Hampshire Accommodation

The Gosport Ferry is a quick trip across Portsmouth Harbour to shopping at Gunnwharf Quay
The hovercaft from Southsea is a quick trip across to Ryde on the Isle of Wight
The Fastcat ferry to the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth
Cross-channel ferries also depart from Portsmouth
Hop on the Red Jet Hi-Speed catamaran from Southampton to the Isle of Wight
Regular Isle of Wight ferries from Portsmouth
Ferries from Southampton dock at West and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight

Southampton Airport Ferries Portsmouth Ferries Isle of Wight Hampshire

Southampton International Airport is the only airport in Hampshire offering a choice of both domestic and international flights. It is well placed just outside Southampton, just off the M27 motorway. There are currently around forty destinations served by Southampton Airport within the UK, the Channel Islands and Europe. It is well linked to the public transport network making it an easy choice for onward travel within Hampshire or the south east of England.

Hampshire's coast is dotted with towns and cities with harbour and ports that make it an excellent place for ferry travel. The busy port at Portsouth has the most ferry choice with cross channel ferries to France and Spain and the Isle of Wight. Southampton is your alternative for ferries to the Isle of Wight and ther's also a service from Lymington on the New Forest Coast. The excellent regular ferry services to the Isle of Wight offer you a choice of car passenger ferries and quick catamarans and hovercraft for foot passengers, so there's no need not to go exploring while you're in Hampshire.

Featured Hampshire Accommodation

Wight Locations Self Catering - Isle of Wight

Large range of self catering holiday cottages & accommodation on the Isle of Wight with properties sleeping up to 10 people available. Special offers available.

£200 to £2500 Per Week (Seasonal)

Southampton International Airport Tourist Information

Southampton Airport is located outside the city between Eastleigh and Southampton, just off the M27 motorway at junction 5. The postcode for satellite navigation is SO18 2NL.

There is also an excellent rail link to Southampton Airport. Southampton Airport (Parkway) station is just 67 minutes from central London on the fastest rail link from where you can pick up connections to the rest of the country. There are good rail links throughout Hampshire from the airport stopping off at the main towns particularly along the coast. Buses run regular services from the airport to Southampton city centre which is only around 40 minutes away. Check the Southampton Airport website for downloadable train and bus route maps.

Flights fly from Southampton to over forty destinations in the UK, Channel Islands and Europe. UK flights include Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Manchester, Leeds, the Isle of Man and the Isles of Scilly. European destination countries include France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germnay, Ireland, Austria and Lapland in the winter. Destinations are great for city breaks at Paris, Dublin, Brussels and Amsterdam or for summer and winter holidays.

Despite there being good ferry links along the Hampshire coast an alternative is to fly from Southampton Airport to Jersey or Guernsey in the Channel Islands.

Cross-Channel Ferries Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the one of the main terminals for ferries to Europe from the British mainland.

Brittany Ferries run regular services from Portsmouth to Caen, St Malo, Cherbourg and Roscoff in France and Santander in Spain. P&O Ferries run a Portsmouth to Bilbao service too and LD Lines runs a Portsmouth to Le Havre service. All take foot passengers, cars and trucks.

The Portsmouth Port website, link right, is a useful port of call as it has links to all ferry operators and links all special offers together so you can get a good overview of what's available. There is also additional information such as to get to the port and more about the ships and services available.

Ferry services vary from several daily to a few a week so check with each operator for up-to-date timetables and fares, links right.

Ferries to the Isle of Wight

Passenger ferries run from Portsmouth across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. There is a choice of the Wightlink's car and passenger ferry which lands at Fishbourne or the Fastcat service which takes foot passengers only, taking you to Ryde on the eastern side of the island.

Wightlink Ferries run all year round to both Fishbourne and Ryde. The Portsmouth to Fishbourne journey takes 40 minutes and Portsmouth to Ryde is just 18 minutes.

Services run very regularly throughout the day making it an easy hop across the Solent. Leaving the port you get some fantastic views of the Portsmouth Waterfront and Spinnaker Tower.

Check the Wightlink website, link right for booking online and current timetables and special offers.

Channel Island Ferries Portsmouth

Condor Ferries operate services to Jersey and Guernsey in the Channel Islands from Portsmouth.

The service runs daily services taking up to 300 passengers and 100 cars. The journey to Jersey takes just over 10 hours while the journey to Guernsey takes 7 hours.

