Portsmouth fans face further travel disruptions as announcement made vs Southampton
Portsmouth fans are no doubt looking forward to the South Coast derby on Sunday.
It is the first time the two rivals have clashed since 2019, with Southampton coming out on top that day in the Carabao Cup.
However, given Portsmouth’s great early-season form, there is a real feeling that John Mousinho’s side can get a result at St. Mary’s.
Yet, fans continue to face issues with their match day experience, and now this has been damaged further.
Bus replacements brought in for train travel to Southampton
While fans will still turn up to the derby in droves, the match is not set up to be a classic in terms of fan experience.
Southampton were slammed as they charged £40 for an adult away ticket for Sunday’s clash.
On top of this, Portsmouth announced that fans travelling by coach must arrive an hour before departure. This is despite some coaches leaving at 8:30 am for a 40-minute drive.
Now, any fans looking to travel via train are facing further disruption.
The Network Rail Wessex confirmed via X on 10 September that work will be carried out on the trainlines that may disrupt fans’ journeys.
As a result, any Pompey supporters looking to get to Southampton Central from Fratton between 9 am and kick-off will have to get off at Eastleigh and take a replacement bus service to the station.
After the match, a similar service will be held to help fans return to Fratton.
⚠️ If you’re a #saintsfc fan travelling to the match between @SouthamptonFC and Portsmouth on Sunday 14 September, please be aware that all lines in the Southampton area will be closed.
— SWR Help (@SW_Help) September 10, 2025
Buses will replace trains – find out more here 👇 https://t.co/RGQyuLbY8W
Little fan experience prepared for South Coast derby
While little can be done to prevent train works, and it is understandable why the coaches are leaving early from Portsmouth, the current fan experience for Pompey fans is dire.
If Portsmouth weren’t facing Southampton, it is likely that many fans wouldn’t have gone at all, given how the supporters have been treated.
The fact that the match is on TV at 12 pm and fans are still willing to make the journey showcases how good Pompey’s support is.
Hopefully, it will all be worth it by full-time, with Mousinho’s men coming home with three points in a famous victory.
Sign up for the Pompey News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Portsmouth news sent straight to your phone.