Getting Around Ipswich
Ipswich is a compact medieval port town in Suffolk, England, well-suited to exploring on foot or by bike. The town centre is pedestrianised, and visitors can choose from several transport modes depending on their needs and how far they're travelling.
Walking and Cycling
The town centre is pedestrianised and ideal for walking. Beyond the centre, Ipswich benefits from a network of parks with good footpaths, including Christchurch Park, Holywells Park, Landseer Park, Gippswick Park and Bourne Park. The cemetery also forms a useful pedestrian route.
Ipswich is well-suited to cycling, and the council has invested in cycle facilities. A network of signed cycle routes exists throughout the town, with many other suitable routes for cyclists. Several national and regional cycle routes pass through Ipswich, including National Cycle Route 1 (which runs from Dover to Scotland) and National Cycle Route 51 (connecting Colchester via Harwich and Felixstowe to Oxford). Cycle storage is available at all three railway stations.
Buses
Buses are the main form of urban public transport. Ipswich Buses operates most town services, which depart from Tower Ramparts bus station in the town centre. For regional services to wider destinations, use the Ipswich Old Cattle Market bus station, where you can catch buses to places such as Diss, Aldeburgh, Felixstowe, Colchester, Sudbury and Stowmarket.
First Eastern Counties, Carters Coach Services, Beestons and Galloway European also operate services in the area. Route 66, a partially guided busway operated by First Eastern Counties, serves Martlesham Heath and Kesgrave from the town centre and railway station.
For longer-distance coach travel, National Express operates services from Cardinal Park (most also serve the railway station), including the 481 to London Victoria Coach Station, the 250 to Stansted Airport and Heathrow Airport, and the 305 to Cambridge, Northampton, Birmingham and Liverpool.
Rail Services
Ipswich has three railway stations. Ipswich railway station is the main hub, situated just under a mile from the town centre, serving trains to Cambridge, Felixstowe, London Liverpool Street, Lowestoft, Norwich and Peterborough. Derby Road railway station is a suburban station just east of the town centre offering local services to Felixstowe, Trimley and Ipswich. Westerfield station serves the East Suffolk Line towards Lowestoft.
All three stations are step-free accessible and have cycle storage facilities. Bicycles can be carried on all train services, though capacity varies. Trains to London have ample storage in the guard's van, while other services have more limited capacity of around 4 bicycles per train. On the East Suffolk Line, cycle capacity can be fully used during good weather, and cyclists may occasionally be refused access on safety grounds.
Greater Anglia operates train services. The fastest service to London Liverpool Street takes approximately one hour and 10 minutes.
Taxis and Car Hire
Several car rental companies operate in Ipswich, including Alamo Rent a Car, Avis, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Europcar, Hertz, John Grose car rental and National Car Rental. A car club also operates in the town.
If you're driving, the town centre has public off-street parking available. Two park and ride sites operate at London Road (A14 Junction 55/A12) and Martlesham (A12/A1214), with buses running every 10 minutes from 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday, providing an alternative to driving into the centre.
Reaching Ipswich from Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport, approximately 47 miles away, is the nearest international airport. National Express operates the 250 coach service directly to Stansted Airport and Heathrow Airport, departing from Cardinal Park in Ipswich. Alternatively, you can reach Stansted by changing trains at Cambridge and continuing by rail.
Norwich Airport is also approximately 47 miles away and is another option for international flights.