Expert: Michael - 1/27/2007

Question
Ok- thanks-- But what is the taxi ride cost from the bus terminal in Southampton to the ship (one way)?-- I have checked out your info and I can get a senior price for the bus from the airport to the bus terminal in Southampton--I am comparing the cost of the bus from the airport directly to the ship-- against the senior fair and the taxi cost. Thanks.
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
My wife and I will be at Heathrow airport and need to go to Southamption to pick up a cruise ship (and return). What is the best solution to this issue?  Can I hop on a special bus, hire a car, or take a train? Also, how much time will this transfer take?- Thanks.
-----Answer-----
Hello Richard,

Thanks for your question.

You can get direct coach services from London Heathrow Airport direct to Southampton. Journeys depart from the central bus station at the airport, and last about 2 hours, arriving at Southampton's City Centre Coach station. From here, you could take a short cab ride to any of the docking bays for your cruise.

Tickets will cost around £21 (US$40) for an adult return, or £14 (US$27) for a single. Children and over-60s can get reduced rates on these services.

You can book your coach tickets in advance by visiting our national coach provider's website at http://www.nationalexpress.com/

For information, other options would be either more complex, or more expensive. For example, there is no direct train service from Heathrow to Southampton, so to travel by train would require a connecting bus service first to an intermediate station. Equally, while a taxi-cab would be more direct, these are likely to be considerably expensive from airports - a standard 4-seater cab would cost around £100 (US$195)each way. If you are interested in this option, a website such as http://www.minicabhire.com/ will be helpful. It might be worth shopping round on the internet, searching for 'taxi heathrow southampton' to compare prices.

I hope that this information is of use to you. You may also find our national journey planner service helpful. You can access it at http://www.transportdirect.info/
This is a national service provided by our government's Department of Transport which contains information on all forms of public transport, as well as routes for car journey planning - which would give you an indication of journey time if you were to take a cab.

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy you cruise, and find travelling in Britain as smooth as possible.

Kindest Regards
Michael

Answer
Hi Richard,

I can only provide an estimate of the cost of a taxi, as there a couple of different docks, and I don't actually live in the area, but for such a relatively short journey I wouldn't expect the fare to be anything more than £8 to £10.
Hope that helps
Michael