Southampton cruise terminal to London Waterloo
Waterloo is the London station with direct trains to Southampton, and the South Bank around it is full of hotels that cruise passengers use before and after sailing. If you have cruise luggage, a private car between Waterloo and your terminal saves two taxis and a train: about 82–83 miles, from £198 per car, door to ship.
Fares between your terminal and Waterloo
| 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 | £199 | £214 | £229 | £259 | 82 |
| QEII Cruise Terminal | £200 | £215 | £230 | £260 | 83 |
| City Cruise Terminal | £198 | £213 | £228 | £258 | 82 |
| Horizon Cruise Terminal | £198 | £213 | £228 | £258 | 82 |
| Mayflower Cruise Terminal | £199 | £214 | £229 | £259 | 82 |
One-way guide fares per vehicle for a weekday daytime trip, luggage included; the same either way. Waterloo is inside the area where our central London surcharge applies, which is included above. Fridays, weekend mornings and peak hours cost a little more, and the exact fixed fare shows before you pay. A return booked at the same time costs 1.9 times the single fare.
Price the ship to Waterloo transfer Or call +44 20 8888 9988.
Waterloo to Southampton: train or car?
We are a car company, but the train from Waterloo is a good service and sometimes it is the right answer. Here is how the two compare for a cruise.
| Train from Waterloo | Private car | |
|---|---|---|
| Journey | Fast train to Southampton Central in about 1 hr 20, then a taxi to the terminal | One car from the hotel or station to the terminal's set-down area |
| Door to ship | Usually 2 to 2½ hours including getting to Waterloo and the taxi at the other end | About 2 to 2¾ hours from central London |
| Luggage | You lift every case on and off the train and into a taxi | Loaded once, unloaded by the porters at the terminal |
| Cost for 4 people | Four rail tickets plus a taxi at each end | One MPV fare, from £213 |
| Best for | One or two people travelling light | Families, groups, large cases, limited mobility |
If you do take the train, our Southampton Central to cruise terminal transfer meets you at the station, which saves the taxi queue on a busy embarkation morning. There is more detail in London to Southampton: train, coach or car.
Staying on the South Bank before your cruise
The hotels around Waterloo, Westminster Bridge and the South Bank are popular with cruise passengers because the river, the London Eye and Westminster are on the doorstep, and the morning drive out of London starts on the right side of the river for the M3. A typical plan for embarkation day:
- Pick-up from your hotel door between 09:00 and 10:00 for a late-morning or early-afternoon check-in slot.
- Out through Vauxhall and south-west London to the M3, then about an hour and a quarter down the motorway.
- Set down at your terminal, where porters take your cases.
After the cruise, the reverse works just as well: most ships are cleared by mid-morning, and you can be back on the South Bank by lunchtime. If your plans involve an evening Eurostar instead, see Southampton cruise terminal to St Pancras.
Meeting points at Waterloo station
Waterloo's roads and kerbs are busy and the rules on where cars can wait change with building work around the station. The driver sets down at the nearest permitted point to the main concourse and helps with the cases; for a pick-up, the driver meets you under the departure boards with a name board and walks you to the car. If you are arriving on a train into Waterloo East or from the Underground, tell us and we will meet you at the right entrance.
Ship to Waterloo in winter, when the direct trains are least reliable
Waterloo has the direct trains to and from Southampton, which is why many cruise passengers assume the railway is the obvious choice. In winter that is less true. Engineering works and replacement buses tend to bunch around Christmas and New Year, there is little or no rail service on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and getting from the ship to Southampton Central still needs a taxi. A car from the terminal to the South Bank avoids every change and every platform wait in the cold.
Ships usually reach Southampton by about 06:00, but stormy crossings can make one late. Your driver tracks the ship and waits for you, then drives up the M3 into London, with fog and wet-weather traffic factored into the timing. Drop-off can be at the station itself or at a South Bank hotel, which is convenient if you are staying in London for a night over the festive period before heading home.
- No reliance on festive rail timetables or replacement buses
- Ship tracked, so a weather delay moves the pickup rather than ending your booking
- Heated car and dry loading at the terminal kerb
- Saloon for two large cases or MPV for four after longer winter voyages
For a winter evening in London before or after your cruise, the theatre and fine dining chauffeur is handy from South Bank hotels, and the Southampton to London chauffeur runs year-round.
Questions
How much is a car from Southampton cruise terminal to Waterloo?
From £198 one way in a saloon (up to 4 people, 2 large cases) and from £213 in an MPV (up to 6 people, 4 cases), per vehicle, including luggage and waiting while you leave the ship.
Is there a direct train from Waterloo to Southampton?
Yes. South Western Railway runs fast trains from London Waterloo to Southampton Central in about 1 hour 20 minutes. From Southampton Central you still need a taxi to the cruise terminal, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Is the train or a car better for getting to a Southampton cruise from Waterloo?
The train is cheaper for one or two people with light luggage. A car is easier with large cases, children or anyone who finds stairs and platforms hard, and for four people sharing an MPV it costs about £53 each.
How long does the drive take?
About 82–83 miles. Allow around 2 hours with clear roads and up to 2 hours 45 minutes on a weekday morning; leaving London on a Friday afternoon is the slowest time.
Can you pick up from South Bank hotels near Waterloo?
Yes. We collect from any hotel door around Waterloo, the South Bank, Lambeth and Southwark and plan the pick-up around your check-in slot.
Do you run ship-to-Waterloo transfers after Christmas, New Year and repositioning cruises?
Yes. We collect from all five terminals after festive itineraries, selected winter sailings and repositioning voyages that finish in Southampton, and drive to Waterloo or a nearby hotel. The fare is fixed per vehicle and agreed before travel, and your luggage is included, however much the winter packing has grown.
If our ship is late because of the weather, will the car still take us to Waterloo?
Yes. The driver follows the vessel's live position and berthing updates, so a delay beyond the usual 06:00 arrival just moves the pickup. Once you are through the terminal, ring the driver and the car comes to the set-down area. There is no need to rebook or queue at a taxi rank in the rain.