Bury St Edmunds

By air

• London Stansted Airport (40 miles)
• Norwich Airport (41 miles)
• London Southend Airport (61 miles)
• London Luton Airport (64 miles)
• London City Airport (70 miles)

By sea

By rail

Bob Jones

• Railway Station

  address: Station Hill, Bury St Edmunds IP32 6AD
  To get to the centre of town, either catch First Eastern Counties buses 80, 81 or 82 to Bury St Edmunds bus station; take a taxi; or walk down Northgate Street (15 min).

• Greater Anglia train services from London Liverpool Street station (1hr 51min - requiring a change at Ipswich (30 min))
• First Capital Connect train services from London Kings Cross station (1hr 40min - all require a change onto Greater Anglia services at Cambridge (45mins) or Ely (25 min))

• East Coast, East Midlands Trains and Cross Country train services from Scotland, the north and the midlands (including East Midlands, Birmingham and Manchester airports) stop at Peterborough and Ely, from where Greater Anglia services run to Bury St Edmunds (1 hr or 25 min)

• Eurostar train services from France and Belgium to Stratford International (London) station or London St Pancras International station. From Stratford International station, take the Docklands Light Railway to Stratford Regional station (5 min) for train services to Bury St Edmunds via a change at Shenfield, Ipswich or Stowmarket (from 1hr 50min). From St Pancras International Station, walk to London Kings Cross station (2 min) for Cambridge train as above.
• Greater Anglia train services from Harwich International port (ferry connections to Scandinavia and the Netherlands) direct to Bury St Edmunds (1hr 6mins).
• South Eastern train services to Stratford International (London) station from Dover (1hr 4min - for ferry connections to France) and Ramsgate (1hr 11min - for ferry connections to Belgium). Trains to Bury St Edmunds from Stratford Regional station as above.

• Cross Country train services to Cambridge or Ely and change onto Greater Anglia services to Bury St Edmunds (from 1hr 30min).

• Taxi or First Eastern Counties bus 27 from the airport to Norwich Railway Station. National Express East Anglia train service to Stowmarket, Ipswich, Ely or Cambridgeand change onto services to Bury St Edmunds (from 1hr 40min).

• Taxi or Arriva buses 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, or 9 from the airport to Southend Victoria Railway Station. National Express East Anglia train service to Shenfield and change onto services to Bury St Edmunds (from 2hr 3min).

• First Capital Connect train services to London St Pancras International station and walk to London Kings Cross station (2 min) for Cambridge train as above; or First Capital Connect train services to London Farringdon station and London Underground tube services to London Liverpool St station for Greater Anglia services to Bury St Edmunds as above (from 3hr 10min).

• Docklands Light Railway and London Underground services to Stratford (London) or London Liverpool Street stations for train services to Bury St Edmunds via a change at Shenfield, Ipswich or Stowmarket as above (from 2 hr).

By coach/bus

• National Express coaches NX496 and NX497 services from London (Stratford) and London (Victoria) (from 1hr 50mins).

• National Express coach NX350 from Liverpool (10hr 45min), Manchester (8hr 45min), Sheffield (7hr 10min) and other connecting cities and towns (via Peterborough and Cambridge).

• From Cambridge (for connections to Birmingham, Oxford and other cities and towns):

• National Express coach NX350 as above (1hr 10min).
• Stagecoach in Cambridge bus 11 (57 min).
• Whippet Coaches buses B, D, E and H (45 min - summer service only).

• National Express coach JL727 to Newmarket (50min) then coaches NX496, NX497, NX350 (25 min) or Stagecoach in Cambridge bus 11 (27 min) or Whippet Coaches buses B, D, E and H (15 min) to Bury St Edmunds.

By car

By bicycle

• The town is on National Cycle Route 14 which runs from Fakenham to the N to London to the S (via Colchester).
• The town is on National Cycle Route 51 which runs from Harwich in the E to Oxford to the W.

On foot

• The St Edmunds Way long distance footpath from Brandon, through Thetford Forest to Sudbury and on to Maninngtree (at the mouth of the River Stour) runs through the town.

On foot

• Almost all of Bury St Edmunds is accessible on foot. The town is small and even from the furthest points, it is not more than a 45-minute walk to the centre. Accommodation is likely to be located in the town centre and from there it is possible to reach many restaurants, bars and attractions. Much of the town centre is pedestrianised on market days (Wednesdays and Saturdays).

By bus

• First Eastern Counties

By bicycle

• Much of the town is equipped with cycle lanes; cycling around is normally safe and easy.

• Abbey Gardens

  address: Angel Hill
  Boasts wonderful flower displays and excellent lawns providing a beautiful relaxed environment to spend a sunny afternoon in summer. The gardens also contain a children's playground and a bridge from which the many ducks and geese may be fed. Don't miss the sensory garden designed for people with visual impairments and focusing on sound and scent rather than colorful flower arrangements as the rest of the gardens. The ruins of the Benedictine monastery are freely open to wander around; and the Great Churchyard opening out from the Abbey Gardens towards St Mary's Church provides an atmospheric walk.

• The Apex Art GalleryArt gallery and concert hall.

• Greene King Brewery Visitor CentreThe largest independent brewery in the UK. Provides tours. You can sample local Greene King ales in almost any local pub.

• St Edmundsbury Cathedral

  address: Angel Hill
  Visitors are welcome to look around the Cathedral on their own. It was built as one of the Abbey's churches, and was made a Cathedral in 1914. Extensive additions in the Gothic style in the 1960s to early 2000s, culminating in the magnificent Tower completed as a Millennium Project.

• Moyse's Hall Museum

  address: Cornhill
  Moyse's Hall is inside one of the oldest standing buildings in Bury St Edmunds. A small museum, but with interesting exhibits, mostly focused on local history.

• Theatre Royal

  phone: +44 1284 769505
  address: Westgate St, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1QR
  The sole surviving Regency playhouse in the UK, which has been restored to its former glory. Owned by the National Trust but runs a full theatrical programme. Guided tours available.

• Ickworth House and Parks

  phone: +44 1284 735270
  address: The Rotunda, Horringer, Bury St Edmunds, IP29 5QE
  Located in Horringer, a small village 5 minutes drive away from Bury St Edmunds, Ickworth House and Parks is the a National Trust property and former residence of the Marquis of Bristol. The splendid house is set in acres of grounds, including elegantly sculpted gardens, lakes, walks, a children's play area and a deer enclosure.

• Cineworld Multiplex Cinema

  phone: +44 871 200 2000 (premium)
  address: Park Way IP33 3BA

• Theatre Royal

  phone: +44 1284 769505
  address: Westgate St IP33 1QR

• Bury St Edmunds Registered Tour Guides

  phone: +44 1284 764667
  address: The Tourist Information Centre, The Apex, Charter Square IP33 3FD
  Explore Bury St Edmunds and its history with several walking tours on offer with Registered Guides.

Events

• Bury FestivalHeld annually in May/June, the Bury Festival is growing quickly. With outdoor events held in the Abbey Gardens and others at various venues around the town, the festival hosts a combination of film, theatre, music (pop and classical), arts, comedy and other things to appeal to any traveller.

John Goldsmith

• Market

  address: Cornhill and Buttermarket area
  The town fills with stalls selling coffee, fruit & veg, pictures, flowers, hardware etc. Worth a visit, but sometimes the fruit & veg can be a little over ripe. Some good bargains.

• Javelin

  phone: +44 1284 754559
  address: 37 Abbeygate St IP33 1LW
  Clothes.

Supermarkets

• Sainsbury's

  phone: +44 1284 767212
  address: Bedingfeld Way IP32 7EJ
  ATMs. Petrol (different hours). Pharmacy (different hours)

• Waitrose

  phone: +44 1284 725222
  address: Robert Boby Way IP33 3DH

Cyclists

• Micks Cycles

  phone: +44 1284 753946
  address: 68-69 St Johns St IP33 1SJ

• Cycle King

  phone: +44 1284 769902
  address: 26 Angel Hill IP33 1UZ

• Maison Bleue

  phone: +44 1284 760623
  address: 30-31 Churchgate St IP33 1RG
  Probably the best restaurants in Bury, Maison Bleue menu focuses on fish. Modern decor, and a convenient situation in the town centre add to the attractions of this restaurant which has sister restaurants in Lavenham and Ipswich. Suffolk might be quintessentially British, but some French charm does not go amiss with a delightfully fishy menu

• Baileys 2

  phone: +44 1284 706198
  address: 5 Whiting St IP33 1NX
  Coffee shop serving tasty homemade meals such as soup, pasta, a wide range of sandwiches, toasties, salads and homemade cakes. Excellent coffees.

• Valley Connection

  phone: +44 1284 754149
  address: 42 Churchgate St IP33 1RG
  VC is a modern Indian restaurant in the heart of Bury St Edmunds. Good service and great food combine with a contemporary interior to provide a very enjoyable experience.

