Southampton cruise terminal to London: fixed-fare transfers
- ✓ TfL-licensed operator · licence 11588
- ✓ Fixed price per car, luggage included
- ✓ Flights tracked · 60 min free airport waiting
- ✓ Driver details sent before you travel
- ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours
Your driver tracks the ship, waits at your terminal and takes you straight to your door in London. The fare is fixed from £176 per car, luggage included, and there is no charge for waiting while the ship clears.
Fixed fares from the ship to London
| Pick-up terminal | Saloon (up to 4) | MPV (up to 6) | Executive | Road distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Cruise Terminal | £176 | £191 | £206 | 81 miles |
| QEII Cruise Terminal | £176 | £191 | £206 | 81 miles |
| City Cruise Terminal | £181 | £196 | £211 | 84 miles |
| Horizon Cruise Terminal | £181 | £196 | £211 | 84 miles |
| Mayflower Cruise Terminal | £183 | £198 | £213 | 85 miles |
One-way fares per vehicle, luggage included. The drive takes around 2 hours once you are away from the port. Book the outward and return trips together and the pair is charged at 1.8 times the single fare.
What time you actually leave the ship
| How you disembark | Off the ship | In the car |
|---|---|---|
| Self-disembarkation (carry your own bags) | 07:15–08:15 | 08:00–08:30 |
| Assisted, early luggage tag | 08:00–08:45 | 08:45–09:15 |
| Assisted, standard luggage tag | 08:45–10:00 | 09:30–10:15 |
Ships are usually alongside by 06:00, but nobody walks off until Border Force and the port have cleared the ship. If you are catching a train or a flight from a London airport afterwards, allow at least 2½ hours from leaving the ship to reaching central London on a weekday morning. The full working is in our guide to the earliest flight you can book after a Southampton cruise.
How the pick-up works
- You give us the ship name and disembarkation date. The driver checks the ship's arrival that morning.
- The driver waits at your terminal's pick-up area. There is no waiting charge while you clear the ship and collect your cases.
- You message the driver once you have your luggage. The number is in your confirmation, and WhatsApp works.
- We drop you at your home, hotel or a London station. Journeys into the Congestion Charge zone include the charge in the fare.
A saloon takes up to 4 people with 2 large cases. An MPV takes up to 6 people with 4 large cases. After a long cruise, most couples with two big cases and shopping are more comfortable in an MPV.
Private car, coach or train to London?
The cruise lines sell coach seats to the airports and London. They are cheaper for one or two people, but the coach waits until it is full, and it can make several stops. A train from Southampton Central means getting yourself and your cases from the terminal to the station first. For three or more people with cruise luggage, a private car usually costs about the same per head and gets you there sooner. See cruise line transfer vs private car and train, coach or car.
From the ship to London in winter: hotels, homes and holiday weeks
Coming off a winter cruise at dawn and heading for London is a different job from the summer equivalent. The ship is usually alongside by about 06:00, the M3 can be blanketed in fog until mid-morning, and if you sailed over Christmas you may be returning in the week between Boxing Day and New Year's Day, when engineering works are common and rail services to Waterloo can be disrupted or replaced by buses.
Your driver tracks the ship and meets you at the terminal entrance, so there is no queue at a station rank and no carrying cases along a platform. London hotels often hold check-in until the afternoon, so many guests leave their luggage with the concierge and head out for breakfast. If you are going home instead, the fixed fare covers your whole party and its luggage, door to door, in a heated car.
- Collection timed to the ship's arrival, not a guess
- Drop-off at your hotel entrance or your own front door
- A heated car for a frosty early start
Staying on in town? Our West End theatre and dining chauffeur is ideal for a winter evening out, and the Southampton to London route runs year-round.
Questions
How much is a transfer from Southampton cruise terminal to London?
From £176 one way for a saloon (up to 4 people) and from £191 for an MPV (up to 6), per vehicle with luggage included. The exact fare depends on your terminal.
How long does it take from Southampton cruise port to London?
Allow around 2 hours by car (81–85 road miles), plus the time it takes to leave the ship.
What if the ship is late or disembarkation is slow?
The driver tracks the ship and waits at the terminal, with no waiting charge while you clear the ship.
Can we book the outward and return trips together?
Yes. A return booked together costs 1.8 times the single fare, and each leg keeps its own driver details and timings.
Can you bring us from the ship to London after a Christmas or New Year cruise?
Yes. Returns over the festive period are among the busiest weeks for us, precisely because public transport is at its thinnest. Book with your ship, return date and London address, whether that is a hotel or your home, and we quote one fixed fare for the car with every case included.
If bad weather delays our ship, how is the collection time decided?
We check the ship's progress on the morning it is due and adjust the driver's timing if it is running late. Storms can delay a berth by hours in winter, but the collection follows the ship, so your car will be there when you walk out with your cases.
More Southampton cruise guides
- Southampton cruise terminal to Heathrow
- Southampton cruise terminal to Gatwick
- Ship to flight connections
- London to Southampton cruise terminal (outbound)
- All five Southampton cruise terminals
Going home after the cruise: Southampton to Heathrow, Southampton to Gatwick, Southampton to Paddington, Southampton to King's Cross, Southampton to London City Airport, Southampton to Southend Airport.
From the ship to London: train, coach or private car?
Should you take the train, a coach or a private car from Southampton's cruise terminals into London? All three work. The right choice depends on your luggage, your group size and how early your disembarkation slot is.
- Train: South Western Railway runs from Southampton Central to London Waterloo, about 1 hour 15 minutes on the faster services. The catch is that none of the five terminals (Ocean, Mayflower, City, Queen Elizabeth II and Horizon) is at the station, so you need a taxi first. Then come luggage racks, stairs and crowds at Waterloo with cruise-sized cases.
- Coach: Usually the cheapest, but you still need to reach the coach stop, and you are tied to a fixed departure.
- Private car: Terminal kerb to hotel door, with no changes. For two people it costs more; for four with heavy bags it often compares well with rail fares plus taxis.
Allow around two hours by road to central London, longer in afternoon traffic on the M3. Book your car for after your expected disembarkation time, not at the moment the ship docks.
Q: Is there a train from the Southampton cruise terminal to London?
A: Not from the terminal itself. You take a taxi to Southampton Central, then a South Western Railway train to London Waterloo, about 1 hour 15 minutes on faster services.