out in London.

Posted by
3774 posts

You do realize these two trips can be done by train from Southampton?

Posted by
2425 posts

I really don’t know why you are bothering with renting a car. You can go from Southampton to Portsmouth Harbour by train. You can go by direct train from Portsmouth Harbour (via Southampton) to Salisbury from where you can take a shuttle bus to Stonehenge. On returning to Salisbury, the medieval cathedral is well worth seeing. Rather than return to Southampton, you could take a direct train to London (Waterloo).

Could you not stay overnight in Salisbury?

Trains >https://www.nationalrail.co.uk
https://www.thestonehengetour.info/bus-timetable/
https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk

Posted by
1069 posts

"Portsmouth hotel close to the marina for tours of the Mary Rose Victory." What marina would that be or do you mean Gunwharf Quays? Those ships are in Portsmouth Dockyard.

Posted by
160 posts

Yes, I’m sorry for the mis wording …I meant Gunwharf Quays. I shouldn’t have said marina since the historic ships are in the dockyard.

Posted by
160 posts

After reading the suggestions from all of you, I’ve definitely decided that the common sense thing to do is to go from Portsmouth by train to Salisbury! Thank you for your advice!
I still want to save time while seeing Salisbury & getting to visit Stonehenge! Are there any private guides that give tours of the area? There’s so much to see in Salisbury & it would be nice to have someone telling us all the history & driving us to Stonehenge for a tour.

Any thoughts?

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