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. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Colchester has to offer.
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. For delicious green meals, The Greyhound Inn (The Street) and Rubino Kitchen, Inworth (Kelvedon Road, Inworth) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Colchester.
When to visit Colchester
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 the United States departs from New York and takes around 6h 40m.
Train
AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by Great Western Railway. The train journey from Colchester to Bristol takes 1h 36m and costs around $38 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Nottingham, expect to pay about $30 for a 1h 38m trip. Located 5 miles from the city center, Colchester Marks Tey is the busiest station in Colchester. Another popular train station is Colchester Town, located 1.0 mile from the center.
Car
Another option to get to Colchester is to pick up a car rental from London, which is about 51 miles from Colchester. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and Europcar, among others, in London.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Colchester, including FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Cambridge, the bus ride to Colchester takes 115 miles and will cost you around $13. From Bristol, the ticket costs about $4 for a journey of 135 miles. The most popular bus station is Colchester University of Essex, located 3 miles from downtown Colchester. Colchester Bus Station is also a commonly used station, and is 0.8 miles from the city center.
Airports near Colchester
Airlines serving Colchester
Where to stay in popular areas of Colchester
Most booked hotels in Colchester
Renting a car in Colchester
Renting a car in Colchester costs $77 per day, on average, or $307 if you want to rent if for 4 days.
Expect to pay $7.15 per gallon in Colchester (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $85.85 and $114.47. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Economy (Class Economy Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (MG ZS or similar) are, on average, 65% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.