Southampton to Edinburgh train with London North Eastern Railway

Trains from Southampton to Edinburgh

Trains from Southampton to Edinburgh are frequent and depart daily, with an average of 17 to 37 journeys a day during the week, an average of 36 trains on Saturdays, and from 14 to 21 journeys a day on Sundays. On average, the train during the week takes 6h 47min to 8h 34min, while weekend trains can take up to 19h 26min. This service provides one to two changes, in London, Birmingham, or Glasgow and additionally, Reading, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Preston, Eastleigh, or Clapham Junction for journeys with a second change. Your changeover station depends on which company you travel with, which day you travel, and the time of your journey.

Southampton to Edinburgh Train Time: Daily Departures

Trains from Southampton to Edinburgh depart frequently with regular trains running throughout the day. On weekdays there’s an average of 17 to 37 journeys a day, depending on the day of the week. On average, there are two to three journeys available per hour, with the first train departing as early as around 4:49 a.m. and the last at around 4:30 p.m. These journeys have an average duration of 6h 47min to 8h 34min, depending on the number of changes in your journey.

Saturdays have an average of up to 36 journeys, with the first train departing at around 5:12 a.m. and the last at around 11:23 p.m. Journeys on Saturdays have an average duration of around 6h 51min to 19h 49min. This is because there are many night trains along this route with long breaks spent in the change over stations. On Sundays, there’s an average of around 14 to 21 journeys a day, with the first train departing at around 6:32 a.m. and the last at around 10:55 p.m. These journeys have an average duration of 7h to 12h 23min.

How long is the journey by train from Southampton to Edinburgh?

Trains to Edinburgh from Southampton generally take an average duration of 6h 47min to 8h 34min during the week, and up to 19h 26min on weekends. The train journey between Southampton and Edinburgh is a high-speed service, with one to two changes in the journey. These changes are located in London, Birmingham, or Glasgow and additionally, Reading, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Preston, Eastleigh, or Clapham Junction for journeys with a second change. The duration of these journeys depends on three factors, which company you travel with, how many changes there are in your journey, and the duration of your changes.

Edinburgh Calton Hill Tourist. Source: Shutterstock

What is/are the departure and arrival stations for trains from Southampton to Edinburgh?

Departure train station: Southampton Central Station is the cities main train station and serves the South West Main Line, the Wessex Line, and the West Coastway Line. It’s centrally located in the Southampton city centre and is accessible by local bus lines, taxi, car, or by bicycle. The station provides facilities such as ticket machines, a car park, bike storage, bike hire, toilets, baby changing facilities, seating areas, luggage trolleys, postal services, Wi-Fi, cash points, retail shops, and food and beverage options. There is step-free access to the platforms, ramps to access the trains, wheelchairs available, lowered ticket counters, and induction loops.

Arrival train station: Edinburgh Waverley Station, often known as Waverley Station, is the city's primary train station. Outside of London, it is the largest train station in the United Kingdom, and behind Glasgow, it is the second busiest train station in Scotland. It is situated in the centre of Edinburgh, at the crossroads of Old and New Town. It's easy to get there by car, taxi, bicycle, train, or bus. Tour buses and airport buses both depart from Waverley Station. Local buses also go through the area. The station provides facilities such as ticket machines, a travel centre, cash points, information booths and officers, lost property, photo booths, Wi-Fi, restrooms, baby-changing facilities, showers, cash points, payphones, car rental desks, trolleys, drinking fountains, food and drink stores, and car parks are all available at the station. Induction loops and visual aids are among the station's accessible features.

Which train companies travel from Southampton to Edinburgh?

When travelling from Southampton to Edinburgh by train, three main companies offer regular routes between the two cities, London North Eastern Railway (LNER), Avanti West Coast, and Cross Country. Additionally, First TransPennine Express and Caledonian Sleeper provide occasional trains on the weekend. LNER provides the most frequent amount of journeys, offering one to three trains per hour.

Avanti West Coast and Cross Country also provide daily trains, with two to three journeys available per day during the week, and up to 7-14 journeys on weekends. The journey times for all companies are similar in length as they use a similar amount of changes, and similar change over stations. All trains along this route depart from Southampton Central Station and arrive at Edinburgh Waverley Station.

London North Eastern Railway trains from Southampton to Edinburgh

Trains from Southampton to Edinburgh with London North Eastern Railway, also called LNER, offer frequent routes, with daily trips. Trains with this service are available every day of the week, with one to three high-speed several trains per hour on weekdays and Saturdays, and an occasional service on Sundays. These trains have an average duration of 6h 47min to 17h 41min, depending on the amount and duration of changes in the route. Trains along this route provide one to two changes. You can find more information on LNER trains on the Omio website London North Eastern Railway.

