Coach and Minibus Hire in the United Kingdom

Southampton Minibus Hire for Cruises, the New Forest and More

For many groups, Southampton means the start of a cruise. It's also a good base for the New Forest, Winchester and the Hampshire coast, so it's worth an extra day either side of the voyage.

Getting to your ship

The cruise terminals sit in two docks. Western Docks terminals are reached through Dock Gate 10 and Eastern Docks through Dock Gate 4, and every terminal has its own drop-off lanes. Tell us your ship and terminal and the driver will take you to the right gate.

Flying in to join a cruise? From Heathrow it's about 68 miles to the docks, roughly 1 h 15 min, and Gatwick about 91 miles, around 1 h 45 min. Allow generous time either side of the flight.

Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view
Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view

The local airport and the Itchen Bridge

The city's own airport is at Eastleigh, a quarter of an hour and about 4 miles from the centre, and Southampton Airport Parkway station sits just outside the terminal. It's a neat option for friends and family flying in from around the UK to see you off.

Crossing the Itchen Bridge means paying a toll, set by the council and different for each kind of vehicle and hour of the day. The automatic system works out the class from how tall the front of the vehicle is and how many wheels it has at the front. There's no charging Clean Air Zone in Southampton, as the council chose other measures in 2019.

Flying into Southampton

Places your group will want to see

  • New Forest National Park — Lyndhurst, Beaulieu and Buckler's Hard lie just west of the city
  • Westquay — Shopping and leisure centre in the city centre
  • Tudor House and the medieval town walls — Old Town, near Town Quay
  • Solent Sky — Aviation museum, home of Spitfire history
  • SeaCity Museum — Titanic and maritime history in the Civic Centre

Where groups usually stay

  • New Forest (Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst) for touring groups
  • West End and Hedge End (M27 junction 7, near the Utilita Bowl)
  • Southampton Airport / Eastleigh
  • Ocean Village and Town Quay (near the cruise terminals)
  • City centre / Westquay

Arriving by ship

Forest villages and cathedral cities

The New Forest starts just west of the city: Lyndhurst is about 25 minutes, Beaulieu about half an hour, and Buckler's Hard is out that way too. With a minibus, the whole party stays together for a forest walk and a long pub lunch, and nobody has to drive home afterwards. Winchester is about 25 minutes too, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard around 35 minutes along the coast, and Salisbury and Stonehenge each within an hour.

If you're staying in the city, SeaCity Museum tells the Titanic story, and Tudor House sits by the medieval walls near Town Quay.

Your questions

Can we fit a New Forest tour in before our cruise?

Yes, if you stay the night before. Lyndhurst and Beaulieu are close, so a morning in the forest and an early afternoon drop at the terminal works well.

Where should we stay before sailing?

Ocean Village and Town Quay are closest to the terminals. Airport hotels at Eastleigh suit early arrivals, and the New Forest suits a longer break.

Can you get us to a match at St Mary's or the Utilita Bowl?

Certainly. St Mary's is in the city, while cricket at the Utilita Bowl means a short run out to West End by junction 7 of the M27. Agree a pick-up spot a little away from the ground for the ride home.

More trips we can arrange

Vehicles