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

Southend-on-Sea travel guide

Southend-on-Sea Tourism | Southend-on-Sea Guide

You're Going to Love Southend-on-Sea

With a population of 163,377, Southend-on-Sea 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 Southend-on-Sea to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Southend-on-Sea

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Roslin Beach Hotel Restaurant (10-12 Thorpe Esplanade) and Monti - Southend (513 Southchurch Road) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Aloha Lounge (12 Nelson St) and The Lounge Club (18-19 Airport) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Southend-on-Sea.

When to visit Southend-on-Sea

Southend-on-Sea in November
Estimated hotel price
£61
1 night at 3-star hotel
Southend-on-Sea in November
Estimated hotel price
£61
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Southend-on-Sea

Plane

When flying to Southend-on-Sea, you’ll arrive at London Southend (SEN), which is located 2 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Southend-on-Sea departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Southend-on-Sea, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Southend-on-Sea to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around £17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £33 for a 1h 36m trip. Located 2 miles from the city centre, Southend-on-Sea is the busiest station in Southend-on-Sea. Another popular train station is Southend-on-Sea East, located 0.8 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Southend-on-Sea is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 36 miles from Southend-on-Sea. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Southend-on-Sea, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Southend-on-Sea takes 95 miles and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 for a journey of 130 miles. The most popular bus station is Southend-on-Sea Westcliff-on-Sea, located 1.0 mile from the city centre of Southend-on-Sea. Southend-on-Sea Leigh Elms is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Southend-on-Sea, you’ll arrive at London Southend (SEN), which is located 2 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Southend-on-Sea departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 20m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Southend-on-Sea, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Southend-on-Sea to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around £17 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £33 for a 1h 36m trip. Located 2 miles from the city centre, Southend-on-Sea is the busiest station in Southend-on-Sea. Another popular train station is Southend-on-Sea East, located 0.8 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Southend-on-Sea is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 36 miles from Southend-on-Sea. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Turo, among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Southend-on-Sea, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Southampton, the bus ride to Southend-on-Sea takes 95 miles and will cost you around £5. From Bristol, the ticket costs about £4 for a journey of 130 miles. The most popular bus station is Southend-on-Sea Westcliff-on-Sea, located 1.0 mile from the city centre of Southend-on-Sea. Southend-on-Sea Leigh Elms is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Southend-on-Sea

LHRLondon Heathrow
STNLondon Stansted
LGWLondon Gatwick

Airlines serving Southend-on-Sea

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,837 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,934 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 (9,244 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 (9,968 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Southend-on-Sea

Average rates range from around £129 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £137 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Southend-on-Sea

Most booked hotels in Southend-on-Sea

See all
Roslin Beach Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (9.3, Excellent reviews)
£143+
View
Southend Airport Bed & Breakfast
1 star
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
£54+
View
The Last Post Wetherspoon Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
£69+
View
Holiday Inn Southend
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
£78+
View
Ilfracombe House Hotel - near Cliffs Pavilion
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£89+
View
Seven Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£94+
View

Hiring a car in Southend-on-Sea

Hiring a car in Southend-on-Sea costs £42 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Southend-on-Sea (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Southend-on-Sea is Intermediate (Mercedes-Benz A-Class or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Citroen C3 Aircross or similar) is, on average, 57% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Southend-on-Sea costs £42 per day, on average.

Expect to pay £1.30 per litre in Southend-on-Sea (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £15.58 and £20.77. The most frequently booked car type in Southend-on-Sea is Intermediate (Mercedes-Benz A-Class or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Citroen C3 Aircross or similar) is, on average, 57% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Southend-on-Sea

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