London is close enough for an easy day trip from Portsmouth, and there is more than one way to make the journey. Having done the run by train, by road and by coach, here is how the three stack up on speed, cost and hassle.
By train, the fastest option
The train is almost always the quickest and least stressful choice. South Western Railway runs direct from Portsmouth Harbour and Portsmouth and Southsea stations to London Waterloo in around an hour and a half to two hours, roughly a couple of times an hour for most of the day.
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There is also a Southern service to London Victoria by way of Havant and Gatwick Airport, which is handy if the airport or south London is your real destination. Booking an advance ticket a few weeks ahead is far cheaper than turning up and buying on the day.
By car, the A3 and the M3
By road it is around 70 miles. The A3 runs almost all the way from Portsmouth into south-west London, while the M27 and M3 give an alternative towards the west of the capital. Reckon on about an hour and three-quarters to two and a half hours, depending entirely on traffic around the M25.
Driving only really makes sense if you are carrying a lot or heading somewhere awkward by train, because parking in central London is expensive and much of the city falls inside the ULEZ emissions charge.
By coach, the cheapest
If budget matters more than speed, National Express and Megabus coaches leave from the Hard interchange by the harbour and reach London in around two and a half to three hours. Booked early, they are usually the cheapest option of all, at the cost of a longer journey.
| Mode | Journey time | Best for |
| Train | About 1h 30m to 2h | Speed and comfort |
| Car | About 1h 45m to 2h 30m | Luggage and flexibility |
| Coach | About 2h 30m to 3h | The lowest fares |
One habit saves most people the most money.
Whatever you travel on, book as far ahead as you can and avoid the Friday evening peak, when both fares and traffic are at their worst.
Do that and the trip stays cheap and painless in either direction.
For most visitors the train wins hands down, but the coach is there when money is tight and the car when the train just will not fit the plan. Portsmouth to London is one of the easier journeys in the south, however you choose to do it.
