By Boat

There are two gateways into Essex by boat: Harwich International and Tilbury.

Open 24 hours a day; 7 days a week, Harwich International prides itself on providing quality service for its passengers.

It is one of the UK’s most successful ferry terminals, accommodating passengers arriving by public transport or taking their car overseas with them.

Harwich International also provides a great customer service for cruise passengers and boasts a purpose built cruise terminal. Destinations include Scandinavian and Baltic cruises, as well as round-Britain trips and European countries.

The train station takes you directly into the cruise terminal and Stansted airport is easily reachable at just 50 miles away.

With easy access to the M25, Tilbury Port is conveniently located and the nearest deep sea cruise terminal to London. It’s only 22 nautical miles from Tower Bridge in Central London and Stansted airport is less than an hour’s drive from the terminal. C2C provides a direct connection to London and is located 1 mile away from the terminal.

Tilbury is becoming increasingly popular for Baltic and northern Europe cruises and destinations and is perfectly located for visitors wishing to see the sights of London.

Brightlingsea Foot Ferry makes it quicker for cyclists and walkers to cross the river Colne and explore further afield, visiting the likes of Harwich, Clacton, and Colchester. This short boat trip makes a day trip to Essex even easier for Londoners. Use of the ferry greatly reduces road miles – Brightlingsea to St Osyth is 10 miles but takes just 3 minutes on the ferry. Mersea to Brightlingsea is 20 miles, but only takes approximately 9 minutes by ferry. Brightlingsea Harbour foot ferry runs daily April to September – click here for further details