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City guide

Southend-on-Sea, UK

Southend-on-Sea, commonly referred to as Southend, is a coastal city and unitary authority area in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, 40 miles (64 km) east of central London.

Type City

Why go

  • City and unitary authority in Essex, England.
  • Served by Barling Airfield.

History

Southend-on-Sea, commonly referred to as Southend, is a coastal city and unitary authority area in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, 40 miles (64 km) east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point. The city is one of the most densely populated places in the country outside of London. It is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier, while London Southend Airport is located to the north of the city centre.

Airports

London Southend Airport (SEN) 2.4 mi to the centre
Essex, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6YF, UK — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 2 airlines (easyJet, Aer Lingus) · direct flights to 14 destinations incl. Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 14 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor
Rochester Airport (RCS) 16 mi to the centre
Rochester, Kent, ENG, GB — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Barling Airfield 3.9 mi to the centre
Southend-on-Sea, Essex, ENG, GB
Outdoor
West Newland Farm Airstrip 11 mi to the centre
Southminster, Essex, ENG, GB
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 6.6 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 6.6 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 7.1 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 7.3 mi from the centre
Outdoor
Burnham Ferry
Ferry route
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Barling Airfield; 2 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 4 ferry terminals within 12 mi; routes include Burnham Ferry.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Southend-on-Sea, UK. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Tours & experiences

Sightseeing