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.

Article

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
AED 311
1 night at 3-star hotel
Colchester in January
Estimated hotel price
AED 311
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 the United Arab Emirates departs from Abu Dhabi and takes around 16h 40m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Colchester to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around AED 136 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Coventry, expect to pay about AED 103 for a 1h 31m 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 FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Colchester takes 217 km and will cost you around AED 22. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about AED 40 for a journey of 225 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 the United Arab Emirates departs from Abu Dhabi and takes around 16h 40m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Colchester, followed by Eurostar. The train journey from Colchester to Birmingham takes 1h 28m and costs around AED 136 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Coventry, expect to pay about AED 103 for a 1h 31m 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 FlixBus, National Express and Megabus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Colchester takes 217 km and will cost you around AED 22. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about AED 40 for a journey of 225 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 (7,030 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,333 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,815 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,582 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,920 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,776 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,686 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,444 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,685 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,206 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,562 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (345 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,206 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,345 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,066 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,272 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,927 reviews)
TAP Portugal
Good (1,846 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 AED 169 to AED 1,363 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 66% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Colchester

Most booked hotels in Colchester

See all
Holiday Inn Colchester
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
AED 359+
View
Holiday Inn Express Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
AED 311+
View
Dragonfly Hotel Colchester
3 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
AED 305+
View
The Essex Golf & Country Club Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
AED 350+
View
Brook Red Lion Hotel
3 stars
Good (6.6, Good reviews)
AED 283+
View

Hiring a car in Colchester

Expect to pay AED 6.40 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 AED 76.69 and AED 102.25. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Volkswagen Polo or similar) is, on average, 71% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay AED 6.40 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 AED 76.69 and AED 102.25. The most frequently booked car type in Colchester is Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Volkswagen Polo or similar) is, on average, 71% 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.