London Heathrow Airport to / from Southampton
Transferring Between Heathrow & Southampton Cruise Terminals
 |
| Southampton - Heathrow National Express Coach |
Key Facts Traveling Between Heathrow & Southampton
Southampton is around 65 miles from Heathrow Airport. The only direct public transport are National Express coach services between Heathrow and Southampton bus stations. Most of these services take around 2 hours.
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. No bus service goes to any of the cruise terminals, you need to take a short taxi ride, (see below).
There are 4 passenger terminals at Heathrow far apart from one another
There 4 passenger terminals at Heathrow are 1,3, 4 and 5. Which terminal you will arrive at is largely determined by the airline you fly, not where you are flying from, North American flights for example fly into all four terminals. It makes little difference if you are using a private transfer but if however you are using public transport it's worth getting to know the implications of the passenger terminal. These are explained in detail on the linked detail pages, see further down the page.
 |
 |
 |
 |
How long will it take to travel between Southampton and Heathrow
By road in a private vehicle it will take about 80 minutes between a Heathrow passenger terminal and the Southampton cruise terminals.
However, Mondays to Fridays going towards Heathrow from a typical cruise arrival you will normally encounter significant road congestion. The journey can take 2 hours or more.
Going in the other direction towards Southampton, normally the only problem day is 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.
The only direct public transport between Southampton and Heathrow is the National Express bus
The only direct public transport between Southampton and Heathrow is run by National Express. Crudely the buses run about every 2 hours and take around 2 hours to complete the journey.
All buses terminate or start at the Heathrow Bus Station. This is between Terminals 1 and 3 at Heathrow, the buses do not go to the terminals themselves. Its about a 10 minute walk with a luggage trolley and is underground from within the terminals using moving walkways and lifts.
Most buses also pick up and set down at both Terminal 4 and 5, a few miles from Terminals 1 and 3, but do check on your particular schedule to be completely sure.
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 - Heathrow By Bus - Full Details
You can travel by train, but very few do because ...
There is no direct train service between Heathrow and Southampton. Instead there is a bus connector service that shuttles between Heathrow and Woking station which is on the main London - Southampton rail route.
As the train option takes more time than the bus and is also more expensive few people use this option. If the buses are fully booked or bus schedules are not good for you, the indirect train option is there for you.
Southampton - Heathrow By Train - Full Details
Public Transport Indicative Costs Between Southampton and Heathrow
| Southampton - Heathrow Public Transport (Indicative Adult price per person) | |||
| Transport | Journey Time | One Way | Return |
| National Express Bus | 135 mins | £16.50 | £25.00 |
| Rail (Off Peak Fare) | 110 mins | £17.50-£25.00 | £45.10 |
| Rail (Anytime Fare) | 110 mins | £29.80 | £59.60 |
| Taxi required between Southampton bus/rail station and cruise port - approx
£6-£9 per taxi Rail times based on a RailAir coach to Woking from Heathrow and getting Southampton train there. More Details - Public Transport Heathrow - Southampton |
|||
Southampton To/From Heathrow By Private Car or Bus / Mini-Bus Charter
There are no shared shuttle services between Heathrow 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 of traveling.
There are also some interesting places along, or not far off the road between Southampton Heathrow, notably Stonehenge and Windsor Castle. Using a private vehicle its easy to turn your transfer into an efficient, cost-effective tour.
Southampton - Heathrow By Private Vehicle - Full Details
Southampton - Heathrow Private Vehicle Transfer (Cost Per Vehicle) |
||||
| Vehicle | Journey | Rate | Max People | Luggage Capacity |
| Saloon / Sedan Car* | 80 mins | £99 | 3 | 3 cases |
| Estate /Station Wagon* | 80 mins | £110 | 3 | 6 cases |
| MPV Van* | 80 mins | £142 | 5 | 10 cases |
| 8 Seat Bus | 80 mins | £205 | 8 | 16 cases |
| 12 Seat Bus | 80 mins | £250 | 12 | 16 cases |
| 16 Seat Bus | 80 mins | £300 | 16 | 16/20 cases |
| 21 to 52 Seat Bus | 80 mins | 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 - Heathrow - Southampton Private Vehicle Transfers |
||||
Southampton To/From Heathrow 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 3.5 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 Heathrow via Stonehenge - More Details
What is the earliest flight out of Heathrow 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 Heathrow about 10:30 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 Heathrow by 9 a.m., nearer 8 a.m. at the weekend.
If you are using public transport, a bus say leaving the bus station at Southampton at 9:45 a.m. gets to Heathrow just before midday.
What if I have a late afternoon or evening flight out of Heathrow?
There are terminal lounges and some Heathrow hotels have day rooms.
A very nice option is to spend time in Windsor, only 15 minutes drive from Heathrow. 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.
 |