Capra in Southampton
Travel Information
Arriving by train
Train timetables are available on the National Rail website and app. Direct trains run frequently from London Waterloo to Southampton until late in the evening, and there are convenient train routes from London Gatwick Airport.
The most convenient stations to alight at in Southampton are Southampton Central and Southampton Airport Parkway. If you arre traveling from the London area or the north of England, your train will stop at Airport Parkway before continuing to Southampton Central. Airport Parkway is the station closest to the conference venue; it takes around 15 to 25 mins by bus U1C to the Highfield Interchange stop on the university campus. More information about the Unilink bus servise is available at the Local Information tab.
Train fares in the UK depend on the time of day and the route. They are often significantly cheaper if booked in advance. There are multiple companies running the train network, but there is no restriction on which train you ride on unless you buy an advance ticket for a specific train.
Arriving by air
Southampton is well connected to London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Southampton Airport, and London City Airport.
1. From London Heathrow Airport: Southampton is easily reached from Heathrow by public transport.
National Express coaches can take you directly from Heathrow to Southampton within about 2 hours. If you land at Terminals 2 or 3, you need to walk a few minutes to Heathrow Central Bus Station. If you land at Terminals 4 or 5, you can take the coach from the arrivals section. The coach will stop at the University of Southampton and at Southampton Coach Station in the city centre. This coach is the most convenient option, but it only runs roughly every 2.5 hours. Tickets can be purchased online, at ticket machines in the Central Bus Station, or from the driver on the bus.
Travel by train is also possible but less convenient. You can take a RailAir bus from Heathrow Central Bus Station or Terminal 5 to either Reading or Woking train station. From either Woking or Reading you can take a train to Southampton..
You can also take the London Underground to London Waterloo Station. From there, there are frequent direct trains to Southampton.
A taxi or Uber from Heathrow is very expensive (usually around £120).
2. From London Gatwick Airport: Depending on the day and time of arrival, there are direct trains from Gatwick Airport to Southampton Central Station. When direct trains aren't available, there are multiple train routes that involve only one transfer. The transfer can be at Clapham Juntion (faster but more expensive) or at one of a few stations along the south coast route (slower but cheaper). From Southampton Central Station, you can take the U1A Unilink bus to get to the university campus.
3. From Southampton Airport: There are Unilink U1C buses every 15 mins departing from the stop Airport Parkway Station. It takes around 15 to 25 minutes from the airport to the Highfield Interchange at the University of Southampton. You can also travel by train from Southampton Airport Parkway to Southampton Central Station in the city centre. Taxis are available from the airport but are at a fixed fare that can be inordinately expensive. If you'd like to go by taxi, we suggest calling an Uber or Radio Taxi or else walking across the road, and through the covered bridge over the train tracks, to the taxi rank at the train station.
4. From London City Airport: Take the London Underground to London Waterloo Station (first take the DLR Line in the direction of "Bank" or "Stratford"; at "Canning Town" change to the Jubilee Line in the direction of "Stanmore"; this takes you to London Waterloo). From London Waterloo there are frequent direct trains to Southampton; see "Arrving by Train" above.
Accommodation
Coming soon.
Local transportation
Bus
The most convenient method of local transportation is by Unilink buses.
1. The easiest payment option is to Tap on/Tap off using any Credit/Debit card with contactless payment enabled. 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 purchase single fare or day tickets using contactless payment or buy pre-paid tickets from the Unilink Bus app.
Please refer to the maps below:
Taxis/Rideshare
Ubers are also readily available. The local taxi company Radio Taxis is also reliable.