Avanti West Coast trains from Southampton to Edinburgh

Avanti West Coach trains provide high-speed trains between Southampton and Edinburgh, every day of the week. These trains have an average of three journeys a day during the week, up to 14 journeys on Saturdays, and up to 10 journeys on Sundays. During the week the journeys occur in the morning, with an average duration of 7h 3min to 8h 6min.

On the weekend these journeys occur throughout the day and have an average duration of 7h to 12h 23min. The journey duration depends on the number of changes, and the length of duration during those changes. Trains along this route provide one to two changes. You can find more information on Avanti West Coast trains on the Omio website Avanti West Coast.

Cross Country trains from Southampton to Edinburgh

Cross Country offers high-speed trains to Edinburgh from Southampton with frequent journeys throughout the week and weekend. It provides an average of two journeys a day during the week, up to seven journeys on Saturdays, and up to three trains on Sundays, usually one in the morning, the afternoon, and one in the evening.

Weekday trains have an average duration of 7h 7min to 7h 58min, while weekend trains can be around 7h 6min to 19h 26min. Your train duration is subject to the number of changes in the journey, and the time spent at change over stations. Trains along this route provide one to two changes. You can find more information on Cross Country trains on the Omio website Cross Country.

Edinburgh Scott Monument Park. Source: Shutterstock

Train Southampton to Edinburgh: Services on Board

LNER has two classes of service: Standard and First Class, as well as four fares: Mixed Tickets, the Advance Single, the Anytime Day Single, and the Off-Peak Day Single. Single advance tickets are non-refundable, but you can modify the ticket's journey for a cost. Anytime Day Single indicates you can travel at any time on the specified day, while Off-Peak Day Single means you can travel outside of peak hours. These tickets come with a seat selection option and the option of receiving a mobile ticket or picking it up at the railway station.

You may bring a maximum of three pieces of luggage with no weight limit, two small pets for free, and your bicycle; however, if it is not foldable, you must reserve a slot for it. You can book special help for your journey either online or over the phone. For this journey, Avanti West Coach offers two classes: Standard and First Class, as well as four different fares: Off-Peak Single, Advance Single, Anytime Single, and Mixed Tickets. Off-Peak travel occurs outside of peak hours, Advanced Single tickets save money by allowing you to book ahead of time but are non-refundable, and Anytime Single tickets are fully flexible and allow passage at any time. Seat selection, mobile tickets, and physical tickets are available on Avanti West Coach journeys, and you can bring luggage that does not exceed the dimensions of 30 x 70 x 90cm.

You can plan assisted travel for people with limited mobility, and you are free to bring your pet and your bicycle. On this route, Cross Country Trains offers two classes, Standard and First Class, as well as four different rates for standard classes. It’s recommended to bring one piece of luggage 90x70x30cm, plus a small bag. There are weekend upgrades, membership discounts, aged discounts for travellers aged 16 to 25, luggage delivery services, and a free prize draw for first-class ticket holders are all available to Cross Country clients.

How to find cheap train tickets from Southampton to Edinburgh?

There are a few various ways to find cheap tickets when browsing for routes from Southampton to Edinburgh. Planning and booking your trip ahead of time is a good method to save money on big-ticket items. When compared to tickets for a later date, you can typically get tickets at a lower price if you look ahead of time. A flexible schedule is another method to save money on your trip. This entails pursuing cheaper dates and times, such as weekdays, early in the morning, or late at night. Additionally, using a train with connections or a slow train could save money. Other cost-effective options include taking a slower train or one with multiple connections. These are all good ways to find economical solutions for your train fares.

To Edinburgh by train—travel tips

Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city, is recognised for its many landmarks, one-of-a-kind castles (Edinburgh Castle is built on the crater of an extinct volcano), and parks. Edinburgh is surrounded by rich nature, and the surrounding suburbs offer several chances for walks and climbs. The city boasts a total of 112 parks, making it the city with the most trees per capita in the United Kingdom.

With year-round events that bring people from all over the world, this UNESCO City of Literature is Scotland's cultural and artistic hub. The Princes Street Gardens are home to the world's largest monument honouring a writer, Sir Walter Scott. Edinburgh, dubbed the "Festival Capital of the World", is always buzzing with things to see. Its festivals showcase a wide spectrum of artistic disciplines, each focusing on a distinct topic; a science festival, a performance festival, a literature festival, a comedy festival, an art festival, a film festival, a jazz festival, a tattoo festival, an international festival, a storytelling festival, and more are all held in the New Town area.

While traversing the historic cobblestone alleys and exploring the maze of lanes interlocking and encircling the Royal Mile in the Old Town, you may easily envision yourself in medieval times. You may explore local distilleries, learn about the history of the buried city beneath Edinburgh's streets, and visit Holyrood Palace to witness Mary, Queen of Scots' royal residence.

Fans of the Harry Potter series can go on tours that involve day visits to local filming locations and visit cafes where author J.K. Rowling wrote sections of the narrative. For more travel information to London visit our website here.