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, Middletons Steakhouse & Grill - Colchester (19-20 North Hill) and The Crown Inn - Stoke-by-Nayland (Stoke By Nayland Park Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Greyhound Inn (The Street) and Green Room Restaurant (North Hill Hotel 51 North Hill) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Colchester.

When to visit Colchester

Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$142
1 night at 3-star hotel
Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$142
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 60 km from Colchester. The shortest flight to Colchester from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 28h 25m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Colchester to Southampton takes 1h 50m and costs around $64 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cardiff, expect to pay about $97 for a 1h 53m trip. Located 8 km from the city centre, Colchester Marks Tey is the busiest station in Colchester. Another popular train station is Colchester Town, located 1.6 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Colchester is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 83 km from Colchester. You’ll find branches of Hertz and SURPRICE CAR RENTAL , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Colchester takes 153 km and will cost you around $12. From Bristol, the ticket costs about $10 for a journey of 209 km. The most popular bus station is Colchester University of Essex, located 4 km from the city centre of Colchester. Colchester Bus Station is also a commonly used station, and is 1.2 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Colchester doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Cambridge (CBG), which is located 60 km from Colchester. The shortest flight to Colchester from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 28h 25m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Colchester to Southampton takes 1h 50m and costs around $64 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cardiff, expect to pay about $97 for a 1h 53m trip. Located 8 km from the city centre, Colchester Marks Tey is the busiest station in Colchester. Another popular train station is Colchester Town, located 1.6 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Colchester is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 83 km from Colchester. You’ll find branches of Hertz and SURPRICE CAR RENTAL , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Colchester takes 153 km and will cost you around $12. From Bristol, the ticket costs about $10 for a journey of 209 km. The most popular bus station is Colchester University of Essex, located 4 km from the city centre of Colchester. Colchester Bus Station is also a commonly used station, and is 1.2 km from the city centre.

Airports near Colchester

CBGCambridge

Airlines serving Colchester

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,243 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
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Where to stay in Colchester

There are also lots of holiday rental options in Colchester, with prices from $77 to $623 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 68% 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)
$167+
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Holiday Inn Express Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$143+
View
Dragonfly Hotel Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
$140+
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The Essex Golf & Country Club Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
$163+
View
Brook Red Lion Hotel
3 stars
Good (6.6, Good reviews)
$130+
View

Hiring a car in Colchester

Expect to pay $2.93 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 $35.09 and $46.78. Compact (Volkswagen Polo or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Colchester, while also 31% cheaper than other types, on average.

Expect to pay $2.93 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 $35.09 and $46.78. Compact (Volkswagen Polo or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Colchester, while also 31% cheaper than other types, on average.

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.