Travel to Southamtpon
Travel by train
Southampton is on the South Coast about 80 miles from London. The train service for Southampton leaves from Waterloo Station and there are 3 trains (2 fast) per hour throughout the day. Southampton has two stations, Southampton Parkway, near the airport for arrivals from the North and Southampton Central for arrivals from the East or West. The unilink bus is available from both stations and will bring you straight to the University.
Travel by coach
For those arriving by plane into Heathrow, the easiest way to Southampton is by the National Express coach service. The coach service is two-hourly from the coach station which is adjacent to the bus station at the centre of the airport complex. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes and tickets should be purchased in the bus station. For those arriving at Gatwick there is a good train service from Gatwick direct to Southampton. Alternatively, you can take the express train from Gatwick to Victoria, underground to Waterloo, and then train to Southampton, but this is rather expensive. Stansted Airport is much less convenient being sited North of London. There are National Express bus services but they involve changing at Heathrow and it takes about 4 hours. By train you need to travel through London including underground between Liverpool Street and Waterloo.
If you are travelling in a group, take a taxi to Southampton and share the fare, it is the most convenient if not the cheaper option. Certainly, you will be able to arrange to go back to the airport in a shared taxi, once you get to know people on the course.
Travel by air
You may consider flying directly to Southampton Airport. There are many daily direct flights from several European cities. There is a unilink bus stop at the airport
Travel by car
For those using their car, parking is available on the university campus but spaces are quickly taken. Please email Janice Sumner (J.K.Sumner@soton.ac.uk) in advance for a free visitors parking pass (subject to availability). It is best to park your car at the hotel and come in on the bus.
Additional information including maps of the area and campus, coach and train times is available from the links on the right of this page.