The city is generally safe and security incidents are unlikely to affect business travellers, who should nonetheless adhere to basic security precautions.

The major southern port city is built around the estuary of Southampton Water, where the Itchen and Test rivers converge. The Itchen bisects the city from north to south and separates the city centre from the eastern suburbs. Most businesses are either located along the western banks of the Itchen, close to the city centre, or in proximity to the M27 motorway, which connects Southampton to nearby Portsmouth (Hampshire county) and, via the M3 motorway, to the capital London.

The city's industry (predominantly shipping) and some businesses are concentrated on the Eastern and (much larger) Western docks along the banks of the two rivers. The main railway station is located close to the Western Docks and is about a 30-minute walk from the popular shopping and entertainment locations in the quayside.