By train. Portsmouth has two main stations — Portsmouth & Southsea (the city centre) and Portsmouth Harbour (right next to the Historic Dockyard, Gunwharf Quays, and the Wightlink ferry). Both are on the South Western Railway and Southern lines from London Waterloo and London Victoria; the journey takes about 90 to 110 minutes. Direct trains also run from Brighton, Cardiff, and Bristol.
By road. The M27 motorway from Southampton joins the A3 from London at the top of Portsdown Hill, five minutes north of the city. Parking around the dockyard and Gunwharf is reasonable but expensive; cheaper long-stay car parks exist at Portsmouth & Southsea station and around Edinburgh Road.
By air. The nearest airport is Southampton (SOU), 40 minutes away by car or train. Heathrow and Gatwick are 90 minutes to two hours by car.
By ferry. Portsmouth is a major continental ferry port — Brittany Ferries runs to Caen, Cherbourg, St-Malo, Le Havre, and Santander; Condor to the Channel Islands. Wightlink runs car ferries and fast catamarans to the Isle of Wight from the Harbour; Hovertravel runs the hovercraft from Southsea Common.