Portsmouth sits at the end of one of the busiest commuter lines out of London, so getting there by train is quick, frequent and usually the easiest way down. There are two routes. The direct South Western Railway service from London Waterloo is the fast one, while Southern runs a slower line from London Victoria that also calls at Gatwick Airport.
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Portsmouth And put this guide together from South Western Railway, Southern and National Rail information, so it covers both routes with a summary of the key facts, a map of the route, the stations in each direction, the times and frequency, and what the tickets cost.
London to Portsmouth train: route summary
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Route | London to Portsmouth, on the south coast of England |
| Main operator | South Western Railway, direct from London Waterloo |
| Second operator | Southern, from London Victoria via Gatwick Airport |
| Start and end (A to B) | London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour |
| Distance | About 70 miles |
| Average journey time | About 1 hour 50 minutes from Waterloo, a little over 2 hours from Victoria |
| Trains per hour (off-peak) | 2 direct from Waterloo, one fast and one stopping |
| First and last from Waterloo | 05:08 and 22:30 |
| Portsmouth stations | Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea, Portsmouth Harbour |
| Cheapest fare | Advance Single from £10.10, booked ahead |
| Ways to pay | Online, train operator app, station ticket machine, ticket office |
| Updated | November 2026 |
The route on the map
The map below traces the journey from central London down to Portsmouth Harbour on the south coast, a distance of about 70 miles through Surrey and Hampshire.
The direct line runs south through Woking, Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield before reaching Portsmouth, and the full list of stations in each direction is in the tables below.
London Waterloo to Portsmouth: the direct route
This is the Portsmouth Direct line, operated by South Western Railway. On a weekday off-peak there are two trains an hour, one fast and one calling at all stations, with an average journey of about one hour and fifty minutes.
Outbound: London Waterloo → Portsmouth Harbour
The fast train leaves London Waterloo and runs south-west through Surrey, calling at Woking and Guildford, then crosses the hills at Haslemere and Petersfield into Hampshire and comes into Portsmouth through Havant. The easiest places to change for other lines are Woking, Guildford and Havant. The principal stops, in order, are:
| No. | Station | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London Waterloo | London terminus, Underground and the South Bank |
| 2 | Woking | Change for Southampton and the South West |
| 3 | Guildford | Change for Reading, Gatwick and Ascot |
| 4 | Haslemere | Gateway to the Surrey Hills and Blackdown |
| 5 | Petersfield | Market town on the edge of the South Downs |
| 6 | Havant | Change for Chichester, Brighton and Hayling Island buses |
| 7 | Fratton | Nearest station to Fratton Park |
| 8 | Portsmouth & Southsea | City centre, the shops and the Guildhall |
| 9 | Portsmouth Harbour | End of the line, Gunwharf Quays and the Historic Dockyard |
The all-stations service adds the smaller stops along the line, among them Worplesdon, Godalming, Milford, Witley, Liphook, Liss, Rowlands Castle, Bedhampton and Hilsea. If one of those is your station, check that your train actually calls there before you board.
Return: Portsmouth → London Waterloo
The return follows the same line north. Trains start at Portsmouth Harbour, call at Portsmouth & Southsea and Fratton within the city, then run out through Havant and back up through Hampshire and Surrey to London Waterloo. On the way home the easiest interchanges are Havant, Guildford and Woking. The stops, in order, are:
| No. | Station | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portsmouth Harbour | Start of the return, by the ferries and Gunwharf Quays |
| 2 | Portsmouth & Southsea | City centre and the shops |
| 3 | Fratton | Fratton Park and the east of the city |
| 4 | Havant | Change for Chichester and Brighton |
| 5 | Petersfield | South Downs market town |
| 6 | Haslemere | Surrey Hills and Blackdown countryside |
| 7 | Guildford | Change for Reading, Gatwick and Ascot |
| 8 | Woking | Change for the South West Main Line |
| 9 | London Waterloo | London terminus, Underground and Waterloo East |
First trains leave Portsmouth early in the morning and the last departures are late evening, with earlier last trains on Sundays, so check the live board for the last train back.