• Old Cannon Brewery

  address: 86 Cannon Street, IP33 1JR
  A pub/restaurant that brews three of its own beers in an otherwise Greene King-dominated town. Reasonably priced good food and drink.

• Zen Noodle Bar

  phone: +44 1284 723559
  address: 6 Angel Lane IP33 1RF
  Tasty and reasonable Chinese food (with a bias towards noodle-based dishes). Lots of options for vegetarians.

• The Station

  phone: +44 1284 754600
  address: 7 Out Northgate IP33 1JQ

• Harriet's Tearoom

  phone: +44 1284 756256
  address: 57 Cornhill IP33 1BT
  A great traditional afternoon tea - wide range of teas, coffees, scones, cakes, sandwiches and other food. Can be very busy, especially around lunchtime on a Sa & occasionally service is slow, but it is worth waiting for. Occasionally they have a live pianist.

• Fredericks at the Ickworth

  phone: +44 1284 735350
  address: Horringer, Bury St Edmunds
  Feast not only your appetite, but your eyes on the decadent architecture and interiors of the Ickworth. With local food given an extravagant twist by up and coming chef Lee Childs

Pubs

• The Nutshell

  phone: +44 1284 764867
  address: 17 The Traverse IP33 1BJ
  One of the smallest pubs in Britain, and worth a visit if you can fit in. More than five people, and it's impossible to sit down. They also sell tshirts with a woodcarving style picture of the pub on them. A friendly and welcoming pub - step inside and feel like a regular. Apparently haunted. There is a dead cat on the roof.

• Queen's Head

  phone: +44 1284 761554
  address: 39 Churchgate St, IP33 1RG
  Probably the best pub in Bury St Edmunds to watch football. Several large screens and can show more than one match at the once. Not particularly remarkable otherwise.

• The Dog and Partridge

  phone: +44 1284 764792
  address: 29 Crown St, IP33 1QU
  Has shaken off its reputation for underage drinking, provides a warm, comfortable environment and serves good food. Known as a good student pub, with nice concrete garden and plenty of seats.

• The Grapes

  phone: +44 1284 754360
  address: 1 Brentgovel Street
  One of the best pubs in Bury with rank people and bands providing a lively, if sometimes eccentric, atmosphere. The vibe is fantastic though.

• The King's Arms

  address: 23 Brentgovel St
  A dive which has Strongbow at £3 and happy hour from 5PM-7PM, so is perhaps only worth the one visit. Occasional fights can be viewed for your entertainment in the evenings although these are normally limited to the weekends. Joining in with the entertainment is not recommended as serious injury may occur; view from a safe distance.

Nightclubs

• The LP

  phone: +44 1284 719617
  address: 2 Woolhall St, IP33 1LA
  Upstairs nightclub, downstairs bar/restaurant.

• Angel Hotel

  phone: +44 1284 714000
  address: 3 Angel Hill, IP33 1LT
  Opulent surroundings in this large 75-bedroom award-winning hotel. Perched at the top of Angel Hill, just outside the Abbey Gardens, the Angel is Bury St Edmunds' most famous hotel. Once home to Charles Dickens and (more recently) Angelina Jolie, the hotel is one of Bury's landmarks. The imposing ivy-clad exterior hides well appointed rooms and an excellent restaurant and bar.

• Chantry Hotel

  phone: +44 1284 767427
  address: Sparhawk St, IP33 1RY
  Despite its location very close to the town centre and only about one minutes walk from the Abbey Gardens, the Chantry Hotel is quiet and secluded, away from the busier and noisier parts of Bury St Edmunds.

• Dragonfly Hotel

  phone: +44 1284 760884
  address: A14 Bury East Exit, Symonds Road, IP32 7DZ
  Former Ramada hotel with 71 rooms. Onsite parking. Each room includes bath and/or shower, work desk, flat screen freeview TV and complimentary WiFi. Some rooms have been adapted to allow for easier access.

• The Grange Hotel

  phone: +44 1359 231260
  address: Barton Rd, Thurston, IP31 3PQ
  Attractive Tudor-style country house hotel set in secluded gardens in the heart of Suffolk

• Ravenwood Hall Hotel

  phone: +44 1359 270345
  address: Ravenwood Hall Hotel, Rougham, IP30 9JA
  Gorgeous, 16th-century hall, luxury accommodation and mouth-watering food.

• Post Office

  address: 15 Cornhill IP33 1DY

• Cambridge - a university city.
• Lavenham - one of the finest examples of a medieval wool town.
• Thetford and Thetford Forest a large forest with a wide range of activities, walks, etc.
• Newmarket
• Diss
• Ipswich