How to get toColchester Castlecar-free
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Visit Colchester Castle car-free
It’s easy to visit Colchester Castle car-free.
It’s conveniently located in Colchester city centre, alongside Hollytrees Museum and the Natural History Museum.
- Trains run to Colchester from: Ipswich (20 mins), Chelmsford (20 mins), Norwich (55 mins) and
- London: Liverpool Street (50 mins), Stratford (55 mins) and Shenfield (35 mins).
Buses run to Colchester from: Braintree, Witham, and West Mersea (all 45 mins).
Check out our recommended route (below) for door-to-door train, bus and walking routes.
Discount: Free seed ball pack of flowers when you show a valid bus/train ticket or a bike helmet.
For money-saving tips see our handy guides to trains and buses or transport in Essex.
When you travel by train, a Colchester PlusBus ticket offers unlimited bus travel across the city.
Scenic railways, the Sunshine Coast Lines run to Colchester from Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze. Try some kid’s activities on the journey.
Kids’ exhibits and events and can be found at each of the Colchester museums.
Cycle Path, National Route 1 runs past the museums. Plan your cycle route here – straight to the nearest bike rack outside the Castle Park gates by Museum Street. There are more racks along Colchester High Street, as well as secure bike parking a 5-10 minute walk away. Find out more about: bike hire, bikes on trains and cycle routes in Colchester.
Walk to and from the attractions, discovering Colchester at the same time. The Sculpture trail can start at Colchester train station or Colchester Town train station. It then covers Castle Park, the High Street and Queen Street. These locations are also included in the Hidden Colchester, Walk with Purpose and history trails, plus the family Roman Trivia, Heritage and audio trails. Even more trails introduce you to Castle Park. You could also start to read the trails on your journey, before arriving in Colchester fully prepared.
Explore the wider area on the Colne Valley Path or Essex Way.
Taxis usually wait at Colchester train station, but not Colchester Town train station. You could book ahead with: A2B – 01206 701 701 or Lucky 6 – 01206 666 666.
Find accessibility information for transport and Colchester Castle. The train stations Colchester and Colchester Town have step-free access.
Discover more offers and days out in Essex.
Get updated bus information with web or app or by texting the stop code (5-digit number on a sign above the timetable) to: 84268. For train information, text 84950.
Getting to Colchester Castle car-free
Here's our recommended route to Colchester Castle. To get bus and train times and walking routes use our journey planner.
By train to Colchester station
From most stations the train ride is shorter to Colchester than to Colchester Town, but the walk is longer. However, it’s a longer ride from Walton-on-the-Naze.
There are direct trains to Colchester from:
- London: Liverpool Street (50 mins), Stratford (55 mins), Shenfield (35 mins),
- East Anglia: Chelmsford (20 mins), Colchester Town (5 mins), Diss (40 mins), Ipswich (20 mins, for trains from Cambridge), Manningtree (10 mins), Marks Tey (5 mins), Norwich (55 mins), Stowmarket (30 mins), Witham (10 mins), Wivenhoe (10 mins),
- Sunshine Coast Line: Clacton-on-Sea (25 mins) and Walton-on-the-Naze (55 mins).
Search for train times and cheaper tickets with Good Journey.
To catch a bus, head to bus shelter F (cross Station Way at the lights). Most buses go to the High Street – check with the driver. The journey takes about 5 minutes. Find out more about buses in Colchester.
Alternatively, it’s about a 20-minute walk. Exit via Platform 4. The quickest route is to walk away from the station along Station Way, North Station Road and the High Street. You could also take a scenic detour at the Rotary Way steps, to go along the River Colne and through Castle Park.
By train to Colchester Town station
From most stations the train ride is longer to Colchester Town than to Colchester, but the walk is shorter. However, it’s a shorter ride from Walton-on-the-Naze.
There are direct trains to Colchester Town from:
- London: Liverpool Street (75 mins), Stratford (65 mins), Shenfield (50 mins),
- East Anglia: Chelmsford (40 mins), Colchester (5 mins), Marks Tey (20 mins), Witham (25 mins), Wivenhoe (10 mins),
- Sunshine Coast Line: Walton-on-the-Naze (40 mins).
Search for train times and cheaper tickets with Good Journey.
It’s then a 5-10 minute walk. Turn Right onto St Botolph’s Circus, then onto St Boltolph’s Street. Continue forward as the name changes to Queen Street.
By bus
There are direct buses to Colchester from:
- Braintree (45 mins) and Stanstead (105 mins) – airlink bus X20, regular
- Bury St Edmunds (2 hrs) and Sudbury (60 mins) – bus X43 and bus 43A, few
- Chelmsford (95 mins) and Witham (45 mins) – bus 71 and bus 371, both regular
- Clacton-on-Sea (60 mins) –Seasiders bus 74 and bus 76, both regular
- Harwich (75 mins) and Manningtree (35 mins) – bus 104, few
- Ipswich – (75 mins) – bus 93, few
- Walton-on-the-Naze (50 mins) – Seasider buses 105 and 107, regular
- West Mersea (30-45 mins) – various buses run regularly
- Coaches run from Ipswich (40 mins) and Stansted (45 mins).
Use our journey planner to find the best route for you.
About Colchester Castle
A visit to Colchester Castle is better than ever before with interactive displays and star exhibits, like the Colchester Gladiator Vase and Fenwick Hoard of Roman treasure. Our temporary exhibitions provide a reason to keep coming back, with recent shows exploring the planets, witchcraft, mythical creatures and the science behind Roman cremations.
Why not have a go at building a Norman archway, dressing as an Iron Age Briton, steering a Roman chariot or firing our replica ballista at the east wall?
Tours, led by expert guides, are offered daily and can take you down into the Roman vaults and up onto the Castle roof!
For any queries about visiting contact Colchester Castle on 01206 282937 or [email protected]
Address: Colchester Castle, Castle Park, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1TJ. Visit Website