Best route from London to Portsmouth?

[TheSmiths82]

Depending on the weather I might make a trip down from Manchester to Portsmouth for a few days, as it is a city I haven't been to before. As hotels are very cheap in London on a Sunday my plan is to spend the night in London, then go to the Portsmouth on the Monday. This will allow me to buy cheaper singles and not need to worry about my connections. I will buy a cheap open return from Manchester to London via London North Western/Crewe.

My question is it best to travel from Waterloo or Victoria? Time isn't really a major issue, are any routes more scenic or does it not really matter? If so I might get a slightly quicker train from Waterloo.

 

[75A]

Being a tad biased, I'd suggest going from Victoria down the Mid Sussex, probably takes twice as long as from Waterloo but has some great scenary.

 

[TheSmiths82]

Being a tad biased, I'd suggest going from Victoria down the Mid Sussex, probably takes twice as long as from Waterloo but has some great scenary.

Thanks, the tickets are slightly cheaper too and I would rather hang around the Victoria area than Waterloo . Now I just need to check the strike situation for that week!.

 

[75A]

The lower end of the Mid Sussex is particularly good with multiple crossings of the river Arun, with Arundel & its Castle & Cathedral particularly good.

 

[Gloster]

If I have understood correctly what you mean by buying singles, why not go one way and back the other?
The route via Botley and Winchester might also be permitted on singles. (I am not absolutely sure about Portsmouth, although it used to be from Ryde.)

 

[TheSmiths82]

If I have understood correctly what you mean by buying singles, why not go one way and back the other?
The route via Botley and Winchester might also be permitted on singles. (I am not absolutely sure about Portsmouth, although it used to be from Ryde.)

That is a great idea Since I will only need to catch one train on the Monday and the second leg of my return journey is an open return it makes sense just to buy singles as it is cheaper

 

[Gloster]

That is a great idea Since I will only need to catch one train on the Monday and the second leg of my return journey is an open return it makes sense just to buy singles as it is cheaper

Just to make clear: tickets from Ryde to Waterloo were valid via both the Portsmouth Direct through Guildford and via Botley.

 

[30907]

First, do pop over to the Island during your stay.
Second, the most scenic in my opinion is the route via Dorking to Horsham, then on via Arundel - however that means a rather slow start from Victoria on a suburban train, so you might prefer the through service.
Come back via Guildford (or the reverse).

 

[TheSmiths82]

Thanks I was planning to visit the Isle of Weight, my issue is I like things to be on the lively side in the evening so I think I be better off in a bigger city in the evening, but I am certainly planning a day trip to the Isle of Weight, that is one of my reasons for going. I can't really afford to do more than three nights down though.

 

[Snow1964]

If you are buying singles, then an interesting (scenery wise) return route is via Hamble, Salisbury, Avon valley and Bath to Newport, then up the Welsh borders via Shrewsbury to Chester, then back to Manchester

 

[Gloster]

Thanks I was planning to visit the Isle of Weight, my issue is I like things to be on the lively side in the evening so I think I be better off in a bigger city in the evening, but I am certainly planning a day trip to the Isle of Weight, that is one of my reasons for going. I can't really afford to do more than three nights down though.

It can fairly lively in summer on the Isle of Wight, particularly in the towns down the east side of the island, but probably not the type of liveliness you are after. (When I used to travel I used to visit some pretty dodgy parts of north Europe, but I always found Ryde bus station to be worse than any of them.) There are clubs and so on, but unless you know most of them are designed to fleece the visitor or cater to the less demanding standards of the locals. Portsmouth probably has more variety, but it is a naval port so some places should be approached with care.