How to get here

If you decide to park on our Colchester Campus then you’re agreeing to our terms and conditions for cycling, driving, parking and registering. You’re responsible for paying for parking and parking appropriately.

These rules support the University’s travel plan and ensure the safety and availability of spaces, where possible, in the car parks. It also ensures that there is a clear and fair process for parking on campus.

The University is private property. On every entrance (at either end of Boundary Road and on Capon Road) there is a contract to enter sign with details of our parking rules in each car park and at the pay stations.

Getting to campus by car

Our postcode is CO4 3SQ, however when you arrive in Colchester, follow road signs to the University (off the A133) to access to our main visitor car parks, which is via the B1028, Colchester Road.

• Road route to Colchester Campus (.pdf).

Parking

• Parking for students
• Parking for staff

Visitor parking

Parking for visitors is available in:

• Multi-storey car park (main visitor car park)
• Valley car park
• Car park B
• North Towers car park
• Wivenhoe House/Constable Building car park
• Capon Road car park

Parking charges

Visit a pay station on arrival, enter your vehicle registration number and follow the on-screen instructions. You won't get a ticket to display as the system uses automatic number plate recognition, but you can request a receipt if you need one.

Pay station locations

• Multi-storey car park (in the stairwells)
• Valley Car Park
• Essex Business School (in the foyer)
• North Towers causeway (entrance to main campus)
• Outside the Information Centre on Square 3

If you fail to pay on arrival you may receive a parking enforcement notice.

Parking costs

• Up to 2 hours: £2.40
• Up to 3 hours: £3.10
• Up to 4 hours: £3.50
• Up to 6 hours: £5.70
• All day: £8.60

Parking charges apply from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays and Christmas Day. The pay and go machines take coins, notes and debit/credit cards. Unused tickets are not refundable.

Wivenhoe House and Constable Building car parks

Wivenhoe House Hotel car park is reserved for hotel guests. Parking permits should be displayed and are available from the hotel reception. A row of visitor parking in front of the Constable Building is reserved for the use of tenant visitors.

Motorcycles

Motorcyclists can park free of charge in the designated motorcycle spaces.

Accessible parking

There are spaces available for disabled drivers in all the main car parks.

• Valley car park (south campus) - three designated spaces (nearest to central campus).
• Multi-storey car park (south campus) - ground floor disabled parking space.
• North Towers car park (north campus) - two designated spaces and ten spaces adjacent residential houses
• Car park B (south campus)
• Constable building
• Wivenhoe House
• Three visitor spaces are reserved under the podia (the service road which runs underneath the University) for visitors requiring closer access. Spaces are limited so if you require a space, contact us in plenty of time.

Visitor parking charges apply and payment can be made at the pay stations (see above).

If you have any problems paying to park please contact the Estate Management Helpdesk. Please ensure you display your blue badge when parking in a designated space.

There are frequent trains from London Liverpool Street to Colchester (also known as Colchester North). The journey takes just under an hour and you can get a bus or taxi from the station to us. Our nearest station is Hythe (Essex) which is a 20-minute walk from campus, train services to this station are less frequent.

• National Rail provide train timetables and fares
• Greater Anglia train accessibility service
• Colchester station accessibility information

If you are a student planning to arrive by train from London on Arrivals Day, please be aware that there is due to be a replacement bus service in place for some or all of your journey to Campus due to engineering works on the train lines. Your journey will therefore take longer than usual.

• First Bus provide most bus services in and around Colchester and the University.
• The Panther X15 service provides services from Harwich to the University.
• National Express coaches run services from around the country to our Colchester Campus including from London and UK airports. Please note, for some journeys you may need to change buses before continuing to your destination.

There is a taxi rank at Colchester Train Station and in the town centre (High Street). The journey to the University normally takes about 10-20 minutes.

• Taxi services in Colchester
• Airport Express provides airport transfers to and from the University

Wheelchair users

There a number of wheelchair accessible taxis in Colchester. We recommend that you call to check availability and suitability before travelling.

Pick-up and drop-off points

• North Towers taxi point
• South Courts taxi point
• Under podia (disabled travellers only), using the Network Centre lift to access central campus

Cycle park

There is a cycle park adjacent to Rayleigh Tower at the end of the cycle path between Boundary Road and the North Towers causeway.

Cycle racks

Cycle racks are located in the following locations:

• EBS
• Innovation Centre
• North Towers causeway
• North housing
• Copse Boundary Road
• Copse Courtyard
• Meadows Courtyard
• Under podia under sq 5
• Under podia Waterstones
• Parkside
• Constable car park
• Sports Arena
• Old Sports Arena
• South Courts

See more information about cycling facilities at Colchester Campus.

London Stansted Airport

Our Colchester Campus is not far from Stansted Airport. The quickest way to travel is by National Express using the 250 service which runs directly to and from our campus. Alternatively, there is a local bus x133 to Colchester town centre, but this can take longer and you will need to get a bus or taxi from the town to campus.

London Heathrow Airport

If you are arriving at Heathrow, the best option is to get the National Express coach service which runs to and from our Colchester Campus. But if you can't do this, then you'll need to take a train from Heathrow (all terminals) to London Liverpool Street and then another train to Colchester. Once in Colchester, you can get a bus, or taxi to the campus. 

Students arriving at the start of the academic year via Heathrow Airport can use our airport transfer coach service to travel to our Colchester Campus.

London Gatwick Airport

There are regular train services from Gatwick to London Liverpool Street Station. You'll then need to take another train to Colchester. Once in Colchester, you can get a bus, or taxi to the campus.

Students arriving at the start of the academic year via Gatwick Airport can use our airport transfer coach service to travel to our Colchester Campus. 

London Luton airport

If you are arriving at London Luton airport, the best option is to get the National Express coach. But, if you can't do this then you will need to take a train from Luton to London Liverpool Street and then another train to Colchester. Once in Colchester, you can get a bus, or taxi to the campus. 

Arrivals Day coach service from Heathrow and Gatwick

If you are arriving at London Heathrow or London Gatwick airport, you can take advantage of our airport transfer coach service but you’ll need to book your seat in advance. This service operates on Arrivals Day only.

• Book your arrivals day transfer

You can also book tickets for a return journey from Colchester Campus to London Heathrow or London Gatwick airports.

• Book a return transfer

Harwich International Port

We are 30 minutes by car from the port. You can get to our campus by car or train, or by the Panther X15 service.