Cruise Ports Info

National Express is widely trusted and highly reviewed across the UK. We love these coaches, they are large, comfortable and air conditioned. They generally have friendly drivers who will make sure all your luggage is loaded and unloaded safely.

Travelling by coach is one of the cheapest options, unless you are travelling with a large group whereby the price could be equivalent to getting a private minibus. With National Express, of course prices vary, but it’s generally around £30 per person, with luggage included (check the full luggage policy here: National Express Luggage Policy).

That said, a con with travelling by coach from Gatwick is the length of the journey. It can be up to 4 hours long which is twice the time it would take by car.

To book head to National Express. Once there, type Gatwick in the travel from section. Check if you are arriving into North or South Terminal so you can select the correct departure point. You can then choose the best one for you. Next, type Southampton in the travel to section. Select Southampton Coach Station Harbour Parade.

Choose the date you arrive at the airport (sounds obvious but make sure you select the flight arrival date, not the cruise sail away date). Select the return date if you’re taking the coach both ways, enter the amount of passengers and click find your journey.

For the return journey make sure to book a coach arriving at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight time.

We have to be honest, taking the train in the UK right now is a risky option. There have been ongoing mass strikes since 2022, they’ve eased off in 2025 but they haven’t stopped entirely. However, if you have plenty of time, you are able-bodied and not an anxious traveller, then the train could still work out for you.

So why would you book a train? You could use this option if you’re going into London for a visit before going to Southampton. Or if you’re going direct to Southampton it is going to be a lot quicker than the coach.

Train prices in the UK are dynamic. This means the price will go up and up until the time of departure. The best time to book for a cheap price is 12 weeks before departure date, as this is when the special advanced rates go on sale.

For the train, head to Trainline to book your tickets. It’s the booking site the majority of the UK uses for it’s train bookings, it’s super user friendly and free to use. Check below for more details on which stations you need to search.

For Gatwick Express tickets, you can purchase them at the ticket machines at the airport, but for guaranteed seats and better prices; book online in advance at Gatwick Express. You’ll only need Gatwick Express tickets if you’re taking this option paired with the train.

Journey Time: Approx 2 hours 20 minutes

The Gatwick Express is a train that will take you to Brighton Train Station that takes just 26 minutes. If you’ve arrived at least the day before the cruise, this would be a nice opportunity for a side adventure. Brighton is a unique and famous beach town in the UK. If you would like help planning a day out in Brighton, please contact us here.

Next you’ll catch the train from Brighton Station to Southampton Central. It’s a direct train which will take about 1 hour 50 minutes.

Journey Time: Approx 1 hour 39 minutes

When you search Gatwick Airport to Southampton Central on Trainline, there are several options. The one you should go for is the 1 hour 39 minute, 1 change train. The reason for this is, it’s a nice easy change. You’re going from Gatwick Airport to Clapham Junction and switching platforms to take the rest of the journey to Southampton Central.

You can take the train from Gatwick Airport to London Bridge or London Victoria. These tickets can be booked in advance on Trainline by searching Gatwick Airport to London (Any) and choosing the best timed train for you/arrival station for your accommodation.

From there you can get a black cab, an Uber, a bus or the tube again to your accommodation. You’re welcome to contact us here if you need any help on mapping out this or any part of your journey.

Alternative: Gatwick Express and National Express do also take you into London, if you’d prefer.

Booking a car or minibus is the only way to leave the airport and get to your Southampton hotel with door to door service. This is going to be your best option if you’re travelling in a larger group or a family with small children or if you’re with elderly people.

Of course the total cost will be higher than the other options we’ve described, but depending on how many adults you are travelling with it could actually be more cost effective than the coach or train.

The other major benefit of this option is that you should be safe to travel on boarding day. Of course, leaving as early possible is always going to be the best way to avoid stress from unexpected delays.

We recommend booking with IRide – they have a fantastic online booking system. You can book up to 8 passengers and choose to pay by cash or card. The website looks like a third party booking system. But it isn’t, it’s a Southampton based taxi firm. They also have at least one female taxi driver, who was a wonderful chauffeur for our last trip to Southampton Port. They have set rates which range from £130 to £180 depending on the amount of passengers and luggage.

Whilst Southampton is a much smaller airport than Heathrow and Gatwick, you will still be battling a lot of people wanting a taxi. If you’re in a larger group, you’ll have to wait for multiple taxis to be available. Prebooking adds a level of comfort, knowing you’ll be all set and ready to be whisked to your accommodation.

We recommend catching the train if you have accommodaton booked within a 5-minute walk of Southampton Central Station. In this case, you can just follow signs to Southampton Airport Walkway and jump on a train for around £9 that takes between 7 and 11 minutes.

If you want or need to get a taxi from Southampton Central Station, follow the Southampton Stations to your Accommodation guide above.

For the train, head to Trainline to book your tickets. It’s the booking site the majority of the UK uses for it’s train bookings, it’s super user friendly and free to use. You’ll need to search Southampton Airport Parkway to Southampton Central Station.