Train stations in Portsmouth: Harbour, Southsea, Fratton and Hilsea

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Portsmouth has four railway stations, and which one you want depends entirely on where you are headed. Portsmouth Harbour, right on the waterfront, is the one for Gunwharf Quays, the Historic Dockyard and the Isle of Wight ferries. Portsmouth and Southsea sits in the middle of the city by the shops. Fratton serves the east of the city and the football, and Hilsea covers the northern edge of the island.

This guide runs through all four, the trains they take and who runs them, how to get between them, and which station to aim for.

The four stations at a glance

The stations on the map

All four stations sit on Portsea Island, strung along the line as it runs down to the harbour. The map shows roughly where they are, with Portsmouth Harbour marked at the southern end.

Portsmouth Harbour

Portsmouth Harbour is the end of the line and the busiest of the four. It is a terminus right on the water, with South Western Railway trains from London Waterloo, Southern services from London Victoria and the Sussex coast, and Great Western Railway trains that run through to Cardiff by way of Southampton and Bristol. Four platforms are in use.

The station sits beside The Hard Interchange, so the city bus station is a step away, and Gunwharf Quays, the Historic Dockyard and the Spinnaker Tower are a short, flat walk. The Wightlink fast ferry to Ryde and the Gosport ferry both leave from alongside, and a National Rail ticket to the Isle of Wight includes the ferry crossing. There is a ticket office in the booking hall, open every day into the early evening, ticket machines for outside those hours, and cycle spaces, but no car park of its own.

As the terminus, Portsmouth Harbour is the start and end of every one of these services.

Portsmouth and Southsea

Portsmouth and Southsea is the city-centre station, in Landport close to Commercial Road and the main shops. It is built on two levels. The high-level platforms carry trains running through to the harbour, while the low-level bay platforms are where some services start and finish, and in all it has four working platforms.

There is a taxi rank at the front and local buses within a few minutes’ walk, which makes it the handiest station for the shopping centre, the market and the city offices. Hovertravel runs a connecting bus from here to its hovercraft across to Ryde.

Every train to and from the harbour also calls here, so the same destinations show on the board.

Fratton

Fratton covers the east of the city and is the station for the football. Portsmouth FC’s ground at Fratton Park is about a mile to the east, and the stadium took its name from the station. It has three platforms, with a footbridge fitted with lifts so every platform is step-free, and South Western Railway’s Fratton depot sits alongside. South Western Railway, Southern and Great Western Railway trains all call.

Fratton sees the same long-distance trains, with the addition of frequent local shuttles up and down the island.

Hilsea

Hilsea is the quietest of the four, at the northern end of Portsea Island on Airport Service Road, near the Anchorage Park estate. Only stopping trains call here, so the fast London services run straight through, but there are still regular trains down to Portsmouth and Southsea and the harbour and up towards London Victoria and Waterloo. It is an unstaffed station with two platforms, so buy a ticket before you travel.

Only stopping trains call at Hilsea, so the list is slimmer, and some services thin out on Sundays.

Getting between the stations

The four stations are all on the same line, a few minutes apart by train, so hopping between them is easy. From Portsmouth Harbour the next stop up the line is Portsmouth and Southsea, then Fratton, then Hilsea at the top of the island. Any train heading north calls at them in turn, and city buses link them too if you would rather stay on the road. For the routes and fares into the city from further afield, see our guide to London to Portsmouth by train.

Buying your ticket

Wherever you are travelling from, the same tickets are on sale in the same places. You can buy them:

• online or in the app from National Rail or the train operator, with an e-ticket to your phone;
• at a ticket machine at the station, by card or contactless;
• at the Portsmouth Harbour ticket office, staffed into the early evening, or at a machine at the smaller stations.

Book an Advance ticket ahead of time for the lowest fare, add a railcard if you have one, and remember that contactless pay-as-you-go does not reach this far down the line, so there is no touching in at the gate. Buy before you board at an unstaffed stop such as Hilsea.

Good to know

Which station is best for Gunwharf Quays and the Historic Dockyard?

Portsmouth Harbour. Both are a short, level walk from the station, along with the Spinnaker Tower and the ferries.

Which station do I want for the shops?

Portsmouth and Southsea, in the city centre by Commercial Road.

What is the nearest station to Fratton Park?

Fratton station is the nearest, about a mile west of Fratton Park, which is a walk of roughly 15 to 20 minutes east to the ground. It is the natural choice on a matchday, and on a busy fixture you can also pick up buses heading that way from the city centre. The next closest stations are Portsmouth and Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour, both a longer walk or a short bus ride away.

Which station has the Isle of Wight ferry?

Portsmouth Harbour. The Wightlink fast ferry to Ryde leaves from alongside, and a National Rail ticket to the island includes the crossing. For the slower car ferry and the hovercraft, see our guides to the Isle of Wight ferry and the Hovertravel hovercraft.

Is there parking at the stations?

Portsmouth Harbour has no car park of its own, though there is paid parking at Gunwharf Quays next door. Check locally for the smaller stations.

Portsmouth And put this guide together from National Rail and train operator information. Last updated: November 2026. Check live times and tickets before you travel.