Condor Ferries also run a weekly Portsmouth to Cherbourg service which takes just five and a half hours.

Check the link right for timetables, fares and special offers.

Southsea Hovercraft to Ryde Isle of Wight

You can easily take a day trip over to the Isle of Wight from Clarence Pier. The hovercraft takes foot passengers only, although you can take your bike over free of charge.

Hovertravel run a regular service to Ryde on The Isle of Wight. Hovercrafts run at least every half hour and the journey only takes 10 minutes, making it the quickest crossing from the mainland to the Isle of Wight.

If you're travelling to Southsea by car there is a mix of pay and display and street parking around Clarence Pier.

Hovertravel Ltd, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth PO5 3AD. Tel: 023 9281 1000.

Gosport Ferry to Portsmouth

Not only does the Gosport Ferry run handy trips across Portsmouth Harbour to Gunwharf Quays but they also offer a wide range of boat trips around Portsmouth, the Isle of Wight, Southampton and the New Forest.

The ferry service runs every day of the from 5.30am-midnight, weather permitting. The crossing time is just under eight each way, and is the only link between Portsmouth and Gosport. As you travel across the harbour you get excellent views of HMS Victory, Royal Naval ships and aircraft carriers and the other larger ferries using water way.

The boat trips they offer include a Portsmouth Harbour Cruise, a day trip to Cowes on the Isle of Wight and to rivers around the New Forest and Southampton. For a spectacular trip take the Cowes Firework Night cruise which gives you sea views of the fantastic firework display that marks the finale of Cowes Week.

Check the link right for up-to-date timetables and details of cruises. Tel: 023 9252 4551. Fax: 023 9252 4802. Email: admin@gosportferry.co.uk

Southampton to Isle of Wight Ferries

Red Funnel Ferries run the Red Jet Hi-Speed passenger catamarans service to Cowes. It's a foot passenger ferry service only and you don't even need to book - just turn up and travel. The journey takes just 23 minutes and runs throughout the year, seven days a week.

Red Funnel Ferries also run a car passenger ferry service from Southampton to East Cowes. Crossings depart hourly and take just under an hour. These are the largest ferries running services to the Isle of Wight and not only take foot passengers but all sizes of vehicles that will fit under a motorway bridge.

There is a bar, coffee bar and cafe on board as well as a games area and outdoor deck. It is free to take bicycles or pets across and you'll need to report to terminal staff on arrival to organise appropriate storage.

Visit the Red Funnel website to check current timetables or to book online.

Hythe Ferry to Southampton

Hythe Ferry is a useful link to Southampton from Hythe to the south west of the city, across Southampton Water. It departs from Hythe Pier which also carries a walkway, cycleway and Hythe Pier Railway - great if you don't fancy the walk. The Hythe Railway is the world's oldest pier train and times its services to meet the ferry as it departs and arrives at the Pier.

Hythe Ferry runs every half hour and carries foot passengers and bicycles. It takes just 10 minutes to arrive at Town Quay in Southampton. Town Quay is also the departure point for Red Funnel's Ferries to the Isle of Wight. It's only a short walk from the Quay into Southampton city centre - great for shopping. You can also pick up the free Green Bus which takes you on to the railway at Central Station. The ferry trip takes you past the home berth of the cruise liners Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2.

Check the weblink right for more information on Hythe Ferry.

Isle of Wight Ferries from Lymington

Lymington is a popular sailing resort from which one of the ferry services to the Isle of Wight runs.

Wightlink run the quickest car ferry service from Lymington to Yarmouth on the western side of the Isle of Wight. The journey takes just 30 minutes. Sailings run throughout the day and night all year round.

Check the weblink right for up-to-date timetables and to book online. Alternatively call the booking line on 0871 376 4342.

There are often special offers for short stays, early departures or themed events.

Hayling Ferry

The Hayling Ferry runs regular services from the south western tip of Hayling Island over to Eastney in Portsmouth. The ferry runs all year round and is a quick way to cross the water over to Portsea and onward to Portsmouth's attractions. You can purchase 24 hour return tickets or multi-trip tickets.

Check the link right for up-to-date timetables and fares.

Featured Hampshire Accommodation

Wight Locations Self Catering - Isle of Wight

Large range of self catering holiday cottages & accommodation on the Isle of Wight with properties sleeping up to 10 people available. Special offers available.

£200 to £2500 Per Week (Seasonal)