How to travel from Penzance to Colchester, United Kingdom

The distance between Penzance and Colchester is around 540km (336 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 20m.

5 routes found

We've found 5 different ways to get from Penzance 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 ColchesterPenzance if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
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train
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train
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Plane and Train

Fly from Newquay (NQY) to London Gatwick (LGW) then take the train to London Bridge and then to Colchester.

  • Duration4h 20m
  • Flight time1h 15m
  • Typical cost
    £195($230)
Operated by

Multiple operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

2
train
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train
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Train

Take the train to London Paddington and then to Colchester.

  • Duration6h 25m
  • Departsevery 3 hours
  • Typical cost
    £135($160)
Operated by

Multiple train 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.

  • Duration11h 30m
  • Departstwice daily
  • Typical cost
    £18($21)
4
car
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Drive

Drive to Colchester.

  • Duration6h 5m
  • Distance577km (358 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Penzance and Colchester

There are several options for getting from Penzance to Colchester by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £18 ($21) and will take around 11h 30m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 4h 20m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £195 ($230).

The distance between Penzance and Colchester is around 540km (336 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 491km (305 miles)

It takes around 6h 25m to get from Penzance and Colchester by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 6h 5m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Penzance to Colchester is to fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 20m and will set you back approx £195 ($230).

The cheapest way to travel between Penzance and Colchester, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £18 ($21) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Penzance and Colchester. It typically takes around 6h 25m and departs every 3 hours.

There are no direct train services that runs from Penzance 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 every 3 hours and will take a minimum of 6h 25m.

Great Western Railway and Greater Anglia run train services between Penzance and Colchester. Trains depart every 3 hours and will take around 6h 25m, 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 Penzance and Colchester. It typically takes around 11h 30m and departs twice daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Penzance to Colchester. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in London Victoria Coach Station. These services run twice daily and will take a minimum of 11h 30m.

National Express run regular bus services between Penzance and Colchester. Buses run twice daily and take around 11h 30m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Penzance to Colchester. We recommend that you fly from Newquay (NQY) to London Gatwick (LGW) then take the train to London Bridge and then to Colchester. instead which will take 4h 20m.

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 Penzance and Colchester. The distance is around 577km (358 miles) by road and it will take around 6h 5m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Penzance to Colchester is to take the train which takes, on average, 6h 25m and will usually cost around £135 ($160).

How do I get from Penzance to Colchester

Compare travel optionsbetween Penzance and Colchester

Transport options from Penzance to Colchester
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Plane and Train + 1 similar
4h 20m
£195($230)
twice daily540km (336 miles)
Fly to London Heathrow (LHR), Train5h 40m
£365($430)
twice daily968km (601 miles)
Train
6h 25m
£135($160)
every 3 hours577km (358 miles)
Bus
11h 30m
£18($21)
twice daily601km (373 miles)
Drive
6h 5m
£100($120)
on demand577km (358 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Penzance and Colchester

Airlines

Train operators

Bus companies

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