Getting to a hospital appointment, or collecting someone after treatment, should be the least stressful part of the day. Southampton's hospitals are spread right across the city — from the large NHS campus in Shirley to private hospitals out at Chandler's Ford — and most of them have limited, expensive parking on congested roads.
This guide covers every site, where you actually want to be dropped off, and how appointment and discharge timings work in practice.
NHS hospitals
Southampton General Hospital
Tremona Road, Shirley, SO16 6YD
The city's main acute hospital and one of the most important healthcare sites in the South of England — home to the region's only 24-hour A&E and major trauma centre, plus specialist oncology, cardiology and neurosciences.
It is a big, confusing site on a first visit, split into East, West and Centre blocks. Parking is limited and the surrounding roads clog during school and commuter hours. Tell us the department and we drop at the nearest entrance rather than leaving you to walk the campus.
About 10 minutes from the city centre, 20 from Southampton Airport.
Princess Anne Hospital
Coxford Road, SO16 5YA
Directly across the road from Southampton General, and the regional centre for maternity, neonatal intensive care and women's health.
Many journeys here happen at short notice and at awkward hours — planned deliveries, unplanned admissions, antenatal appointments. We run around the clock for exactly this reason.
About 10 minutes from the city centre; adjacent to Southampton General.
Southampton Children's Hospital
Within Southampton General, Tremona Road, SO16 6YD
One of the UK's top three paediatric centres, drawing families from across the South of England for specialist appointments and planned procedures.
If you are travelling a long way with children, our child seat transfers cover the same seats we fit for airport runs — say the ages when booking.
About 10 minutes from the city centre; same site as Southampton General.
Royal South Hants Hospital
Brintons Terrace, SO14 0YG
Near the city centre, home to the Urgent Treatment Centre for minor injuries and illnesses that do not need A&E, plus outpatient dermatology, audiology and mental health services. For many residents it is the closest NHS facility to home.
About 5 minutes from the city centre, 15 from Southampton Airport.
Southampton Eye Hospital
Southampton General campus, Tremona Road, SO16 6YD
Its own building on the General campus, with a separate entrance and a dedicated eye casualty department.
This one deserves a specific note: after dilation drops you cannot drive, and reading a phone to summon a car is genuinely difficult. Book the return leg in advance, or ask us to wait. It is one of the most common waiting jobs we do.
About 10 minutes from the city centre; same site as Southampton General.
Western Community Hospital
William Macleod Way, Millbrook, SO16 4XE
Houses the South of England Rehabilitation Centre, with inpatient wards for patients recovering from surgery, strokes or serious illness.
Discharges here often follow long stays and involve mobility aids. Mention a wheelchair or walking frame when booking and we send a vehicle with the space — see our wheelchair accessible transfers.
About 12 minutes from the city centre.
Get a fixed price to any Southampton hospital →Private hospitals
Spire Southampton Hospital
Chalybeate Close, SO16 6UY
Immediately next to the Southampton General campus in Shirley, and the city's leading private facility for complex elective procedures — orthopaedic surgery, cardiac care, advanced diagnostics.
Many Spire patients travel in from further afield for planned procedures. We run fixed-price transfers from Heathrow and Gatwick, and from Southampton Central station, plus the return leg afterwards.
About 10 minutes from the city centre; roughly 75 to 90 minutes from Heathrow.
Nuffield Health Wessex Hospital
Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh SO53 2DW
Just north of Southampton off Junction 12 of the M3, covering general surgery, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, diagnostics and private health assessments. Popular with patients across Hampshire and Wiltshire who prefer somewhere quieter than the city centre.
About 18 minutes from the city centre, 10 from Southampton Airport.
Journey times at a glance
| From | To | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| City centre | Southampton General / Princess Anne | 10 min |
| City centre | Royal South Hants | 5 min |
| City centre | Western Community | 12 min |
| City centre | Nuffield Health Wessex | 18 min |
| Southampton Airport | Southampton General | 20 min |
| Southampton Airport | Nuffield Health Wessex | 10 min |
| Heathrow | Spire Southampton | 75 to 90 min |
Times are typical off-peak. Tremona Road and the Shirley approaches slow noticeably at school run and commuter hours — worth 15 minutes' contingency for a morning appointment.
Three things worth knowing
Discharge times move. Ward rounds, pharmacy and paperwork all run late. Rather than booking a car for the earliest possible hour and paying it to wait, give us the ward and a best estimate, and call when discharge is actually confirmed.
Say if you need waiting time. For eye appointments, day procedures and anything involving sedation, a waiting driver is usually cheaper and far less stressful than arranging two separate journeys.
Name the department, not the hospital. "Southampton General" is a campus. "Southampton General, C Level, West Wing" gets you dropped at the door.
Frequently asked questions
Can you wait during a hospital appointment?
Yes. Tell us when booking and we can arrange a waiting vehicle. This matters most for eye appointments, where dilation drops mean you cannot drive or travel alone afterwards.
Can you pick up a patient being discharged?
Yes. Discharge times move, so give us the ward and an estimate and we work with it rather than charging for a car sitting outside from the earliest possible hour.
Do you carry wheelchairs, frames and mobility aids?
Yes — mention it when booking so the right vehicle is sent. An MPV has the space for a folding wheelchair or walking frame alongside passengers.
Which entrance do you drop off at?
Whichever you need. Southampton General is a large split site with East, West and Centre blocks, so tell us the department and we bring you to the nearest entrance rather than the main gate.
Do you cover hospital journeys overnight?
Yes, around the clock. Maternity admissions to Princess Anne and urgent trips rarely happen in office hours, and public transport is not running at 3am.
Book a fixed-price hospital transfer
Fixed price · Licensed operator · 24/7
Need a ride? Get a fixed price now
Fixed price · Licensed operator · 24/7
Continue reading
Coach to Southampton Cruise Port: Is It Worth It?
A coach is the cheapest way to reach Southampton on paper — but it drops you at the coach station, not the cruise terminal. Here's the honest comparison, including the costs people forget.
Read article
Getting to Southampton's Business Parks & Major Employers
Several of Southampton's biggest employers sit off motorway junctions with no direct bus from the city centre. Here's where the major sites actually are, and how long each takes from the station and the airport.
Read articleSouthampton Port Arrivals & Departures: How to Track Your Ship
Ship times move — tides, weather and berthing queues shift arrivals by an hour or more. Here's how to track a ship into Southampton properly, and how to time a pickup so you're not paying for a driver to sit and wait.
Read article