Southampton are gearing up for a mouth-watering FA Cup semi-final tie with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at Wembley next weekend, with the Saints’ upturn in fortunes under Tonda Eckert continuing to motor on all fronts in what could shape up to prove a stunning finale to the campaign.
Southampton remain unbeaten across all competitions since the middle of January and have married revitalised league form with a sensational cup run, which has seen Eckert’s side emerge as eleventh-hour automatic promotion contenders while making it all the way to the last four after defeating Doncaster Rovers, Leicester City, Fulham and, most notably, Premier League leaders Arsenal to seal a first visit to Wembley in nearly two years.
Such is the Championship fixture schedule’s unrelenting nature, Southampton still have two fixtures to play out before next weekend’s showdown under the arch as they prepare to travel to Swansea City tomorrow afternoon before returning to St Mary’s to face Bristol City on Tuesday evening.
But it’s the trip to Wembley that’s really on the minds of supporters, with the Saints having already sold out an initial ticket allocation of 33,500.
With London being under two hours from Southampton, a large section of fans are likely to make the journey via train – and those who intend on doing so have now received some boosting news in preparation for next Saturday.
Southampton supporters handed travel boost ahead of Man City at Wembley
Earlier this week, Southampton Test MP Satvir Kaur, Saints’ chief executive, Phil Parsons, and Southampton City Council leader Alex Winning collaborated to compile a joint letter to Network Rail after engineering works across next weekend in Basingstoke had enforced rail replacement buses – thus sparking fears of certain supporters being unable to make it to Wembley.
Many lines falling in nearby areas were set for disruption, which had left supporters panicking about whether they would be able to attend.
Now, however, a new boost has been revealed that will make it much easier for all qualifying supporters to make their way to north London.
That’s because South Western Railway, the service which connects Southampton to London, has decided to offer additional trains on Saturday.
Saints fans will be spoiled for choice when planning out their journeys with no fewer than 14 direct trains running from Southampton Central to London Waterloo, at a rate of two to three an hour, until midday.
Southampton fans, how excited are you for next Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final trip to face Manchester City at Wembley? Let us know in the comments below!
With kick-off set to take place at 17:15, there are also dozens of later train services available to supporters once the game finishes. There are now 14 direct trains that Southampton fans can board, with the final direct service not leaving London Waterloo until past midnight.
Services are now scheduled to travel through Havant, alongside Fareham Guildford, Woking and Clapham, as a result of the engineering work in Basingstoke.
How much Southampton fans may have to pay for the train to London for Man City at Wembley
It’s hardly going to be one of the longest trips Southampton fans have made throughout this season, with the journey to London Waterloo set to take just under two hours.
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By extension, then, it won’t be one of the more expensive either, with return train tickets available on popular site Trainline between the prices of £20-30.
Those prices could, of course, be subject to change closer to the time and will also be reduced for holders of various railcards owing to generous discounts.
Either way, Southampton fans will be delighted to know that their big day out should no longer be hampered by rail disruptions, which is something that regularly impacts match-going punters across the country.
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