Oxford to Southampton cruise terminal
Oxford is about an hour and a half from the Port of Southampton, almost all of it on the A34 and the M3. A private car collects you from your home, college or hotel in the city and takes you and your luggage to your ship's terminal, about 69–70 miles, from £149 per car with the fare fixed when you book.
Fares from Oxford to each cruise terminal
| 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 | £150 | £166 | £183 | £216 | 70 |
| QEII Cruise Terminal | £151 | £167 | £184 | £217 | 70 |
| City Cruise Terminal | £149 | £165 | £182 | £215 | 69 |
| Horizon Cruise Terminal | £149 | £165 | £182 | £215 | 69 |
| Mayflower Cruise Terminal | £150 | £166 | £183 | £216 | 70 |
Guide fares per vehicle, one way, from central Oxford for a weekday daytime journey, luggage included; the same fares apply from the ship back to Oxford. Summertown, Headington, Botley and Kidlington are priced at much the same level. Fridays, weekend mornings and peak hours carry a supplement and the exact fixed fare shows before you pay. A return booked with the outward trip costs 1.9 times the single fare.
Price Oxford to the ship Or call +44 20 8888 9988.
Down the A34 to the ship
From the ring road the car joins the A34 south at Botley or Hinksey, runs past Abingdon and Didcot, over the Berkshire Downs to Newbury and down to the M3 at Winchester. Southampton is about 20 minutes beyond. It is dual carriageway or motorway almost all the way, about 69–70 miles, and around 1 hour 30 minutes without traffic.
The A34 is the main lorry route from the port to the Midlands, and the stretch round the west of Oxford is slow at rush hour. On a weekday morning, allow up to two hours. The driver checks live traffic before setting off and the fixed fare stays the same whatever the route.
Pick-ups in the city
Central Oxford has bus gates, pedestrian streets and college lanes that cars cannot use, so on the morning the driver will meet you at the nearest place a car can safely stop. Common pick-up points include St Giles, Beaumont Street and the station forecourt. For colleges, tell us which lodge or gate you will come out of. For hotels, the driver comes to the main entrance, or to the closest legal stopping point if the hotel is on a restricted street.
North Oxford, Summertown, Headington, Jericho and the villages round the city are simple: the driver comes to your door.
When to leave Oxford
| Your check-in slot | Weekday pick-up | Saturday or Sunday pick-up |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00–12:00 | 09:00 | 09:15 |
| 12:00–13:00 | 10:00 | 10:15 |
| 13:00–14:00 | 11:00 | 11:15 |
| 14:00–15:00 | 12:00 | 12:15 |
These get you to the port early in your slot, which is when check-in is quickest. If you are visiting Oxford before a cruise and staying in the city, the same times apply from your hotel.
Car or the CrossCountry train?
Oxford is one of the few places with a direct train to Southampton: CrossCountry's service from the north calls at Oxford and runs to Southampton Central in a little over an hour. If you are one or two people with light luggage, it is good value, but you still need a taxi from Oxford station at one end and from Southampton Central to the ship at the other. Our Southampton Central to cruise terminal transfer covers that last leg.
For a family or a couple with cruise cases, the car from your door is simpler. Four people sharing an MPV pay about £41 each, and the luggage is handled once at each end.
Oxford to Southampton for winter cruises: the A34 in the dark months
The A34 is the direct line from Oxford to the M3, and at around 69–70 miles it is one of the quicker county runs to the ship. In winter it is also exposed: the stretch over the downs north of Newbury is prone to fog and frost, and the road has few easy alternatives if an accident closes a section. Drivers check the overnight forecast and live traffic before collecting you, and on frosty mornings they leave enough slack for a slower crossing of the high ground.
Michaelmas term ends in early December, and that is when some college staff and visiting families start their festive travel. Most Christmas cruises leave Southampton between 19 and 22 December, and even where a train runs from Oxford it still leaves you needing a taxi from Southampton Central to the dock. On Christmas Day and Boxing Day there is little or no rail service, so a car is the practical option for MSC Preziosa's departure on 25 December.
On the way home, the driver watches your ship's progress. Vessels usually berth by about 06:00, but a stormy Biscay crossing can delay arrival or move the berth time, and the A34 north is easier to plan once you know when the car will actually leave the terminal. After a normal docking, you can be back in Summertown, Headington or Jericho well before lunch.
- Departure time set the night before around fog and frost on the A34 downs
- Pickups from college lodges, North Oxford houses and Headington hotels
- Heated car instead of a cold wait on the platform at Oxford station
- Ship arrival tracked so a storm-delayed docking does not strand you at the terminal
Between cruises, Oxford clients use our London to Oxford chauffeur and Luton Airport to Oxford service for winter flights and term-time travel.
Questions
How much is a car from Oxford to Southampton cruise terminal?
From £149 for a saloon (up to 4 people, 2 large cases), £165 for an MPV (up to 6 people, 4 cases) and £182 for an executive car, per vehicle, one way.
How long does it take to drive from Oxford to Southampton docks?
About 69–70 miles. Allow 1 hour 30 minutes on a clear road and up to 2 hours at rush hour, when the A34 around Oxford is slow.
Is there a direct train from Oxford to Southampton?
Yes, CrossCountry runs direct from Oxford to Southampton Central in a little over an hour. From the station you need a taxi to the cruise terminal. With cruise luggage, a car from your door is usually easier.
Can you collect from an Oxford college or hotel?
Yes. Give us the college or hotel name and the gate or entrance to use. City-centre streets have access restrictions, so the driver may meet you at the nearest point a car can stop, such as St Giles or Beaumont Street.
Do you cover the rest of Oxfordshire?
Yes. Fares from Abingdon, Witney, Bicester, Banbury and the other towns are on our Oxfordshire to Southampton cruise terminal page.
Can you take us from Oxford to a Christmas or winter repositioning cruise?
Yes. Oxford passengers travel with us to the pre-Christmas departures on 19–22 December, to MSC Preziosa on Christmas Day, and to autumn repositioning voyages; Celebrity Apex's 18 October crossing to Port Canaveral is a typical example. The fare is fixed and agreed before you travel, with luggage included whatever the season.
If our ship is held up by weather, will the driver still meet us for the drive back to Oxford?
Yes. The driver tracks the ship from before setting off and adjusts the pickup if it docks late. You do not need to rebook or go looking for a taxi rank; you come ashore, ring the driver, and head up the A34 as soon as your cases are loaded.