From London Victoria and Gatwick Airport: the Southern route
Southern runs the second route, from London Victoria down through Gatwick Airport and along the Sussex coast, calling at Gatwick Airport, Chichester and Havant among others before reaching Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour. It takes a little over two hours, longer than the Waterloo train, but for anyone landing at Gatwick or starting in south London it saves a cross-city trip. For the exact calling pattern of a given service, check the live departures.
Schedule and how often trains run
The direct Waterloo line runs to a timetable rather than a fixed clock interval, but the pattern across the day is steady. This is roughly what to expect:
| Period | Trains from Waterloo | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday off-peak | 2 an hour | One fast and one calling at all stations |
| Weekday peak | More frequent | Extra commuter trains morning and evening |
| Evenings and Sundays | Fewer | Reduced service, so check the live board |
| First train from Waterloo | 05:08 | Earlier departures are limited on Sundays |
| Last direct train from Waterloo | 22:30 | Earlier last train on Sundays |
Weekend engineering work can change the pattern or add a replacement bus for part of the way. For the exact train on your day, use the live departure boards on the National Rail site or the operator’s app, as the individual departure times move through the day.
Tickets and fares
The fare depends far more on when you book than on when you travel. Booked ahead, a one-way Advance ticket from London to Portsmouth starts at £10.10 with South Western Railway. The main ticket types work like this:
| Ticket type | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Advance Single | Cheapest fare, tied to one booked train | From £10.10, booked ahead |
| Off-Peak | Flexible travel outside the busiest times | Walk-up fare, set on the day |
| Anytime | Fully flexible, any train | Walk-up fare, the most expensive |
Advance tickets are the cheapest but are tied to a specific train and sell out, so book as early as you can. You can buy them up to 30 minutes before departure while they last. A railcard, such as the Two Together, 16-25, Senior or Network Railcard, takes roughly a third off most fares.
Walk-up tickets between London and Portsmouth are usually valid on either operator, so you can take the next train that suits unless your ticket says otherwise. Contactless pay-as-you-go does not stretch this far down the line, so buy a ticket before you travel, and check the live price for your date, as fares change.
Where and how to buy tickets
You can buy a London to Portsmouth ticket in several places, all selling the same fares:
- the National Rail website or app, which lists every operator’s trains and fares for the route;
- South Western Railway, online or through its app, for the direct Waterloo trains;
- a ticket machine at the station, by card or contactless;
- a staffed ticket office, where one is open, if you would rather buy in person.
For the best price, book an Advance ticket for a specific train as far ahead as you can, add your railcard if you have one, and choose an e-ticket to your phone or collect it from the machine on the day. Contactless tap in and out does not cover this route, so buy your ticket before you board rather than touching in at the gate.
Which Portsmouth station to get off at
There are two city stations, one stop apart, and they suit different trips:
- Portsmouth & Southsea is the city-centre station, closest to the shops, Commercial Road, Cascades and the Guildhall;
- Portsmouth Harbour is the end of the line, right beside Gunwharf Quays, the Historic Dockyard and the ferries to the Isle of Wight and Gosport.
So for shopping and the city centre, step off at Portsmouth & Southsea. For Gunwharf, the dockyard, the Spinnaker Tower and the seafront, stay on to the very end at Portsmouth Harbour. For a fuller rundown of both, see our guide to Portsmouth’s train stations.
Questions people ask
Is there a direct train from London to Portsmouth?
Yes. South Western Railway runs direct from London Waterloo, with an average journey of about one hour and fifty minutes, and Southern runs direct from London Victoria via Gatwick Airport.
How long does the journey take?
About one hour and fifty minutes on average from London Waterloo, a little quicker on the fastest trains and a little longer on the all-stations service, and a little over two hours from Victoria via Gatwick.
What is the cheapest way to do it?
Book an Advance ticket for a specific train as far ahead as you can, from £10.10 one way, and add a railcard if you have one.
What time is the first and last train?
The first direct train leaves London Waterloo at 05:08 and the last at 22:30, with earlier last trains on Sundays, so check the live board before a late journey.
Can I get a train from Gatwick Airport to Portsmouth?
Yes. Southern runs direct from Gatwick Airport to the Portsmouth stations, which is handy straight off a flight.
Last updated: November 2026. Check live times and prices with South Western Railway or National Rail before you travel.
