Rail Travel

The National Express East Anglia (NXEA) website gives information on train times, fares, planned engineering work, etc for services from Liverpool Street to Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk (Kings Lynn peak hours only), Stansted Airport and Cambridge, also rural services within the area.

JourneyCheck lists any current train running problems on NXEA and London Underground.

The C2C website gives information on services on London, Tilbury, and Southend line.

National Rail Enquiries is the official source for UK train times.

Bradshaw-Mitchell's Rail Times and TSO UK Rail Timetable comprise the complete UK national rail timetables.

Traveline across the UK enables journey planning by bus, train, coach, ferry and underground.

Ferry Services

Visit the Harwich International Port website for information on facilities and services available at Harwich International (formerly Parkeston Quay). Hourly service of trains from Liverpool Street calling at intermediate stations as well as additional boat trains.

Stena Line provides ferry services from Harwich to Hoek van Holland.

DFDS provides ferry services from Harwich to Esbjerg (Denmark).

Airports

The London Stansted Airport website offers information on live flight arrivals, timetables, travel information, services and other company information. Stansted Airport may be accessed by rail from Liverpool Street and from the Midlands via Peterborough and Cambridge, also by dedicated bus link from Colchester.

London Southend Airport  is the regional airport for South East Essex. A new railway station, Southend Airport, on the Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria line is due to open on 18th July 2011.

News

October 2011: "Ontrack" is very pleased that National Express East Anglia will once again be operating Sunday services between Walton-on-the-Naze and Colchester Town this Christmas. These services will commence on 4th December and will operate between approximately 09.30 and 18.00.

July 2011: "Ontrack" are very pleased that National Express East Anglia have decided to extend their trial of Sunday services between Colchester Town and Walton-on-the-Naze to operate on summer Sundays from 17th July until 4th September.

December 2010: "Ontrack" were pleased that National Express East Anglia (NXEA) responded positively to our requests to rerun the additional pre-Christmas Sunday local train service into Colchester Town from Walton-on-the-Naze.

September 2010: At the invitation of National Express East Anglia, "Ontrack" officers recently visited the newly re-opened emu maintenance depot at Clacton.

August 2010: A modified local train service operated on 26th and 27th August between Colchester, Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze to assist passengers travelling to and from the airshow. Some Colchester to Walton-on-the-Naze services were also diverted to Clacton-on-Sea.

December 2009: Additional Sunday service operated 29th November and 6th/13th/20th December between Walton-on-the-Naze and Colchester Town for the Christmas shoppers.

August 2009: Additional rail service operated on 27th and 28th August from Colchester to Clacton for the annual air show at the seaside resort. Morning trains from Walton-on-the-Naze were also diverted to Clacton.

May 2009: The new Ontrack website is launched. Further news items will appear on this page in the future.

Newsletters

Newsletters will appear in here in the future.

Other Rail Support Associations

The Essex Rail Users Federation  comprises of the individual rail user groups on the Great Eastern mainline in Essex and exists to represent and promote the interests of users of the Great Eastern rail services in Essex.

Alresford Rail Users Group - chairman Tony Bedford, email:

Manningtree Rail Users Association  promotes the interests of users of Manningtree station and the Harwich branch line.

East Suffolk Travellers' Association  campaigns on behalf of public transport users in the Lowestoft, Ipswich and Felixstowe area.

Passenger Focus  is the independent national rail consumer watchdog aiming to get the best deal for passengers.

RailFuture  is the UK's leading independent national organisation campaigning for better rail services for both passengers and freight.

The Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership  promotes use of the Wickford to Southminster, Marks Tey to Sudbury, Colchester to Clacton-on-Sea/Walton-on-the-Naze and Manningtree to Harwich branch lines.