Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Colchester travel guide

Colchester Tourism | Colchester Guide

You're Going to Love Colchester

With a population of 109,414, Colchester is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. We recommend you stay at least 7 days in order to fully appreciate everything Colchester has to offer.

Article

Where to Eat in Colchester

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Old Siege House Bar & Brasserie (75 East St) and Angel (St. Marys Square) are great picks.

When to visit Colchester

Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$127
1 night at 3-star hotel
Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$127
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Colchester

Plane

Although Colchester doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Cambridge (CBG), which is located 37 miles from Colchester. The shortest flight to Colchester from Australia departs from Brisbane and takes around 24h 45m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by West Midlands Railway. The train journey from Colchester to Birmingham takes 1h 33m and costs around $53 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Manchester, expect to pay about $71 for a 2h 23m trip. Located 5 miles from the city centre, Colchester Marks Tey is the busiest station in Colchester. Another popular train station is Colchester Town, located 1.0 mile from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Colchester is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 51 miles from Colchester. You’ll find branches of Hertz and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Colchester takes 130 miles and will cost you around $9. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about $21 for a journey of 135 miles. The most popular bus station is Colchester University of Essex, located 3 miles from the city centre of Colchester. Colchester Bus Station is also a commonly used station, and is 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Plane

Although Colchester doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Cambridge (CBG), which is located 37 miles from Colchester. The shortest flight to Colchester from Australia departs from Brisbane and takes around 24h 45m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by West Midlands Railway. The train journey from Colchester to Birmingham takes 1h 33m and costs around $53 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Manchester, expect to pay about $71 for a 2h 23m trip. Located 5 miles from the city centre, Colchester Marks Tey is the busiest station in Colchester. Another popular train station is Colchester Town, located 1.0 mile from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Colchester is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 51 miles from Colchester. You’ll find branches of Hertz and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Colchester takes 130 miles and will cost you around $9. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about $21 for a journey of 135 miles. The most popular bus station is Colchester University of Essex, located 3 miles from the city centre of Colchester. Colchester Bus Station is also a commonly used station, and is 0.8 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Colchester

CBGCambridge

Airlines serving Colchester

KLM
Good (1,430 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,626 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,007 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,574 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,094 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,812 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,094 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,679 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,051 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,438 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,505 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,522 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,331 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (879 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,095 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,606 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,336 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,412 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,448 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,146 reviews)
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Where to stay in Colchester

Average rates range from around $135 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $245 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Colchester, with prices from $69 to $557 per night. Colchester City Centre is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Colchester are about 67% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Colchester

Most booked hotels in Colchester

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Holiday Inn Colchester By IHG
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$105+
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Holiday Inn Express Colchester By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$90+
View
Dragonfly Hotel Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$89+
View
The Essex Golf & Country Club Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
$110+
View

Hiring a car in Colchester

Expect to pay $2.72 per litre in Colchester (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $32.63 and $43.51.

Expect to pay $2.72 per litre in Colchester (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $32.63 and $43.51.

Find car hire in Colchester