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 among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Colchester deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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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
£74
1 night at 3-star hotel
Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
£74
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 domestic flight to Colchester departs from Edinburgh and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Colchester to Bristol takes 1h 32m and costs around £27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Nottingham, expect to pay about £40 for a 1h 46m 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 SURPRICE CAR RENTAL , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Colchester takes 177 km and will cost you around £11. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 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 domestic flight to Colchester departs from Edinburgh and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Colchester to Bristol takes 1h 32m and costs around £27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Nottingham, expect to pay about £40 for a 1h 46m 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 SURPRICE CAR RENTAL , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Colchester takes 177 km and will cost you around £11. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 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

Airlines serving Colchester

Lufthansa
Good (7,014 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,333 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,580 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,773 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (8,349 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,881 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,639 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,847 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,464 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (782 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,302 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,675 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (8,706 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (341 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,281 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,325 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,691 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,086 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,855 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,309 reviews)
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Where to stay in Colchester

Average rates range from around £86 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £111 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Colchester, with prices from £37 to £299 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

Holiday Inn Colchester
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£63+
Holiday Inn Express Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
£64+
Dragonfly Hotel Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
£54+
The Essex Golf & Country Club Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
£58+
St Nicholas Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.5, Good reviews)
£51+
Brook Red Lion Hotel
3 stars
Good (6.6, Good reviews)
£50+

Hiring a car in Colchester

Hiring a car in Colchester costs £35 per day, on average, or £70 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.41 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 £16.86 and £22.48. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Mini (Fiat 500 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Volvo V40 or similar) is, on average, 82% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Colchester costs £35 per day, on average, or £70 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.41 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 £16.86 and £22.48. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Mini (Fiat 500 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Volvo V40 or similar) is, on average, 82% 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.