London Gatwick to / from Southampton

Transferring Between Gatwick & Southampton Cruise Terminals

Southampton Train Station
Southampton - Gatwick National Express Coach

Key Facts Traveling Between Gatwick & Southampton

Southampton is around 90 miles from London Gatwick Airport. Direct train services between Gatwick and Southampton take around two hours, however trains do not run on Sundays direct. Buses take slightly longer but are cheaper.

Alternative taxi and private transport should take around 2 hours direct between the Gatwick passenger terminals and Southampton cruise terminals.

There are no shared van shuttle style services available.


There are 4 cruise terminals at Southampton far apart from one another

A key aspect to remember at Southampton is that there are four cruise terminals strung along about two miles of the waterfront at Southampton.

We have a Southampton map that depicts the relative position of each cruise terminal to the bus and rail stations.


There are 2 passenger terminals at Gatwick far apart from one another

There are 2 passenger terminals at Gatwick, North & South. There is a free and frequent train shuttle service between the two terminals. The main railway station for Southampton and London is integrated into the South Terminal. The National Express buses to Southampton pick up from outside both terminals.


How long will it take to travel between Southampton and Gatwick

By road in a private vehicle it will normally take just under 2 hours between a Gatwick passenger terminal and the Southampton cruise terminals.

However, Mondays to Fridays going towards Gatwick from a typical cruise arrival you will normally encounter significant road congestion. The journey can take 3 hours or more depending on the local knowledge of your driver.

Going in the other direction towards Southampton, if you are traveling before 10 a.m. you may encounter road congestion of around 20 minutes and on a Summer Saturday when the road down to Southampton can be almost gridlock in the morning as Londoner's flock to the beaches along the same road. Again a 'good' driver will know lots of route alternatives to bypass the bottlenecks.


The cheapest public transport between Southampton and Gatwick is the National Express bus

In 2011, National Express introduced a direct bus service between Gatwick Airport and Southampton. Crudely the buses run about every 2 hours and take around 2.5 hours to complete the journey.

At Gatwick buses pick up and set down in front off both terminals, North and South.

At Southampton, buses do not go to the cruise terminals, you will require a short taxi ride between the bus station and cruise terminal.

There is a luggage policy that is 'European' a maximum of two cases in the luggage hold, neither of which should weigh more than 20kg (44lb).

Southampton - Gatwick By Bus - Full Details


The fastest public transport between Southampton and Gatwick is by train, though not on Sundays

There is a broadly hourly direct train service between Gatwick and Southampton. The rail station at Gatwick is integrated into the South Terminal. There is a free shuttle train from the North Terminal.

On Sundays there are no direct trains. Instead there are very frequent trains between Gatwick and Clapham Junction where you can board trains on the London to Southampton line. You only need a single ticket for the two journeys even though they are run by different train companies.

Southampton - Gatwick By Train - Full Details

Public Transport Indicative Costs Between Southampton and Gatwick

Southampton - Gatwick Public Transport (Indicative Adult price per person)
Transport Journey Time One Way Return
National Express Bus 2 hours 30 mins £5.50/£7.50 £11.00/£15.00
Rail (Off Peak Fare) 2 hours £14.90 £29.80
Rail (Anytime Fare) 2 hours £30.10 £55.90
Taxi required between Southampton bus/rail station and cruise port - approx £6-£9 per taxi
Rail times based on direct Southampton to Gatwick services that are not available Sundays.
More Details - Public Transport Gatwick - Southampton

Southampton To/From Gatwick By Private Car or Bus / Mini-Bus Charter

There are no shared shuttle services between Gatwick and Southampton. If you do not take public transport you will need to hire your own vehicle and driver.

If you have a small group this can be a very cost effective as well as fast and comfortable.

Southampton - Gatwick By Private Vehicle - Full Details


Southampton - Gatwick Private Vehicle Transfer (Cost Per Vehicle)
Vehicle Journey Rate Max People Luggage Capacity
Saloon / Sedan Car* 2 hrs £115 3 3 cases
Estate /Station Wagon* 2 hrs £120 3 6 cases
MPV Van* 2 hrs £165 5 10 cases
8 Seat Bus 2 hrs £250 8 16 cases
12 Seat Bus 2 hrs £300 12 16 cases
16 Seat Bus 2 hrs £350 16 16/20 cases
21 to 52 Seat Bus 2 hrs p.o.a 17+  
Prices include all taxes and are per vehicle. *
Car/Vans only have £5 airport fee in Heathrow - Southampton direction to cover parking.
More Details - Gatwick - Southampton Private Vehicle Transfers

Southampton To/From Gatwick Via Stonehenge (or Windsor, Salisbury, Bath ...)

The world famous Stonehenge is just a short detour when traveling between London & Southampton.

With one hour visiting Stonehenge (the most time, most people need) the entire journey will take around 4 hours. This is a very convenient, efficient and affordable way of viewing Stonehenge without having to take a day out of your vacation on a dedicated tour from London.


There are a lot of alternatives we can offer to places like Windsor, Bath and Salisbury where our drivers will also provide guiding. We now have years of experience offering customised tour transfers from just a couple to very large groups.

Southampton to/from Gatwick via Stonehenge - More Details


What is the earliest flight out of Gatwick I should contemplate

You weren't expecting a black and white answer were you ?. It all depends on your cruise and your attitude to risk.

Most cruises arrive at Southampton between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. with most starting assisted disembarkation at around 7 a.m. This continues until around 9 a.m. It is very hard to get a firm assisted disembarkation time in advance of your cruise. Most private car companies meeting passengers find that the bulk of independent travelers get off after 8 a.m. and will not turn up on the off chance at 7 a.m. unless there is good reason to believe you will get off then.

Many cruises will have unassisted disembarkation prior to 7 a.m. If you can get an assurance from your cruise this will be available to you, people will turn up to transport you then.


In overview then, if you are using a private car or bus with normal disembarkation, reckon on getting to Gatwick about 11:00 a.m., then add on your airline's check in time and a contingency you are comfortable with. If you get unassisted disembarkation at say 6:45 a.m. you should be at Gatwick by 9.30 a.m., nearer 8.45 a.m. at the weekend.

If you are using public transport, a train say leaving the train station at Southampton at 9:10 a.m. is due at Gatwick at 11:07.


What if I have a late afternoon or evening flight out of Gatwick?

There are terminal lounges and some Gatwick hotels have day rooms.

A very nice option is to spend time in Windsor, about 50 minutes drive from Gatwick. We have a private service, both cars and buses where we will drop you off in Windsor and keep your luggage. We will then meet your party at an agreed time with your luggage and take you to the airport. There is a flat charge for this, no matter how long you choose to stay in Windsor, see our Windsor late flight solution section. We can also provide a custom day transfer tour visiting world class attractions like Stonehenge, Salisbury and Oxford with perhaps a pub lunch along the way.