How to travel from Cardiff to Colchester, United Kingdom

The distance between Cardiff and Colchester is around 322km (200 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train which takes around 3h 10m.

4 routes found

We've found 4 different ways to get from Cardiff to Colchester by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out ColchesterCardiff if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
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Train

Take the train to London Paddington and then to Colchester.

  • Duration3h 10m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    £82($95)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

2
train
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plane
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bus
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Train, Plane and Bus

Take the train to Bristol Temple Meads then fly from Bristol (BRS) to London Stansted (STN) then take the bus to Colchester East Hill/High Street.

  • Duration4h 10m
  • Flight time2h 15m
  • Typical cost
    £79($95)
Operated by

Multiple operators

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
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bus
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Bus

Take the bus to London Victoria Coach Station and then to Colchester East Hill/High Street.

  • Duration6h 25m
  • Departsevery 20 mins
  • Typical cost
    £14($17)
4
car
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Drive

Drive to Colchester.

  • Duration3h 45m
  • Distance359km (223 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Cardiff and Colchester

There are several options for getting from Cardiff to Colchester by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £14 ($17) and will take around 6h 25m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and arrive in approximately 3h 10m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £82 ($95).

The distance between Cardiff and Colchester is around 322km (200 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 285km (177 miles)

It takes around 3h 10m to get from Cardiff and Colchester by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 3h 45m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Cardiff to Colchester is to take the train which takes around 3h 10m and will set you back approx £82 ($95).

The cheapest way to travel between Cardiff and Colchester, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £14 ($17) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Cardiff and Colchester. It typically takes around 3h 10m and departs hourly.

There are no direct train services that runs from Cardiff to Colchester. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in London Paddington, Liverpool Street Station and London Liverpool Street. These services run hourly and will take a minimum of 3h 10m.

Great Western Railway and Greater Anglia run train services between Cardiff and Colchester. Trains depart hourly and will take around 3h 10m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Cardiff and Colchester. It typically takes around 6h 25m and departs every 20 mins.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Cardiff to Colchester. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in London Victoria Coach Station. These services run every 20 mins and will take a minimum of 6h 25m.

National Express run regular bus services between Cardiff and Colchester. Buses run every 20 mins and take around 6h 25m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Cardiff to Colchester. We recommend that you take the train to Bristol Temple Meads then fly from Bristol (BRS) to London Stansted (STN) then take the bus to Colchester East Hill/High Street. instead which will take 4h 10m.

The closest major airport to Colchester is London Stansted Airport (STN) (STN) which is approximately 44km (27 miles) from Colchester. Cambridge Airport (CBG) (CBG) and London City Airport (LCY) (LCY) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Cardiff and Colchester. The distance is around 359km (223 miles) by road and it will take around 3h 45m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Cardiff to Colchester is to take the train which takes, on average, 3h 10m and will usually cost around £82 ($95).

How do I get from Cardiff to Colchester

Compare travel optionsbetween Cardiff and Colchester

Transport options from Cardiff to Colchester
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train
3h 10m
£82($95)
hourly322km (200 miles)
Train, Plane and Bus
4h 10m
£79($95)
4 times a day929km (577 miles)
Bus
6h 25m
£14($17)
every 20 mins361km (224 miles)
Drive
3h 45m
£63($74)
on demand359km (223 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Cardiff and Colchester

Train operators

Airports near Colchester

The following major airports near Colchester offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

STN
London Stansted Airport (STN)
International Airport
Distance
44km (27 miles) from Colchester
CBG
Cambridge Airport (CBG)
Domestic Airport
Distance
61km (38 miles) from Colchester
LCY
London City Airport (LCY)
International Airport
Distance
73km (45 miles) from Colchester