The town centre and the beaches with their attractions are all close together and easy to explore by foot, especially if use is made of the cliff lifts. There is a good local bus network and both trains and coaches run between the town centre and London. The tourist information office has leaflets about local attractions, suggested walks and cycle routes.
Getting from the Airport to the City
The closest airport to the town that serves flights to Southend is Southend International (SEN). The airport has a railway station which is on the Shenfield to Southend line, giving a quick and direct way into the town. There are also local buses and taxis at the airport. The major car hire operators all have desks in the arrivals hall.
London Southend airport overview
Many travellers were surprised when easyJet announced that it would start flying from London Southend Airport. From April 2012 (in time for the Olympic Games) the low-cost airline will operate 70 flights per week on ten scheduled routes to popular holiday and business destinations including Barcelona, Faro, Ibiza, Edinburgh and Belfast. EasyJet’s routes will add to the airport’s current offering of flights to Galway and Waterford with Aer Arann and summer flights to Jersey with Flybe.
Southend Airport is owned by the Stobart Group, which has invested heavily in the air field, constructing a new control tower and train station. Plans for a new terminal and hotel are well underway.
Southend’s USPs are reduced flight times, a speedy terminal experience (15 minutes from plane to train is the goal) and regular trains into London (eight per hour). Journey times to the city are about 50 minutes, roughly the same as the Stansted Airport-Liverpool Street journey.