First Southampton (tel: (023) 8022 4854; website: www.firstgroup.com) operates a comprehensive network of buses linking all parts of the city. Bus 14 operates between the city centre and the International Airport, as does the Unilink U1 service. Solent Blue Line (tel: (023) 8061 8233; website: www.solentblueline.com) and UniLink Southampton (tel: (023) 8059 5974; website: www.unilink.soton.ac.uk) also offer comprehensive services throughout the city. Discounted fares, day travelcards and passes enabling travel of seven, 28 or 90 days are available for some services. For full details about fares, routes and discounts, contact the relevant bus company directly.

Taxis can be hailed on the street or at ranks at the railway and bus stations. To pre-book a taxi try Abbeytax (tel: (023) 8032 2480), Radio Taxis (tel: (023) 8066 6666; website: www.radtax.co.uk) or Streamline Taxis (tel: (023) 8022 3355).

There are numerous car rental firms operating in Southampton. Alamo (tel: 0870 191 6921; website: www.alamo.co.uk), Avis (tel: 0870 606 0100; website: www.avis.co.uk), Enterprise (tel: (023) 8065 3700; website: www.enterprise.co.uk), Hertz (tel: 0870 850 2690; website: www.hertz.co.uk), Europcar (tel: (023) 8033 2973; website: www.europcar.co.uk) and National (tel: (023) 8065 2059; website: www.nationalcar.co.uk) all have offices either at the airport, in the city or both.

Southampton is relatively small and, for the most part, flat, so a bike is a great way to get around and see the city sights. However, at the time of writing, there are no bike hire establishments in Southampton itself. The nearest one can be found in the small town of Hythe, across Southampton Water. It is called Cycle Experience (tel: (023) 8084 0765; website: www.cyclex.co.uk) and can be reached via the Hythe Ferry, on which bikes can be taken free of charge. Further afield, Cycle Experience, Brookley Road, Brockenhurst (tel: (01590) 624 204) rents out bikes in the New Forest. GA Cycles, 65 Shirley Road (tel: (023) 8063 6648), in Southampton sells a good selection and is just a short walk from Southampton Central railway station.