The Southampton Central train station is conveniently located for embarking on a cruise from any of the terminals at Southampton. It can often be the quickest way to travel to and from Southampton, but is it the best option?
I’ve compiled this post full of useful information to help you decide whether travelling to Southampton via train is the right option for you, or if you should consider another transportation method.
What is the Closest Train Station to the Cruise Terminal in Southampton
The closest train station to the cruise terminal in Southampton is Southampton Central. Depending on which port you’re departing from, it’s between 0.5 – 2 miles from the terminal. There are always taxis outside the train station waiting to take people with luggage to the cruise terminals, or you can get an Uber if you prefer.
Walking is always an option depending on how much luggage you’ve brought, but I think a 10 minute car journey for a small fee is better than dragging your suitcase along the pavement for 2 miles!
How Far Are the Cruise Terminals From Southampton Central Train Station?
The cruise terminals span quite a wide area along the coast of Southampton, and therefore the distance to the terminal from the station is dependent upon which terminal you’re travelling from.
This distance to each cruise terminal from Southampton Central train station are as follows:
| Terminal | Distance by Road | Distance on Foot |
| City Cruise Terminal | 0.9 miles | 0.6 miles |
| Horizon Cruise Terminal | 0.8 miles | 0.5 miles |
| Mayflower Cruise Terminal | 1.4 miles | 1.1 miles |
| Ocean Cruise Terminal | 1.9 miles | 1.3 miles |
| QEII Cruise Terminal | 2.2 miles | 2 miles |
Walking to the Cruise Terminals
Walking is certainly an option if you’re up for it. The furthest you will need to walk is to QEII cruise terminal at a distance of 2 miles.
This is probably further than most are prepared to walk, but if you find yourself arriving early on a nice sunny day, it’s certainly tempting. Particularly as there are a couple of parks you can walk through.
Of course, walking is completely free of charge, but could take around 40 minutes if you need to walk as far as the QEII terminal. Although there are plenty of places to stop off for a pint along the way!
Taxi/Uber
In my opinion, this is the best way to get from the train station to your departure cruise terminal. This is because Ubers are readily available, although be aware that their prices are based on demand, so if you arrive at a busy time, the fee will likely be higher.
There are always taxis waiting in the taxi rank outside the train station, and a taxi ride to the cruise terminal will set you back about £10 or less, depending on which cruise terminal you’re departing from and traffic conditions.
Taking a taxi also means you don’t need to haul your luggage around for 2 miles just to save £10!
Bus
The bus is an option, but you might have to wait 10 minutes for it to arrive, then it can take 20 minutes to get to the cruise terminal with stops and traffic. It doesn’t drop you at the ship, so you still have another 5-10 minute walk at the other end, by which time it would’ve been just as quick to walk!
It will only cost a couple of quid, but honestly I think it would be better to get a taxi, or even walk.
Fly
If you’re cruising from Southampton but don’t live in the UK, then clearly this will be the quickest and easiest option for you.
However, if you’re in the UK, but travelling from the North of England, or Scotland and live fairly close to an airport, then flying could be the best option for you rather than train.
Southampton airport is only a 20 minute drive away from the cruise terminal, which means getting an Uber/Taxi from the airport a good choice.
There is also the Southampton Airport Parkway train station, which has trains in to Southampton Central every 10 minutes and costs less than £5, but you then need to factor in getting from Southampton Central train station to the cruise terminal.
Overall, flying is probably going to cost you more depending on your location, but it could also be the fastest and most convenient for you, so don’t rule it out.
Is the Train the Quickest Way to Southampton?
In many cases, the answer is no. Southampton isn’t the easiest place to get to by any transportation method unless you live quite close.
Most people that will take the train will have to settle for an indirect route, and the majority of those will need to change in London.
London Waterloo is the only train station with direct trains to Southampton Central. That means if your train gets into any other London station, you’ll need to haul your luggage on to the tube and over to Waterloo to get the next train.
From my location in the South West, my only option is to get the train to Paddington, and then get the tube over to Waterloo, which is why I never get the train to Southampton because of the inconvenience. Plus trains cost a lot of money!
You also need to factor in the reliability of the trains. In 2023, we’ve had a lot of train strikes in the UK, causing lots of delays and cancellations to all services.
I take the train to London multiple times a month and regularly find delays/cancellations even without strikes, so do factor that into your plans as well.
Final Thoughts
Taking the train will be the right choice for some people, but factor in the additional costs of getting a taxi, or the additional walking time from the train station. Also consider any transfer times you might have while waiting for your connecting train if your route is indirect.
My preferred method of getting to Southampton is to drive and pay for parking, or take of on the dedicated cruise coach services that drops you off at the ship.
If you’re considering either of those options, then my coach recommendations are here and my Southampton car parking guide is here.