The 20 is the long Stagecoach link between Havant and Portsmouth, and for a lot of people it is simply the bus to QA Hospital. It starts at Havant Bus Station, works through West Leigh, Leigh Park and Crookhorn, calls right at the main entrance of Queen Alexandra Hospital, then drops down through Cosham and Stamshaw into the city centre and out to The Hard by the harbour. End to end it takes a little over an hour.
Route 20 key facts
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Route | Havant Bus Station to The Hard Interchange, Portsmouth |
| Operator | Stagecoach South |
| Calls at | Leigh Park, Crookhorn, QA Hospital, Cosham, city centre |
| End to end | a little over an hour |
| Daytime frequency | every 20 minutes, Monday to Saturday |
| Evening frequency | every 30 minutes |
| First bus | 04:55 from Havant, 04:45 from The Hard |
| Last bus | 22:05 from Havant, 22:50 from The Hard |
| Single fare | capped at £3 under the national cap |
| Day tickets | Portsmouth DayRider £5, South Hants DayRider £7 |
| Updated | November 2026 |
Following the 20 on the map
The 20 is one of the longer routes in the area, so the map is the quickest way to picture it. It runs roughly north to south, from the Havant and Leigh Park side down onto Portsea Island and across to the harbour.
Because it crosses from the mainland onto the island, the 20 is one of the few single buses that will take you the whole way from Leigh Park into central Portsmouth without changing.
Havant to Portsmouth, stop by stop
Southbound, the bus leaves Havant, climbs through the Leigh Park estate, pulls in at the hospital, then heads down the main road into the city. These are the timing points in order.
| No. | Stop | What is nearby |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Havant Bus Station | Havant town centre and railway station |
| 2 | West Leigh, Worldham Road | West Leigh housing |
| 3 | Leigh Park, Park Parade | Leigh Park shops and centre |
| 4 | Crookhorn, Precinct | Crookhorn local shops |
| 5 | QA Hospital, Main Entrance | Queen Alexandra Hospital front door |
| 6 | Cosham, Heath Centre | Cosham High Street and station nearby |
| 7 | Stamshaw, Gladys Avenue | north Portsea Island, near the Mountbatten Centre |
| 8 | City Centre, Commercial Road | main shops, Cascades, Portsmouth and Southsea station |
| 9 | The Hard Interchange | harbour, Dockyard, Gunwharf, Harbour station, ferries |
Coming back from Portsmouth
Northbound the order reverses, leaving The Hard and heading back up to Cosham, the hospital and out to Havant. On the way out of the city it uses the Mountbatten Centre stop rather than Gladys Avenue.
| No. | Stop | What is nearby |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hard Interchange | harbour, ferries and the train |
| 2 | City Centre, Commercial Road | shopping precinct and the Guildhall |
| 3 | Stamshaw, Mountbatten Centre | leisure centre, north of the island |
| 4 | Cosham, Heath Centre | Cosham High Street |
| 5 | QA Hospital, Main Entrance | Queen Alexandra Hospital |
| 6 | Crookhorn, Precinct | Crookhorn shops |
| 7 | Leigh Park, Park Parade | Leigh Park centre |
| 8 | West Leigh, Worldham Road | West Leigh |
| 9 | Havant Bus Station | Havant town and station |
Times and how often it runs
The 20 is a frequent all-day service rather than one you need to time to the minute.
| Time of day | How often |
|---|---|
| Daytime, Monday to Saturday | every 20 minutes |
| Evening | every 30 minutes |
| Sunday and bank holidays | a reduced service, check the app |
The first bus leaves Havant at 04:55 and the last at 22:05, while from The Hard the first is 04:45 and the last 22:50, getting into Havant just before midnight. Sunday and bank-holiday times are lighter and are not fixed to the same pattern, so the Stagecoach Bus app is the place to check the exact minute on those days.
What you pay on the 20
The 20 crosses from Havant into Portsmouth, so it touches two ticket zones. The fares that matter most are:
- a single, any distance, is capped at £3 under the national fare cap, which runs to March 2027;
- a Portsmouth DayRider is £5 and covers the city, while the wider South Hants DayRider is £7 and also covers Havant and Leigh Park;
- buying DayRiders as a Flexi5 bundle in the app brings the price per day down;
- a NightRider is £2.70 for unlimited travel after 7pm;
- older and disabled pass holders travel free off-peak.
If you are riding the whole way between Havant and Portsmouth and back in a day, the South Hants DayRider is usually the one to pick, since a Portsmouth-only ticket stops at the city boundary.
Buying a ticket on the 20
There is no conductor and no ticket office, so you sort your ticket as you get on. The options are:
- Tap a contactless card or phone on the reader as you board, and the £3 single cap is applied automatically across the day.
- Buy in the Stagecoach Bus app before you travel, which is where the DayRider bundles and the NightRider are cheapest.
- Pay the driver in cash on boarding, with the right money ready where you can.
Everything is bought on the bus or in the app, so there is nothing to collect in advance.
Questions worth asking
Does the 20 bus go to QA Hospital?
Yes. The 20 stops at the main entrance of Queen Alexandra Hospital in both directions, which is why it is one of the busiest routes for hospital visitors and staff.
How long does the 20 take from Havant to Portsmouth?
A little over an hour end to end, from Havant Bus Station through to The Hard, though most people are only riding part of the route.
How often does the 20 run?
Every 20 minutes through the day from Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes in the evening, with a lighter service on Sundays.
How much does the 20 cost?
A single is no more than £3 under the national cap. For a full day of travel between Havant and Portsmouth, a South Hants DayRider at £7 covers the whole route.
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Portsmouth And put this guide together from Stagecoach’s own route 20 timetable and ticket pages plus Portsmouth and Havant council travel information. The 20 sits alongside the city’s other services in our guide to buses in Portsmouth, the 24-hour number 23 to Havant and the cross-city number 21. Last updated: November 2026. Check live times in the Stagecoach Bus app before you travel.
