Southend Campus

How to get here

Famous for its beach resort and pier, Southend-on-Sea stretches along seven miles of award-winning coastline, providing plenty of opportunities for a wide range of water sports and leisure activities.

Our Southend Campus is a vibrant city centre base offering courses from three of our departments. We have iconic buildings with exceptional facilities for our students and the local community.

Travelling to our Southend Campus

Our address

University of Essex
Elmer Approach
Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1LW
United Kingdom

Train

There are frequent trains from London to Southend, with journey times of 45 minutes to one hour:

  • London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria (0.3 miles from our campus) - operated by Abellio Greater Anglia
  • London Fenchurch Street to Southend Central (0.2 miles from our campus) - operated by c2c

Both London Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street have underground and bus services available for connections with Stansted, Gatwick and Heathrow Airport.

C2C train travel app

The c2c travel app supports contact-free travel. You can purchase tickets via the app and then load tickets directly to your smartcard. Please be aware that c2c are currently running a reduced timetable. Find out how to stay safe while travelling. (.pdf)

Bus, coach or taxi

  • National Express operate services to Southend Bus Station from all over the UK.
  • As the campus is located in the city centre, most local buses stop nearby. Buses are run by Arrivabus and tickets can be bought online or via their app. Take advantage of their Student Saver tickets, available to anyone in full-time education.
  • There are also a number of local taxi services based in Southend. Below are some of those available:
    • 333444 Taxis
    • Southend Airport taxi transfer, call 07427 095060
    • Steve's Radio Cars, call 01702 559519

If you are a new or current student planning your journey to us, we organise an airport transfer service at the start of autumn term. Transfers are available from Gatwick and Heathrow airports to our Colchester and Southend campuses.

Car and parking

Southend is just half an hour from the M25 via the A13 or A127. For sat navs, postcode SS1 1LW provides the correct route directions. 

There is plenty of city centre parking in public car parks. The closest car park is located underneath University Square student accommodation which accessed via College Way and is payable by phone only.

Blue badge holders with Southend on Sea issued blue badges can park for free. Badge holders with badges issued by other authorities will need to pay the appropriate car park charges, however on street parking bays remain available and free of charge to all badge holders.

Travelling from airports

Airport transfer service

An airport transfer service is available from London airports to our Southend Campus at the start of the academic year.

Southend Airport

Our Southend Campus is just 1.7 miles (2.8km) from London Southend Airport. You can travel from the airport by bus or train.

Stansted Airport

Our campus is not far from London Stansted Airport, the quickest way to travel is by coach. Journey time is about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Heathrow and Gatwick Airports

The quickest way to travel from the airport to Southend Campus is by train.

Luton Airport

If you are arriving at London Luton airport, the best option is to get the National Express coach.

Visitors' Reception

The main visitors' Reception for our Southend Campus is located on the ground floor of the Gateway Building. You can call us on 01702 328200.

Southend Campus map
Find your way around campus

Our interactive Find Your Way map is the easiest way to get to where you need to be.

Find a location
Contact us for more information about visiting us
University of Essex, Southend Campus Elmer Approach, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1LW
Telephone: +44 (0)1702 328200