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简体中文Not yet assessed Our reading of the sources below, not an official rating.
Stations, bridges and harbours from our guide where we hold a photo; each links to the area page that lists it.
Without a car
Getting here
By train
South Western Railway runs from London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour in about 90 minutes, according to the Historic Dockyard, and to Southampton Central in about 1 hour 20 minutes, according to Visit Southampton. Great Western Railway links the two cities in about 50 minutes. 1
South Western Railway (opens in new tab) · Visit Southampton: getting here (opens in new tab) · Visit Portsmouth: by train (opens in new tab)
By coach
Most national coaches to Portsmouth stop at The Hard Interchange by the Historic Dockyard. Southampton's National Express coach station is on Harbour Parade; Visit Southampton says coaches to London Victoria take about 2 to 3 hours. 2
National Express (opens in new tab) · Historic Dockyard: getting to us (opens in new tab)
By air
Southampton Airport is about 22 miles from Portsmouth, according to Visit Portsmouth. Trains from Southampton Airport Parkway reach Southampton Central in under 10 minutes. Gatwick and Heathrow are about 60 miles from Portsmouth. 3
Southampton Airport guide (opens in new tab) · Visit Portsmouth: by air (opens in new tab)
By sea
From Portsmouth, Brittany Ferries sail to France and Spain and Condor Ferries to the Channel Islands; Wightlink and Hovertravel cross to the Isle of Wight. From Southampton, Red Funnel runs from Town Quay to the Isle of Wight. 4
Visit Portsmouth: ferries and hovercraft (opens in new tab) · Red Funnel (opens in new tab) · Ferry ports guide (opens in new tab)
Once you are there
Walk the Portsmouth waterfront
Visit Portsmouth describes a flat walk from the Historic Dockyard past Gunwharf Quays, Old Portsmouth and Clarence Pier to the D-Day Story and Southsea Castle. 5
Gosport Ferry
The ferry from Portsmouth Harbour to Gosport runs every 15 minutes and takes 4 minutes, according to the operator. 6
Southampton on foot and by bus
Visit Southampton says the centre is mostly flat. Bluestar is the main bus operator, and the Quayconnect bus links Southampton Central with Town Quay every 35 minutes. 7
Between the two cities
Great Western Railway trains run between Southampton and Portsmouth in about 50 minutes, according to Visit Southampton. 8
Stops near each area
From our area guides (Portsmouth and Southampton): the stations and stops listed for each base. See each area's Getting there page for more.
Portsmouth Harbour & Old Portsmouth
- Portsmouth Harbour station: South Western Railway trains from London Waterloo. At The Hard, about 200 yards from the Dockyard entrance
- The Hard Interchange: Local buses and most national coaches. Next to the station and the Dockyard's Victory Gate
- Gosport Ferry: Foot ferry to Gosport every 15 minutes. A 4-minute crossing, according to the operator
- Wightlink: Car ferry to Fishbourne and passenger catamaran to Ryde. Isle of Wight services; check Wightlink for times
Southsea
- Portsmouth and Southsea station: South Western Railway and Southern. In the city centre, north of Southsea
- Park & Ride PR1: From the site off junction 1 of the M275. Every 15 minutes to the city centre and The Hard; extended to Southsea on summer weekends
- Hovertravel: Hovercraft from Southsea seafront to Ryde Pier. Under 10 minutes, according to the operator
Southampton Old Town & City Centre
- Southampton Central: South Western Railway, Southern, Great Western Railway and CrossCountry. The main station, west of the Civic Centre
- Quayconnect bus: Southampton Central to the Red Funnel terminals at Town Quay. Every 35 minutes, about 7 minutes' ride
- Red Funnel: Red Jet and vehicle ferries from Town Quay to the Isle of Wight. Foot passengers from 30 minutes, vehicles from 60 minutes, according to the operator
- National Express coach station: Coaches to London Victoria and beyond. On Harbour Parade; about 2-3 hours to London
- Southampton Airport Parkway: Trains to Southampton Central. Under 10 minutes, according to Visit Southampton
No timetables or fares are copied here: check the operator or Traveline for the day you travel. Taxis and ride-hailing apps operate in most towns, but we have no sourced coverage data for rural areas, so do not count on one at short notice.
