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. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Colchester to see all of its attractions.

Article

Where to Eat in Colchester

If you’re looking for affordable options, Banquet Chinese (342 London Road) and Carluccio's - Fenwick Colchester (152 High Street) are great picks.

When to visit Colchester

Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$144
1 night at 3-star hotel
Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
$144
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.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by West Midlands Railway. The train journey from Colchester to Oxford takes 0h 56m and costs around $73 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about $62 for a 1h 34m 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 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 Bristol, the bus ride to Colchester takes 217 km and will cost you around $19. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about $12 for a journey of 306 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.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by West Midlands Railway. The train journey from Colchester to Oxford takes 0h 56m and costs around $73 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about $62 for a 1h 34m 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 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 Bristol, the bus ride to Colchester takes 217 km and will cost you around $19. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about $12 for a journey of 306 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

KLM
Good (1,428 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,635 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,005 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,585 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,105 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,815 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,092 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,686 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,053 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,440 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,507 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,534 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,332 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (879 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,095 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,607 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,338 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,413 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,477 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,149 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Colchester

Average rates range from around $156 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $282 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Colchester, with prices from $78 to $642 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 72% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Colchester

Most booked hotels in Colchester

See all
Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$220+
View
Holiday Inn Colchester By IHG
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$118+
View
Holiday Inn Express Colchester By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$100+
View
The George Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$152+
View
Dragonfly Hotel Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
$107+
View
Brook Red Lion Hotel
3 stars
Good (6.2, Good reviews)
$111+
View

Hiring a car in Colchester

Expect to pay $3.15 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 $37.80 and $50.40. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Full-size (Opel Vivaro or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Citroen C1 or similar) is, on average, 60% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.15 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 $37.80 and $50.40. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Full-size (Opel Vivaro or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Citroen C1 or similar) is, on average, 60% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.