Getting to Portsmouth from Liverpool ?

[andrewc]

I've booked a ferry to France on Monday 1st June, so I need to get myself and the bike from Liverpool to Portsmouth.

Liverpool to London is easy,  but it appears I can't reserve a bike space for Waterloo to Portsmouth.  Do you just turn up & take pot luck as to whether you can get on the train ?

Ferry leaves at 20:15 so I'd like to get to Portsmouth for about 18:00,  however that means  leaving London close to peak time , so it may be sensible to arrive earlier.

[StuAff]

There are no bike reservations on SWT services. Pot luck indeed, but if you get to the platform as soon as it's announced you shouldn't have problems. There are usually two carriages with bike spaces on Pompey services. SWT cycle policy here http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/cycle-policy.aspx You'll be travelling at peak, but I've brought a bike on a train during that time before without problems. Results may vary...
Southern services are worse for bikes- the train splits at Horsham, only two bikes in each half, it takes two hours...go SWT and travel earlier if you can. Plenty of nice place to kill time round here, honest

[RichForrest]

What about going via Southampton? Birmingham trains go that way or change at Stafford.
You could cycle the 20 miles or get the local train, not sure what the trains along there are like for bikes down there but I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to tell you 

[Clare]

Trains between Soton and Portsmouth are dire, bugger all bike space and piss at every lamp post.

If you do get the train to Soton, cycle to the IOW ferry port, ferry to Cowes, cycle to Fishbourne, ferry to Portsmouth, cycle to continental ferry port.


There are three trains per hour from Waterloo to Portsmouth but to be sure you don't fall foul of TEH ROOLZ get on one before the 1600 cut off.

If you want leading from the station (or IOW ferry) to the continental ferry port let me know.

[StuAff]

Trains between Southampton and Portsmouth are either SWT (similar rolling stock as per Waterloo line), Southern (again, same as via London), or FGW (three-carriage cattle truck). Would not recommend riding along from there unless you allow plenty of time and plot your route carefully. A27 is pretty nasty for cycling during peak hours, and Southampton's one-way system is a bit of a navigation nightmare. If you still fancy a ride,  a better option would be to leave the train at Eastleigh and go to Pompey via Wickham, Southwick, then down the hill, which is a lot more pleasant.

[Jaded]

Find a freighter sailing from L'pool to Portsmouth? 

[Pancho]

Trains between Southampton and Portsmouth are either SWT (similar rolling stock as per Waterloo line), Southern (again, same as via London), or FGW (three-carriage cattle truck). Would not recommend riding along from there unless you allow plenty of time and plot your route carefully. A27 is pretty nasty for cycling during peak hours, and Southampton's one-way system is a bit of a navigation nightmare. If you still fancy a ride,  a better option would be to leave the train at Eastleigh and go to Pompey via Wickham, Southwick, then down the hill, which is a lot more pleasant.

Allow some time and stick to the coast - avoiding the A27 from Soton.

Past all the cruise ships in Soton -> over the Itchen Bridge (wot used to be a ferry when I was a boy) -> through Netly Park -> Hamble Ferry (wot used to be a rowing boat with an outboard when I...) -> join Sustrans Route 2 (not as bad as it sounds) to Lee On Solent -> Through Gosport -> Gosport Ferry to Pompey Rail Station -> Short hop to Ferry Port.

Call in at my place for tea and stickies as you'll be passing.