traveller69

We are flying into London (Heathrow) and will stay a couple of days before going to Southampton to board our cruise ship. I understand the train is the best option to go to Southampton. I would like to find an area that would be convenient not only to get to from the airport but easy to get to the train station. We stayed in the Mayfair area last September so we know our way around a little bit. Any suggestions would be appreciated and also am I correct about the train being most convenient way to the cruise ship? Thanks in advance.

Cathinjoetown

Frequent trains to Southampton depart from London Waterloo which would be the fastest way to get to your ship. There are two stops in Southampton--Southampton Parkway (airport) and Southampton Central. I think you would want Central but if I'm wrong, someone will soon correct me.

Waterloo is a reasonable taxi journey from West End hotels--Trafalgar Square or Covent Garden area or a hotel on the South Bank such as the Marriott County Hall would be closest to Waterloo.

willit

To confirm, the quickest way to Southampton is train from Waterloo (normally 2 or 3 an hour), and you do need Southampton Central station. Get a taxi from there to the Ferry Terminal - it as around 2 miles

flanneruk

It depends on how much luggage you've got.

There's no hotel attached to Waterloo station. There are a few half a mile west - like the Marriott County Hall - which are spectacularly located (ie they've got fabulous views and they're on the river in the middle of the posh culture zone) and require a blissful walk along the river to get to the station. Restaurants in the immediate vicinity are pretty mediocre, though.

If your luggage makes this impractical, you're going to need a taxi anyway. If Shakespeare and Bach aren't your idea of a perfect night out, you'd be better off in Mayfair.

To get helpful advice on this, though, I think we need to know why being near Waterloo is so important. Nowhere in the centre is more than a 10 min tube journey away.

traveller69

Thanks for the replies. I don't need a hotel within walking distance - just want to be sure I get one that would be easy enough by taxi as we will have luggage and I didn't know where the train station was. Now I can take a look at the hotels. Thank you again!