Portsmouth travel guide

Portsmouth Tourism | Portsmouth Guide

You're Going to Love Portsmouth

With a population of 194,150, Portsmouth is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Portsmouth deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Activities & attractions in Portsmouth

Where to Eat in Portsmouth

If you’re looking for affordable options, Casa Brasil Portsmouth (44/45 The Boardwalk Port Solent) and Carluccio's - Portsmouth (Unit R20 Blake House) are great picks.

When to visit Portsmouth

Portsmouth in April
Estimated hotel price
£70
1 night at 3-star hotel
Portsmouth in April
Estimated hotel price
£70
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Portsmouth

Plane

When flying to Portsmouth, you’ll arrive at Southampton Airport (SOU), which is located 15 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Portsmouth departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 10m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Portsmouth, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Portsmouth to Oxford takes 0h 54m and costs around £28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £30 for a 1h 36m trip. Located 1.8 miles from the city centre, Portsmouth Fratton, Hants is the busiest station in Portsmouth. Another popular train station is Portsmouth Harbour, located 1.6 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Portsmouth is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 63 miles from Portsmouth. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portsmouth, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Portsmouth takes 135 miles and will cost you around £3. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about £8 for a journey of 140 miles. The most popular bus station is Portsmouth Widley, located 3 miles from the city centre of Portsmouth. Portsmouth Rudmore Roundabout is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Portsmouth, you’ll arrive at Southampton Airport (SOU), which is located 15 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Portsmouth departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 10m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Portsmouth, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Portsmouth to Oxford takes 0h 54m and costs around £28 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £30 for a 1h 36m trip. Located 1.8 miles from the city centre, Portsmouth Fratton, Hants is the busiest station in Portsmouth. Another popular train station is Portsmouth Harbour, located 1.6 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Portsmouth is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 63 miles from Portsmouth. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portsmouth, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Portsmouth takes 135 miles and will cost you around £3. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about £8 for a journey of 140 miles. The most popular bus station is Portsmouth Widley, located 3 miles from the city centre of Portsmouth. Portsmouth Rudmore Roundabout is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Portsmouth

Airlines serving Portsmouth

Lufthansa
Good (4,699 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
SWISS
Good (954 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,590 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,594 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,267 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (491 reviews)
Air France
Good (981 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,601 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,116 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,960 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,435 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,947 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (227 reviews)
Finnair
Good (862 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,168 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (819 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,728 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Portsmouth

Average rates range from around £102 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £139 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Portsmouth

Most booked hotels in Portsmouth

The Red Lion by Innkeeper's Collection
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£77+
Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
£99+
Holiday Inn Express Southampton M27, Jct.7
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£68+
Leonardo Hotel Southampton
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£82+
Holiday Inn Southampton
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£83+
Portsmouth Marriott Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£91+

Hiring a car in Portsmouth

Hiring a car in Portsmouth costs £44 per day, on average, or £89 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Portsmouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.81 and £23.75. The most frequently booked car type in Portsmouth is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Hyundai i10 or similar) is, on average, 75% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Portsmouth costs £44 per day, on average, or £89 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Portsmouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.81 and £23.75. The most frequently booked car type in Portsmouth is Economy (Vauxhall Corsa or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Hyundai i10 or similar) is, on average, 75% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.