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. Consider staying at least one whole day in Colchester to see all of its attractions.

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Where to Eat in Colchester

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Barn (Brook Road, Great Tey) and Preto Colchester (59 High Street) are great picks.

When to visit Colchester

Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$141
1 night at 3-star hotel
Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$141
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 New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 29h 40m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Colchester to Bristol takes 1h 36m and costs around $65 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Southampton, expect to pay about $58 for a 1h 42m 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 GREEN MOTION and U-Save, among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Leicester, the bus ride to Colchester takes 115 miles and will cost you around $12. From Southampton, the ticket costs about $13 for a journey of 115 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 New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 29h 40m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by South Western Railway. The train journey from Colchester to Bristol takes 1h 36m and costs around $65 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Southampton, expect to pay about $58 for a 1h 42m 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 GREEN MOTION and U-Save, among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Leicester, the bus ride to Colchester takes 115 miles and will cost you around $12. From Southampton, the ticket costs about $13 for a journey of 115 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

Lufthansa
Good (7,198 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,372 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,113 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,655 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,951 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,896 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,828 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (811 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,845 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,285 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,596 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,419 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,695 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,096 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (351 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,222 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,375 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,312 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,915 reviews)
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Where to stay in Colchester

Average rates range from around $227 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $328 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Colchester, with prices from $76 to $616 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 62% 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
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$201+
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Holiday Inn Express Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$164+
View
Dragonfly Hotel Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
$168+
View
The Essex Golf & Country Club Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
$165+
View
Brook Red Lion Hotel
3 stars
Good (6.6, Good reviews)
$143+
View

Hiring a car in Colchester

Expect to pay $3.05 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 $36.49 and $48.66. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Compact (Class Compact Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Vauxhall Corsa or similar) is, on average, 6% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.05 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 $36.49 and $48.66. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Compact (Class Compact Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Vauxhall Corsa or similar) is, on average, 6% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Colchester Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Colchester city guide for the best Colchester travel tips. To help you organise your Colchester trip ideas, this Colchester visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.