Trains from Portsmouth to London from £8.00

A couple of hours’ train ride and you can easily find yourself transported from the south coast’s island city to the UK’s bustling capital. Whether you’re travelling from Portsmouth to London for a day out, a weekend away, or to head to one of the city’s airports, check out our guide below for all the information you’ll need.

Which station is best for Portsmouth?

Covering a distance of approximately 63 miles, Portsmouth to London is a popular route with multiple possible departure stations and two operators providing direct trains into the capital.

You’ll find direct trains from Portsmouth Harbour, Portsmouth & Southsea and Fratton stations to both London Waterloo and London Victoria. All three stations offer free Wi-Fi, seating areas and accessible toilets as well as a café or refreshment facilities. If you’ve got a lot of time before your train departs, you might prefer to head to the nearby shops and restaurants of the city centre if you’re travelling from Portsmouth & Southsea or Gunwharf Quays if you’re starting your journey at Portsmouth Harbour. If you’re returning from the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth Harbour is a great connection point for onward travel to London.

Which train lines go from Portsmouth to London?

Once you’ve chosen your preferred station, you’ll find that both South Western Railway and Southern operate direct services to London, so you’ll need to choose which option best suits your trip.

Portsmouth to London Waterloo with South Western

South Western Railway offers the quickest direct route from Portsmouth to London, with some journeys taking just 1h 31m from Portsmouth and Southsea station. Services to London Waterloo are also more frequent, with usually three trains per hour.

It’s worth noting that the speed of South Western services is affected by the train’s route and stops. There are three main options available, each running once per hour:

• The quickest option is Portsmouth to London Waterloo via Fratton, Havant, Petersfield, Haslemere, Godalming, Guildford and Woking.
• The next quickest option goes via all the above stations as well as additional stations such as Liss, Liphook and Farncombe.
• The slowest option goes via Winchester and Basingstoke.

Head over to the South Western Railway train line map for more information on Portsmouth to London routes, and be sure to make use of our journey planner to see which option is best for you.

Once onboard, many South Western Railway services include quiet zones as well as free Wi-Fi. If you’re looking to upgrade to First Class, you can book First Class advanced fares, upgrade at the ticket office (weekdays) or directly from the guard on the train (weekends). First Class passengers can benefit from extra legroom, wider seats, large tables and at-seat wireless charging.

Portsmouth to London Victoria with Southern

Southern services from Portsmouth to London Victoria run around twice an hour and take from 2h 7m to 2h 12m from Portsmouth & Southsea station. On your way, stops usually include Chichester, Three Bridges, Gatwick Airport and Clapham Junction. Check out the Southern Railway train line map, showing the Portsmouth to London route, for more information on stops.

Onboard, you’ll find free Wi-Fi available, and if you choose to upgrade to First Class, you’ll enjoy quieter carriages and more space. Advanced First Class fares are easy to find with our journey planner. Simply select your preferred route and before proceeding to payment, click on ‘View 1st Class & More Tickets’.

How much do train tickets from Portsmouth to London cost?

Advanced fares can start from as little as £3.50, although average fares are usually around £20. Generally, Southern services from Portsmouth to London Victoria are slightly cheaper than South Western Railway services to London Waterloo, however, they also tend to be slower. Be sure to head to our journey planner to compare routes and prices.

Travelling from Portsmouth to London airports

Booked a flight from one of London’s airports and travelling up from Portsmouth? Check out the handy table below on how to get to Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted.

As there are no direct trains from Portsmouth to London Heathrow or London Stansted airports, be sure to use our journey planner to find the best route for your trip. You also might want to consider coach options, which you’ll also find conveniently displayed in the journey planner.

Arriving into London from Portsmouth

London Victoria

London Victoria Station is brilliantly located if you’re looking to explore popular tourist spots nearby. You’ll find Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park and many more within walking distance of this West End station.

London Victoria has a wide range of shops, restaurants and facilities available when you arrive, including accessible toilets, baby changing facilities, water fountains and left luggage. You’ll find a full list of shops, cafes and restaurants in the Network Rail station retail directory.

For onward travel, London Victoria is extremely well connected. Victoria coach station is just 600 metres down the road, while the mainline train station offers Southeastern, Southern and Gatwick Express services. There’s also the London Underground station, which is served by the Circle, District and Victoria lines.

London Waterloo

London Waterloo is a popular bustling station on London’s South Bank, with famous attractions such as the London Eye, Tate Modern and the Imperial War Museum within walking distance.

At the station itself, there’s plenty of choice of shops and restaurants along with useful facilities such as left luggage, seating areas, accessible toilets, baby changing facilities and water fountains.

London Waterloo is conveniently located for onward travel with the underground station served by four lines (Bakerloo, Northern, Jubilee and Waterloo & City). There are also mainline services from both London Waterloo and Waterloo East.

*Information is subject to change. Please check the latest train timetable before your trip.