Purchasing Tickets for Public Transport: Trains/busses in the UK are usually significantly cheaper if booked in advance, and frequently discounts are available through "split-ticketing" and third-party services:
- Rail: SplitTicketing, Trainline
- Bus: National Express, Trainline
Travel from Airports to Southampton
1. From Southampton Airport:
- Bus: There are Unilink U1C buses every 15 mins departing from the stop Airport Parkway Station. -- see the Local Travel section below for onward journey information.
- Taxi/Uber [20-25 min.]: A taxi (Uber) from Southampton Airport usually costs roughly £20.
2. From London Heathrow Airport: Efficient journeys to Southampton by both rail and bus are available, please see the details below:
- Rail via London Waterloo: Take the London Underground (Tube) to London Waterloo Station, travelling east on the Elizabeth Line. Change either to the Jubilee Line at Bond Street, or to the Northern Line at Tottenham Court Road, heading south until you reach Waterloo. For a tube map click here. See the Travel from London section below for details on trains from Waterloo Station to Southampton, which run roughly every 30 minutes.
- Rail via Reading: Take the RA1 RailAir (Central Reading) bus from Heathrow Central Bus Station to Reading Bus Station. Then, walk about 2 mins to Reading Rail Station. Take the CrossCountry Bournemouth train (usually Platform 7) to get to Southampton Central Station. See the Local Travel section below for onward journey information.
- Bus: National Express can take you directly from Heathrow Central Bus Station to the University of Southampton within about 2 hours. If you land at Terminals 2 or 3, you need to walk about 5 mins to Heathrow Central Bus Station. When you arrive there, board the National Express Bus 205. The bus also stops at terminals 4 and 5 in the arrivals section (tickets can be bought from ticket machines inside the terminal or online). Your coach will stop at the University of Southampton and at Southampton Coach Station in the city centre (closer to the conference venue). Note that the coach, while conveniently direct, runs only every 2.5 hours.
- Taxi/Uber [90 min.]: A taxi (Uber) from Heathrow usually costs roughly £120.
3. From London City Airport:
- Rail via London Waterloo: Take the London Underground to London Waterloo Station, following the DLR Line west, changing to the Jubilee Line at Canning Town. For a tube map click here. See the Travel from London section below for details on trains from Waterloo Station to Southampton, which run roughly every 30 minutes.
- Taxi/Uber [170 min.]: A taxi (Uber) from London City usually costs roughly £160.
4. From London Gatwick Airport:
- Rail: Direct trains will take you from Gatwick Airport to Southampton Central Station within 2 hours. See the Local Travel section below for onward journey information.
- Taxi/Uber [105 min.]: A taxi (Uber) from Gatwick usually costs roughly £100.
5. From London Stansted Airport:
- Rail via London Waterloo: First travel to London Waterloo Station, for example using the National Express bus, which runs roughly every 30 minutes. See the Travel from London section below for details on trains from Waterloo Station to Southampton, which run roughly every 30 minutes.
- Taxi/Uber [160 min.]: A taxi (Uber) from Stansted usually costs roughly £160.
Travel from London to Southampton
From London the most convenient option is the direct SWR train from London Waterloo Station to Southampton Central Station. These trains run approximately every 30 minutes until late in the evening. To purchase rail tickets, please refer to the links at the top of this page. See the Local Travel section below for onward journey information.
Local Travel in Southampton
Please note that the National Oceanography Center bus stop is called "NOCS".
Airport Parkway Station to/from National Oceanography Center (venue):
Take the U1C bus from any of the stops Airport Parkway, Airport Terminal, or Post Office Centre, which will bring you directly to the National Oceanography Center. The travel time is about 50 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a short SWR train from Southampton Airport Parkway to Southampton Central Station, and then follow the bus instructions below. This cuts the travel time to about 35 minutes, but is a bit more expensive.
Southampton Central Station to/from National Oceanography Center (venue):
Exit the south side of the station (next to Platform 4), turn left, and walk to the east along Western Esplanade. You will shortly encounter a busy intersection with view of the SeaCity Museum and other large buildings. Cross the intersection and orient yourself in front of the Civic Centre. Take the U1C bus from the stop across the street from the Civic Center (Stop AI), which will bring you directly to the National Oceanography Center.
Taxis/Ubers are also easily available at the station (north side recommended, next to Platform 1). The journey to the National Oceanography Center will not exceed £10.
Southampton Coach Station to/from National Oceanography Center (venue):
Exiting the coach station, you will be at the intersection of Harbour Parade and Western Esplanade. Cross the intersection towards the ASDA Superstore, and walk counterclockwise around the store, following the walking path. You will encounter a bus road (Portland Terrace), and just there you can take the U1C bus from Marlands (Stop AK), which will bring you directly to the National Oceanography Center.
Taxis/Ubers are also easily available, and the journey to the National Oceanography Center will not exceed £10.
Travelling to the University of Southampton (Highfield campus):
If you have business at the main campus, many of the above buses offer a Highfield Interchange stop. Walking between the National Oceanography Center and the University would take well over an hour.
How to travel by Unilink buses:
1. The easiest option is to use any Credit/Debit card on the buses like in many cities in Europe. This is called Tap on/Tap off. As long as you keep using the same card, the system will automatically charge the cheapest available daily fare. Remember to tap off before you leave the bus.
2. You can also buy pre-paid tickets from the Unilink Bus app. The price for single trip is currently £2.00. If you plan to travel many trips in a day you can get an adult dayrider ticket for £4.00. If you want to travel around Southampton multiple times in different days, you might choose Multipletrip 12 tickes which cost £20.00 or a 7 day ticket for £14.00.
Please refer to the local maps below:
We hope this travel guide can help you get to the conference site safely and smoothly. If you do not know where to go or what to do, using Google Maps in your phone is the best thing to do.
