How to get from Cowes to Port Solent?

[SouthPark]

I'm sailing in a regatta in the Solent this weekend. Unfortunately I can only join the boat for one day - starting in Port Solent and finishing in Cowes. I'm planning to leave my car at Port Solent, which gives me the problem of getting back from Cowes to Port Solent in order to pick up the car and drive home.

Can anyone recommend the best route? How long is it likely to take?

Many thanks,

Southy

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Don't you lot continually complain about the frequency of the seemingly 200 ferries that plough across the Solent every hour?

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Goodge]

Possible solution, bus from Cowes to Ryde.

Take Ryde catamaran ferry to Gunwharf Quay

Taxi from Gunwharf Quay to Port Solent.

I don't really think there's a cheap way to do it.

 

[StephenSails]

Fastcat to Southampton, bus to train station, train to Cosham and either walk or catch a cab back to Portsolent.

 

[BlueChip]

Walk around the marina and cadge a lift. Someone is bound to be going back to Portsmouth

 

[landaftaf]

nah - get the fishbourne car ferry to portsmouth and then taxi to port solent - much quicker

 

[dulcibella]

There's a bus from the Hard to Pt Solent, though I don't recall the times.

 

[l'escargot]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't you lot continually complain about the frequency of the seemingly 200 ferries that plough across the Solent every hour?

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

The ferry is the easy bit - it is the travel either side of it that is the problem.

Ferries from Cowes only go to Southampton - advantages are that you can walk to the ferry on the island, free bus from ferry to train station and only a short trip by bus or taxi from Cosham station the other end to Port Solent. I would probably go this way myself as it involves the minimum amount of travel on the IW.

If you want to go the Portsmouth route, it is a taxi or bus to Ryde both of which can be limited at weekends especially if it is Sunday - £20+ for a taxi and bus about an hour possibly with a change at Newport. On the Portsmouth side you can do train to Cosham and taxi to Port Solent again or bus or taxi all the way from the ferry.

Passenger ferries take less than half the time of the car ferries on both routes.

 

[gregmlucas]

I live in Port Solent - the nearest station is actually Portchester - about 20-25 minutes walk from the marina. It's onlly a few direct stops on the line from Portsmouth Harbour or Portsmouth & Southsea stations or accessible from Southampton on aless frequent basis and may require a change at Fareham.

Can't comment on ferries etc.

Cheers,

. . Greg

 

[Twister_Ken]

VHF or...

When you've finished the race put out a call on the race management channel asking for a lift? Odds are someone will be going back to Pompey, maybe even Puerto Solente.

..or when you join ship ask one of your crewmates to follow you to Portchester station where you'll park your car, then drive you back to PS.

BTW - seem to recall that one of the Solent fastcat lot run a Lymington - Cowes - Pompey service during the summer.

 

[temptress]

I used to do this regularly and settled on the following:

Chain ferry to east cowes
Bus to Ryde
Ferry to Southsea (The Hard)
Buss from Southsea to Port Solent.

All in all it is about 2 hours traveling. Alternative is don't driver to Portsolent in the firstplace and take the train there and the home from Cowes.....

 

[l'escargot]

Re: VHF or...

[ QUOTE ]
...BTW - seem to recall that one of the Solent fastcat lot run a Lymington - Cowes - Pompey service during the summer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Only during Cowes week

 

[SouthPark]

Many thanks for the useful info. I think taxi to Fishbourne, ferry to portsmouth, taxi to Port Solent is probably the way I will try - unless I suddenly hear that someone has a fast mobo they would like delivering from Cowes to Port Solent on Saturday evening ;-) Maybe I should ask over on the mobo forum.

Southy

 

[cgull]

Steal Any SUNSAIL boat!

 

[Rob_Webb]

Call up India Juliet. I think they're doing a taxi service in their 'down time'. All part of a new revenue generating scheme. I'm sure if you call Solent CG on ch16 they'd be delighted to hear from you.