With a car
By car and Park & Ride
Portsmouth's Park & Ride is off junction 1 of the M275, with PR1 buses every 15 minutes to the city centre and The Hard. Southampton is reached by the M3 and M27; its Park & Ride runs on weekends and bank holidays. 9
General rules (driving on the left, licences, roundabouts, speed limits in mph, parking, tolls, EV charging): Driving in Britain. Charge points: Zapmap (opens in new tab).
To and from other regions
Straight-line distance from our region centres, and the fastest train time that National Rail publishes on its destination pages (not a timetable; it may include a change). Where we found no figure we say so. The full table is on getting between regions.
| To or from | Straight line | Fastest train (National Rail) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | 97 km (61 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Bristol | 116 km (72 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Cambridge | 178 km (111 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Cardiff | 152 km (94 miles) | 2 h 21 min 10 | National Rail's Cardiff page gives Southampton to Cardiff as 2 hr 21 min and Portsmouth to Cardiff as 3 hr 13 min. |
| Cornwall | 277 km (172 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Edinburgh | 582 km (362 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Glasgow | 592 km (368 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Liverpool | 308 km (192 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| London | 107 km (67 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Manchester | 300 km (187 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Northern Ireland | 562 km (349 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Oxford | 100 km (62 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Stratford & Warwickshire | 158 km (98 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Cotswolds | 122 km (76 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Jurassic Coast | 94 km (58 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Lake District | 420 km (261 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Peak District | 269 km (167 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| The Scottish Highlands | 745 km (463 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| Wales | 239 km (148 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
| York | 346 km (215 miles) | No official figure found. Check National Rail (opens in new tab) | — |
Figures retrieved 25 Oct 2026 for the intercity data. Timetables change.
Stations in our data
28 stations and stops (Portsmouth and Southampton)
OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via Overpass API. Fetched 2026-11-03. This is the list behind the near-me page, not a complete list of stations.
- Bitterne (rail), South Western Railway
- Botley (rail), South Western Railway
- Bursledon (rail), South Western Railway
- Chapel Road (station)
- Cosham (rail), South Western Railway
- Dragonfly Halt (station)
- Exbury Central (station)
- Exbury North (station)
- Fareham (rail), South Western Railway
- Fareham Bus Station (bus)
- Fratton (rail), South Western Railway
- Gosport Bus Interchange (bus)
- Hamble (rail), South Western Railway
- Hilsea (rail), South Western Railway
- Hythe Pier (station)
- Hythe Town (station)
- National Express Southampton Coach Station (bus)
- Netley (rail), South Western Railway
- Piccadilly (station)
- Portchester (rail), South Western Railway
- Portsmouth and Southsea (rail), South Western Railway
- Portsmouth Harbour (rail), South Western Railway
- Sholing (rail), South Western Railway
- Southampton Central (rail), South Western Railway
- St Denys (rail), South Western Railway
- Swanwick (rail), South Western Railway
- The Hard Interchange (bus)
- Woolston (rail), South Western Railway
Official links
- Visit Portsmouth: travel information (opens in new tab): train, car, buses, ferries and parking
- Visit Southampton: getting here (opens in new tab): rail, air, sea, coach and car
- Visit Southampton: getting around (opens in new tab): buses, Quayconnect, taxis and Park & Ride
- Portsmouth Historic Dockyard: getting to us (opens in new tab): station, coaches and the Dockyard car park
- South Western Railway (opens in new tab): trains from London Waterloo
- National Rail: Portsmouth Harbour (opens in new tab): station facilities and step-free access
- Gosport Ferry (opens in new tab): Portsmouth to Gosport every 15 minutes
- Hovertravel (opens in new tab): Southsea to Ryde by hovercraft
- Wightlink (opens in new tab): Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight
- Red Funnel (opens in new tab): Southampton to the Isle of Wight
More on Portsmouth and Southampton: Portsmouth and Southampton guide · how to get there
Questions people ask
Can I get around Portsmouth and Southampton without a car?
We have not yet assessed getting around Portsmouth and Southampton. The official links below, and the region guide, are the place to start.
Do I need to check a driving zone in Portsmouth and Southampton?
We found no charging or low emission zone for Portsmouth and Southampton in the official pages we read. Check the council site before you drive in.