The 18 bus from Paulsgrove to Clarence Pier: times, stops and ticket prices

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The 18 is one of the long cross-city rides in Portsmouth, a single bus that carries you from the top of Paulsgrove right down to the seafront at Clarence Pier. On the way it threads through Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Hilsea, North End and Fratton, which makes it as useful for a hospital visit or a shopping run as it is for a day by the water.

Portsmouth And put this guide together from the Stagecoach South timetable and the live running data for the route, so the times, stops and fares below reflect how the 18 actually runs rather than an old First Bus version many sites still show. Stagecoach took the route on, and it is a Stagecoach South service today.

The 18 at a glance

If you only need the short version, that table has it. The rest of the guide walks the route both ways, sets out the timetable and prices, and shows where to catch it.

The 18’s route on the map

The line runs north to south across the city, starting high on Portsdown Hill at Paulsgrove and finishing at the water next to the Hovercraft terminal. The map traces the full run so you can see where it dips through Cosham and the hospital before heading down the Copnor and Fratton side of the island.

One bus covers the whole thing, so there is no change to worry about wherever you join it.

Heading south: Paulsgrove to Clarence Pier

Southbound journeys start at Almondsbury Road on the Paulsgrove estate and wind down through the local shops before dropping to Queen Alexandra Hospital, the biggest single reason many people ride this route. From the hospital it runs through the heart of Cosham, past the interchange where the trains and other buses meet, then down Northern Parade through Hilsea and North End towards Fratton and the seafront. These are the main calling points.

The hospital stop is the busiest on the line, so allow a minute or two there at peak times while visitors get on and off.

Coming back: Clarence Pier to Paulsgrove

Northbound the 18 reverses the same corridor, leaving the seafront and climbing back through Fratton and North End. The one difference worth knowing is that on the way north it swings past Hilsea Lido rather than the exact southbound stops, before returning to Cosham, the hospital and the Paulsgrove estate. The key calling points in this direction are:

• Southsea, Clarence Pier, by the Hovercraft terminal;
• Southsea, Friendship House, for Elm Grove and Palmerston Road;
• Fratton, Priory School and Fratton Bridge;
• North End Junction, for the shops;
• Hilsea Lido, on Northern Parade;
• Cosham Health Centre and the interchange;
• QA Hospital, Main Entrance;
• Paulsgrove, Allaway Avenue Shops and Almondsbury Road.

Because it is the same road most of the way, the return run takes about the same time as the trip south, a little longer in the afternoon peak.

When the 18 runs

The 18 keeps a steady daytime frequency and runs late into the evening every day of the week. These are the headline times from the Stagecoach timetable.

First and last buses run as follows: Monday to Friday the first leaves Almondsbury Road at about 04:05 and the first from Clarence Pier at about 04:00, with the last full journey each way at about 23:05. At weekends the first in each direction is about 04:40, with the same late finish. To picture a journey, a bus leaving Paulsgrove around 04:05 reaches Clarence Pier near 04:57, and a late-afternoon departure can take closer to an hour and five minutes through the traffic. For the exact minute of the next bus from your stop, check the live times in the Stagecoach Bus app or on the stop flag.

What riding the 18 costs

The 18 sits inside the Stagecoach South fare range, and because the whole route stays within Portsmouth a standard city ticket covers it end to end. These are the main options.

The £3 single cap is the national fare cap, which the government has confirmed to the end of March 2027, so a single is never more than that however far you ride. A Portsmouth DayRider at £5 pays for itself in two return trips.

How to pay on the 18

There is no ticket office on a bus, so you buy as you board or in the app. Any of these works on the 18:

• tap a contactless card or phone on the reader as you get on, and the fare is capped automatically across the day;
• buy a single or a DayRider in the Stagecoach Bus app before you travel and show the ticket on your phone;
• pay the driver with cash if you prefer, with change given for reasonable notes;
• touch on with an older or disabled person’s pass, which is free after the morning peak.

Contactless is the simplest because the daily cap means you never overpay, even if you ride the 18 out and something else back.

Where to catch it, and good to know

At the seafront end the stop is right by Clarence Pier, a short walk from the Hovercraft to the Isle of Wight and the funfair. In the city it calls at Cosham Interchange, where you can change for the train or other routes, and at North End and Fratton for the shops. Here are a few things people ask about the 18.

Does the 18 go to QA Hospital?

Yes, Queen Alexandra Hospital is one of its main stops, with the bus calling right at the main entrance in both directions, which is why it is a popular route for visitors and staff.

Is it a 24 hour bus?

No, the 18 is not a night route. It starts very early at around 04:05 and the last full journey is about 23:05, with one short late trip from Clarence Pier as far as Cosham after that.

Can I use it to reach the seafront and the Hovercraft?

Yes, Clarence Pier is the southern end of the line, so the 18 drops you a two minute walk from the Hovertravel terminal and the Southsea funfair.

Does it run on Sundays?

Yes, the 18 runs seven days a week. Sunday buses come about every 30 minutes through the day, a little less often than the roughly 20-minute gaps you get on weekdays.

Is this the same as the old First Bus 18?

It is the same corridor but a different operator. The route used to be a First Bus service, and Stagecoach South runs it now, so ignore the old First timetables that still linger online and use the Stagecoach times and tickets.

For the full picture of city routes and tickets, our guide to buses in Portsmouth pulls the network together, and the cross-city 20 from Havant and the round-the-clock 23 are handy companions when the 18 has just gone.

Last updated: November 2026. Always check live times and prices in the Stagecoach Bus app before you travel, as timetables and fares can change.