Transport in and around Southampton
A great way of to get comfortable with the any new culture is to explore the area. There are different ways to explore Southampton and the nearby towns, villages and cities, such as Winchester, New Forest, and Portsmouth.
Taxis and E-vehicles
Southampton city centre is walking distance from the university accommodations. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, there are rentable Voi E-scooters and Beryl Bicycles around the city that you can ride to get you from one destination to another.
If you want a quicker and more luxurious arrival, you can book an Uber or one of many Southampton taxi companies to take you and your friends to places. The cost varies depending on the time of day, what day you are requesting the ride on and where you are going from.
Taxi services in Southampton include:
Public transport
To reach areas outside Southampton, and if you do not have a car, the best option would be public transport. There are many different options for this, so have a read of the below to see which one works best for you!
Trains
To reach areas outside Southampton, and if you do not have a car, the best option would be public transport. We have direct trains from Southampton that can get you to London Waterloo station in as fast as 1hour and 21minutes.
The main train station is Southampton Central Station, but the other smaller stations around Southampton are:
- Bitterne
- Millbrook
- Redbridge
- Sholing
- Southampton Airport Parkway
- St Denys
- Swaythling
- Totton
- Woolston
Booking your tickets in advance will be cheaper than buying tickets on the day of travel.
It is recommended to also buy a railcard, which is a discount card for train travel. You can get up to 1/3 off the price of your train ticket. You have to show your railcard when travelling if you used this to save money on your ticket.
You can buy your train tickets and a railcard via The Trainline.
Coaches
Coaches are cheaper than trains, but take longer. We have direct coaches to London Victoria, lasting approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes.
Similar to trains, remember to book your tickets in advance as they will be cheaper than buying them on the day of your travel.
There are two main coah services that run through Southampton, which are:
The National Express stations are:
- Southampton Coach Station (Harbour Parade)
- University of Southampton
National Express offers student discounts and you can also purchase a coachcard.
The Megabus stations are:
Red Funnel
Southampton is near an island called the Isle of Wight, which is the largest island in England. There are various activities and landmarks on the Isle of Wight, such as beaches, dinosaur remains and fossils, and The Needles – 3 huge rocks guarded by a 19th-century lighthouse.
You will need to take the Red Funnel car ferry from Town Quay, Southampton, to East Cowes, Isle of Wight.
You can travel on the ferry with vehicle or as a passenger only.
The journey will take around one hour each way, and you don’t need passport/visa to visit!
The Red Funnel has various discounts available here.