Getting Around Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a compact coastal city, and most of what a visitor wants to see sits within a short distance of the seafront and the main shopping street. That makes it an easy place to explore on foot, with buses, trains and taxis filling in the gaps for longer hops or for reaching the airport.
Arriving by Train
Southend is served by two railway lines, both of which connect the town with London in roughly an hour. It is worth knowing which one you need, because a ticket specifying one service is not valid on the other, although it is possible to buy a ticket valid on either.
- Southend Central puts you in the heart of the town centre and is served by c2c Railways trains from London Fenchurch Street. Direct trains travel via Basildon, while slower services via Tilbury add around half an hour to the journey. c2c trains also stop at Southend East, but that station serves the suburb of Southchurch rather than the town centre.
- Southend Victoria sits at the north end of town and is served by Abellio Greater Anglia trains from London Liverpool Street. From here it is about a 15-minute walk along the main shopping street down to the sea.
Both lines allow cycles to be taken on board without a reservation.
Buses and Coaches
Southend has a reliable and frequent bus service run by Arriva Buses and First Buses, with minor services operated by Stephensons of Essex. Buses run regularly during the day but tend to stop quite early in the evening, and there are no night bus services, so it is worth checking the time of the last bus before heading out for the evening.
All buses stop at the modern travel centre just off the High Street, where you can pick up information and timetables. On board, you can pay with cash or a contactless card when you board.
- An Octopus ticket is valid across all the bus companies, which makes it the simplest option if you plan to mix operators.
- Tickets valid for a single bus company only are slightly cheaper.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Southend is well served by taxis, but there are relatively few traditional "black cabs". In practice this means you either pick up a taxi from a designated taxi rank or book one over the telephone. Taxis can be expensive for longer journeys, and prices go up after midnight, so it is worth bearing in mind if you are heading back late.
Walking and Cycling
Walking is one of the easiest ways to get around the centre. It does not take long to get from one end of the town to the other on foot, and the walk from Southend Victoria station in the north down to the sea takes at most 15 minutes. From the seafront you can walk east towards Thorpe Bay or west towards Westcliff, though some of these walks will probably involve steep hills.
Cyclists are reasonably well catered for, with a cycle track running along the seafront between Westcliff and Garon's Park, and another linking Southend Victoria station to Priory Park. Note that you cannot cycle along the High Street. If you would rather not bring your own bike, cycle hire is available from Southend bikeshare automated docking locations along the seafront, or from Bike and Go at Southend Victoria station.
Driving and Parking
Getting around Southend by car is straightforward, as the roads are usually not busy, and for many people it is the preferred method for maximum flexibility. If you are arriving by car, the town is served by two junctions off the M25: the A127 and the A13 both run direct to the town centre, with the A127 generally the more free-flowing of the two, though it gets busy on summer weekends when day-trippers head for the seaside.
Parking is plentiful, but the most obvious choices are not always the best value:
- Seaway is where most day-trippers head, and it is both expensive and often full.
- Tylers Avenue/York Road and the car park at the Royals are equally close to the seafront and far less crowded.
- On weekends, parking north of the High Street is cheaper. The Victoria is about a 20-minute walk from the beach, while the Civic Centre is around a 40-minute walk.
Getting In from London Southend Airport
London Southend Airport (SEN) is located to the north of the city centre and is served by a handful of low-cost carriers flying from European destinations, with the majority of flights operated by Easyjet from places including Switzerland and the Netherlands. The airport has frequent direct train services to London Liverpool Street, as well as train or local bus connections into Southend itself — local bus route 9 is one option.
If you are continuing on towards London rather than staying in Southend, Greater Anglia operates stopping trains into London Liverpool Street and London Stratford with regular departures. Change at Stratford for the London Underground, the DLR and other National Rail services, or at Liverpool Street for the Underground and further National Rail connections. There is also the Essex Airlink X30 bus, which runs to London Stansted Airport.