Bristol and Bath to Southampton cruise terminal
Southampton is the nearest big cruise port to Bath and Bristol, and the drive is a pleasant one through Wiltshire and the edge of the New Forest. A private car collects you from home or your hotel and takes you to your ship's terminal: from Bath about 63–64 miles and from £136 per car, from Bristol about 105–106 miles and from £218.
Fares from Bath
| Ship terminal | Saloon up to 4, 2 cases | MPV up to 6, 4 cases | Executive up to 3 | 8-seater up to 7 | Road miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Cruise Terminal | £139 | £155 | £172 | £205 | 64 |
| QEII Cruise Terminal | £140 | £156 | £173 | £206 | 64 |
| City Cruise Terminal | £136 | £153 | £169 | £202 | 63 |
| Horizon Cruise Terminal | £136 | £153 | £169 | £202 | 63 |
| Mayflower Cruise Terminal | £138 | £154 | £171 | £204 | 63 |
Fares from Bristol
| Ship terminal | Saloon up to 4, 2 cases | MPV up to 6, 4 cases | Executive up to 3 | 8-seater up to 7 | Road miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Cruise Terminal | £219 | £235 | £252 | £285 | 105 |
| QEII Cruise Terminal | £220 | £237 | £253 | £286 | 106 |
| City Cruise Terminal | £218 | £234 | £251 | £284 | 105 |
| Horizon Cruise Terminal | £218 | £234 | £251 | £284 | 105 |
| Mayflower Cruise Terminal | £219 | £235 | £252 | £285 | 105 |
Guide fares per vehicle, one way, for a weekday daytime journey, luggage included; the same fares apply from the ship. The Bath fares are from Bath Spa station and the Bristol fares from Temple Meads; other addresses are priced exactly on the booking page. Fridays, weekend mornings and peak hours carry a supplement, shown before you pay. A return booked with the outward trip costs 1.9 times the single fare.
Two routes to the port
- Via Bath, Warminster and Salisbury (A36). From Bath this is the natural route, about 63–64 miles across Wiltshire to Salisbury, then down to the M27 and into Southampton. From Bristol it adds the run to Bath first, about 75 miles in all. It is the shorter route and the more scenic, with single-carriageway stretches where a tractor or a caravan can slow things down.
- Via the M4, A34 and M3. From Bristol the motorway route is longer, about 105–106 miles, but it is fast dual carriageway nearly all the way, and the journey time ends up much the same as the A36.
Our guide fares from Bristol are based on the motorway route, so there is no extra charge if traffic on the A36 makes it the better choice. The driver checks both before leaving.
When to leave home
| Your check-in slot | Pick-up in Bath | Pick-up in Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00–12:00 | 09:00 | 08:45 |
| 12:00–13:00 | 10:00 | 09:45 |
| 13:00–14:00 | 11:00 | 10:45 |
| 14:00–15:00 | 12:00 | 11:45 |
These allow around two hours from Bath and a little more from Bristol, enough for a slow tractor on the A36 or a busy M4. On a summer Saturday add 15 minutes.
A stop on the way: Salisbury and Stonehenge
Coming from Bath, the A36 runs straight through Salisbury, where the cathedral has the tallest spire in Britain and one of the four surviving 1215 copies of Magna Carta. Stonehenge is a short detour to the north. If you have a mid-afternoon check-in slot, a stop for a walk or lunch turns the transfer into part of the holiday. See our pre-cruise stopovers page for ideas, and tell us when booking so we allow the time.
Train or private car?
Bath and Bristol are among the few places with a direct train to Southampton: Great Western Railway runs from Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa to Southampton Central, around 1 hour 30 minutes from Bath. For one or two people with light bags it is the cheapest option. The catch is the two ends: getting to the station with luggage, and a taxi from Southampton Central to the dock. Our Southampton Central to cruise terminal transfer covers the second part if you go by train.
For families and couples with cruise cases, the car is easier. From Bath, four people sharing an MPV pay about £38 each.
From Bristol and Bath to the docks across a winter Wiltshire
The roughly 64 miles from Bath to Southampton cross some of the quietest countryside on any of our routes, through Wiltshire and along the edge of the New Forest. In winter those rural roads are the ones most likely to carry frost and ice, and they are unlit for long stretches. In the New Forest, ponies and deer wander onto the road in the dark, which is a good reason to take the last section steadily. From Bristol the journey is longer, and we allow for that when setting a winter pickup time.
Trains from Bristol and Bath to Southampton are not direct for everyone and can involve a change, and engineering works around Christmas and New Year make that less predictable still. With winter luggage and a fixed boarding window, a car is the simpler choice. A Salisbury stop on the way remains possible in winter, though shorter daylight means it works best earlier in the day. On the way home we track the ship's arrival, so a weather delay does not leave you waiting at the terminal.
- Steady pace on icy, unlit Wiltshire and New Forest roads.
- Warm car from Bath or Bristol instead of a cold change of train.
- Ship tracked on return, so a stormy docking moves the pickup.
- Room for winter coats and cases at the fixed fare.
Outside the cruise season, our Heathrow to Bath executive car covers winter flights, and the London to Bristol chauffeur route links the city with the capital.
Questions
How much is a car from Bath to Southampton cruise terminal?
From £136 for a saloon (up to 4 people, 2 large cases) and £153 for an MPV (up to 6 people, 4 cases), per vehicle, one way, luggage included.
How much is a car from Bristol to Southampton cruise port?
From £218 for a saloon and £234 for an MPV, per vehicle, one way. The guide fare is based on the motorway route of about 105–106 miles.
How long does the drive take?
From Bath about 1 hour 45 minutes via the A36 and Salisbury. From Bristol about 2 hours, either via Bath and the A36 or on the M4, A34 and M3; the two take a similar time and the driver picks the quicker on the day.
Is there a direct train from Bristol or Bath to Southampton?
Yes. Great Western Railway runs direct trains from Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa to Southampton Central, around 1 hour 30 minutes from Bath and a little longer from Bristol. You then need a taxi from the station to the ship.
Can we stop at Salisbury on the way?
Yes. Salisbury is on the A36 route, and a short stop for the cathedral or lunch is easy to arrange. Tell us when booking so we can allow the time.
Can you collect from Bath or Bristol for a Christmas or New Year cruise?
Yes. We pick up from Bath, Bristol and the villages in between for festive sailings, which are concentrated in the days from 19 to 22 December. You pay one fixed price for the car, with luggage costing nothing extra. In winter we set the pickup a little earlier to allow for frost and slower going on the rural stretches through Wiltshire.
How do you allow for winter roads home to the West Country if the ship is late?
We track the ship's actual arrival, so if bad weather delays docking, the pickup time moves with it. On the drive home the Wiltshire roads are taken at a sensible pace in poor conditions. You may get home a little later than planned, but without hanging around in the cold at the terminal.
Related transfers and guides
- Oxford to Southampton cruise terminal
- Birmingham to Southampton cruise terminal
- Southampton cruise terminal to Paddington
- Pre-cruise stopovers: Winchester, the New Forest and Stonehenge
- Southampton Central station to the cruise terminal
- Every station, airport and area we cover
Pickups from London and the Home Counties: Heathrow to Southampton, Gatwick to Southampton, Central London to Southampton, Kensington and Chelsea, Canary Wharf, Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridge.