There are two ways to reach Rugby by train from Portsmouth & Southsea, and in the daytime they take almost the same time: about 3 hours 20 minutes. One changes at Southampton Central and Coventry; the other goes into London Waterloo and needs the Underground to Euston. In the evening, the gap between them grows.
Portsmouth to Rugby: summary
- Via Southampton and Coventry
- 3 hours 16 to 3 hours 26 minutes.
- Via London
- 3 hours 21 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes, depending on the train.
- Station
- The journeys we checked started at Portsmouth & Southsea.
- Last trains
- Via Coventry, the 19:29, arriving 22:45; via London, the 19:38, arriving 23:58.
- Straight line
- About 109 miles.
Southampton or Waterloo?
On Tuesday 15 September 2026, the 09:27 from Portsmouth & Southsea reached Southampton Central at 10:08, caught the 10:15 to Coventry, and arrived in Rugby at 12:45. The 09:19 went to London Waterloo instead; after the Underground to Euston and the 11:46 from there, it reached Rugby at 12:42, three minutes earlier.
| Leaves Portsmouth & Southsea | Route | Arrives Rugby | Journey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:21 | Waterloo, Underground, Euston | 11:42 | 3 h 21 min |
| 08:27 | Southampton Central, Coventry | 11:45 | 3 h 18 min |
| 09:37 | Waterloo, Underground, Euston | 13:14 | 3 h 37 min |
| 17:29 | Southampton Central, Coventry | 20:45 | 3 h 16 min |
| 17:37 | Waterloo, Underground, Euston | 21:42 | 4 h 5 min |
| 18:29 | Southampton Central, Coventry | 21:55 | 3 h 26 min |
| 19:29 | Southampton Central, Coventry | 22:45 | 3 h 16 min |
| 19:38 | Waterloo, Underground, Euston | 23:58 | 4 h 20 min |
Eight minutes apart, almost an hour apart. The 17:29 via Southampton and Coventry reached Rugby at 20:45. The 17:37 via London, leaving eight minutes later, didn’t arrive until 21:42.
Crossing London means getting from Waterloo to Euston on the Underground, which the planner allowed 20 to 25 minutes for. Check each connection on National Rail Enquiries.
Driving up from Portsmouth
Both planners leave the city on the M275, then take the M27 and M3. OSRM turns off onto the A34 and M40 and finishes on the A43, A5 and A428; Valhalla follows the M3 to the M25 and comes up the M1. Their totals were 25 miles apart, so the figure we give is the straight-line distance, about 109 miles.
On arrival, use one of six free on-site spaces, taken on a first-come basis and watched by CCTV, or park on Railway Terrace for free between 18:00 and 08:00.
A long trip deserves more than a day
Nearly seven hours on trains for a return journey makes staying the sensible option. Two reasons for spending a few nights in Rugby are covered in our pages on weddings in Warwickshire and electrical contractors.
What you get at the Rugby end
After more than three hours on trains from the south coast, you arrive at a self-contained room with a kitchenette; the building has 16 of them. Washing is free in the guest laundry on the first floor, and stays of seven or more nights get housekeeping each week. See the full list of rooms and read our policies before you book.
Portsmouth to Rugby: common questions
What is the fastest train from Portsmouth to Rugby?
On the timetable we checked, the 17:29 and 19:29 via Southampton Central and Coventry, at 3 hours 16 minutes.
Do I need to cross London to get from Portsmouth to Rugby?
No. Trains via Southampton Central and Coventry avoid London and took about the same time or less.
What is the last train from Portsmouth to Rugby?
Via Coventry, the 19:29, arriving at 22:45. Via London, the 19:38 arrived at 23:58.
Portsmouth to Rugby, with somewhere to stay
Reserve directly on our website and add DIRECT as your code.
Checked on 10 September 2026 using traintimes.org.uk searches from Portsmouth & Southsea for Tuesday 15 September 2026. The driving routes from OSRM (138 miles) and Valhalla (163 miles) differed, so we show the 109-mile straight-line distance.
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