Southampton Newport Train

Southampton is the largest city in Hampshire on the south coast of England. The city lies at the northern tip of Southampton Water, where the rivers Test and Itchen converge. The River Test runs along the western edge of the city. It is roughly 75 miles to the south west of London and around 20 miles to the west of Portsmouth. The Port of Southampton is a major cruise ship terminal and ferry port. The ferryport is no longer home to any international ferry operations but it is the terminus for three ferry services to the Isle if Wight. Southampton's tradition of luxury cruising began in around 1840. Many of the world's largest cruise ships can regularly be seen in the port including vessels from Royal Caribbean and Carnival Corporation, which includes brands including Princess Cruises and Cunard Line.

Southampton has two large live music venues, the Mayflower Theatre and the Guildhall. The Guildhall has seen concerts from a wide range of popular artists including Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Manic Street Preachers, The Killers, The Kaiser Chiefs and Amy Winehouse. It also hosts classical concerts presented by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of Southampton Orchestra, Southampton Concert Orchestra, Southampton Philharmonic Choir and Southampton Choral Society.

Located in the county of Monmouthshire, the city of Newport stands at the mouth of the River Usk. It is a busy industrial and commercial center and is home to the University of Wales Newport. Newport is surrounded by beautiful landscapes including the Wye Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Vale of Usk, famous for its salmon fishing, the Brecon Beacons National Park and Forest of Dean – both less than an hour’s drive from Newport.

To the south of the city lies the Caldicot and Wentloog Levels and Newport Wetlands Reserve. The Wetlands Reserve opened in March 2000 as a mitigation for the loss of mudflats caused by the building of the Cardiff Bay Barrage. Also a Local Nature Reserve is established at Allt-yr-yn.

On a sporting front, the city is currently home to a number of annual sporting events, including: The Wales Open European Tour golf tournament, the Elemis Invitational Trophy tennis tournament, the Welsh Open world ranking snooker tournament and the World Cup of Pool.

Many of the landmarks of Newport are in Newport city centre or within a short walking distance of the centre. These include the railway station, the bus station, the Castle, the Westgate Hotel, the Market, the Museum and Central Library, the Cathedral, the Transporter Bridge and Newport Bridge.