Getting here

It couldn't be easier to bring your group to Portsmouth, with great road, rail, air and sea links to the Great Waterfront City.

If you're travelling by car or coach, Portsmouth is on the main motorway network, with the M27, M3 and A3(M) linking the city to London, Southampton, Winchester and all points beyond. The city can be reached from Central London in around two hours, or from Gatwick Airport in an hour and a half.

Alternatively, flying into Southampton airport means you can reach Portsmouth in under 30 minutes.

Once you arrive, coach parking is available at The D-Day Story car park or along Museum Road and St George's Road.

Groups travelling by rail will find the city similarly well connected. Direct trains regularly run between Portsmouth and London, as well as Southampton, Brighton, Cardiff, Bristol and more. There's also a direct line to Gatwick and Southampton airports.

Being an island city, Portsmouth is also accessible by water. Major ferry operators run services from Portsmouth International Port, connecting the city with France (Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre and St Malo), Spain (Bilbao and Santander) and the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey). There are also frequent crossings to the Isle of Wight, as well as a fast-growing cruise business.

Parking

As well as the aforementioned coach parking areas (The D-Day Story Car Park, Museum Road and St George's Road), there are many car parks located around the city.

Along Southsea Seafront you'll find parking bays, as well as the dedicated car parks at The D-Day Story, Southsea Common (opposite the Hovertravel terminal) and Canoe Lake. In the city centre there are multi-storey car parks run by NCP at Crasswell Street and Alec Rose Lane, plus ground-level parking off Market Way and Station Street. Gunwharf Quays also has its own dedicated car park with 1,500 spaces (please note there is a 2.2m height restriction).

More information about parking can be found on the Portsmouth City Council website.

Clean Air Zone

A Clean Air Zone is in place over parts of the city centre. Rolled out to help make the air cleaner for locals and visitors alike, it means certain vehicles will be charged for driving within the designated zone.

Private vehicles are not subject to the charge.

Buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles and heavy goods vehicles that are older than Euro 6 if diesel, and Euro 4 if petrol, will be charged.

Newer, cleaner vehicles will not be charged, and there are also some specific vehicle exemptions. More information on these exemptions can be found on the Portsmouth Clean Air Zone website.

The zone runs south from Kingston Crescent to Portsmouth Harbour, covering the city centre, Gunwharf Quays and a large part of Portsea.

Non-compliant taxis and private hire vehicles will be charged £10 per day to enter the zone. For HGVs, buses and coaches, the charge is £50 a day.

Portsmouth City Council has also brought in many other measures to improve air quality in the city, and not just rely on the Clean Air Zone. More information on these measures, as well as further details on the Clean Air Zone itself, can be found on the website.