Harwich (England)

By train

The conurbation of Harwich, Dovercourt and Parkeston is served by 3 train stations. The town is on Mayflower Line (a branch of the Great Eastern mainline), which is operated by Greater Anglia.

• Harwich International

  address: Parkeston Quay, Harwich, CO12 4SR
  Largest of Harwich stations. Serves port and Parkstone area.

• Harwich Town

  address: George St, Harwich, CO12 3NA

• Dovercourt

  address: Kingsway Harwich Essex CO12 3AG

There's an hourly local service between Harwich Town and Manningtree, calling at all stations. As of May 2011, a few services run to London Liverpool Street. Heading north to Ipswich and Norwich, change at Manningtree, cross via the underpass to Platform 3 and there's usually a connecting service waiting on the other side. From Harwich International there's also the DutchFlyer train which takes arriving and departing Stena Line passengers between the ferry terminal and London Liverpool Street. This train is usually more spacious (12 cars instead of 4) and is much faster than the local train. There is also a twice-daily service to Cambridge (via Ipswich) which connects with the Stena Line ferry service.

By car

The main route into Harwich is the A120 trunk road, which connects with the A12 at Colchester and the M11 at Stansted Airport. If coming from the Midlands along the A14, change to the A12 at Ipswich and then to the A120 at Colchester, or alternatively exit the A14 at Ipswich at take the A137 local road towards Manningtree and then take the B-roads towards Harwich - this way is more direct but slower as it uses narrow countryside roads.

By bus

Regional bus services terminate at Harwich Town Bus Station, opposite Harwich Town train station. There's 2 principal routes - services to Colchester run every 30 minutes and take about 1 hr 20 min, and services to Clacton run hourly and take just under 1 hour.

By boat

The main purpose for travellers to pass Harwich is to get to the International Ferry Terminal at Parkeston Quay.

• There are several services per day to Hook of Holland in The Netherlands, taking around 8 hours. The ferry port is easily accessible from the A120 road if travelling by car, and Harwich International train station is directly connected to the terminal building. The DutchFlyer mixed-mode ticket at £50 one way allows travel from any National Express East Anglia rail station (including London Liverpool Street, Cambridge and Norwich) to any Dutch Railways (NS) station including the ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland.

• Harbour Ferry

  phone: +44 1728 666329
  address: The Quay, Harwich CO12 3HH
  Ferry for foot passengers & bicycles from Felixstowe and Shotley

By bicycle

The town in on National Cycle Route 51 running through Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex, through the town from Felixstowe and then on to Colchester. The section between the town and Colchester forms part of the North Sea Cycle Route and EuroVelo 12.

Harwich is fairly small and all sights can be walked between. First runs 2 urban bus routes, the most useful of which is the 20/20A which runs every 30 minutes between Old Harwich and Parkeston Quay Ferry Terminal and also serves Parkeston Retail Park. Local trains bound for Manningtree also link the 3 rail stations (see Get Around/Rail) every hour. Driving a car around Harwich is easy - traffic is light and parking in the town centre is very cheap.

Local attractions include two lighthouses; the Electric Palace cinema, one of the oldest in Britain and now restored to its original state; the Redoubt fort, dating from the Napoleonic era; a lighthouse museum; a small beach; and of course ship-watching. Many attractions are open during the summer only.

• Harwich RedoubtA circular fort built in 1808 to defend the port, restored by volunteers from the Harwich Society.

• Beacon Hill Battery

  address: Barrack Ln, Harwich CO12 3NS
  Late 19th/early 20th century coastal artillery fortification

• Maritime Museum

  address: The Low Lighthouse, Harbour Crescent, Harwich, CO12 3NL

• Lifeboat Museum

  address: 6 Wellington Rd, Harwich, CO12 3EJ

• Ha'penny Pier

  address: The Quay, Harwich, CO12 3HH
  Wooden, working pier

• LV18 Lightvessel

  phone: +44 7446 171320 (mobile)
  The last surviving example of a manned light vessel in British waters.

• High Lighthouse

  phone: +44 1255 506183
  address: West Street, Harwich, CO12 3DQ

• Mayflower Project

  phone: +44 1255 318023
  address: The Railyard, George St, Harwich, CO12 3ND
  Project to reconstruct a full sized seaworthy replica of the Mayflower vessel. Visitors Centre.

• Harwich Maritime TrailWalking trail visiting many of the town's maritime sights.

• Dovercourt Roller Skate Rink

  phone: +44 1255 551296
  address: Lower Marine Parade, Dovercourt, CO12 3ST
  Roller skate rink, cafe & ice cream parlour.

• Harbour Ferry River Cruises

  phone: +44 1728 666329
  address: The Quay, Harwich CO12 3HH

• Harwich Sports Centre

  phone: +44 1255 504380
  address: Hall Lane, Dovercourt, CO12 3TB
  Squash, tennis,racketball, badminton, table Tennis, short tennis.

Shopping in Harwich is extremely limited, although there are a number of art, antique and book stores. Nearby Dovercourt has a number of small supermarkets, mainstream high-street shops, banks and so on, while Parkeston has recently been given the 'kiss of life' and has a number of newly built stores to shop at, including Peacocks, B&M, Home Bargains and Argos. Harwich has several supermarkets including the Co-op (Dovercourt High Street, and Fronks Road), and

• Morrissons

  phone: +44 1255 556383
  address: Iconfield Park, Garland Rd, Harwich, CO12 4EN
  Also petrol station, cafe & Garden Centre (different hours from main store). ATMs.

• Adsa

  phone: +44 1255 202900
  address: Main Road, Harwich, CO12 3HJ
  Petrol station (different hours). ATMs.

• Lidl

  address: Parkeston Rd, Harwich, CO12 4NX

The Pier Hotel has a well-regarded restaurant specialising in seafood. The Pier Cafe, opposite the hotel on the pier itself, is especially popular during the summer. A number of pubs also serve food, notably the New Bell Inn (lunchtimes only).

• Thai up at the Quay

  phone: +44 1255 554532
  address: 1 Eastgate St, Harwich, CO12 3EZ

• The Crown Post

  phone: +44 1255 553131
  address: 57 Church St, Harwich, CO12 3DS

• Joi Tandori

  address: 3 Kingsway, Harwich, CO12 3AB
  Minimum spend for delivery £15.

• The Waterfront

  phone: +44 1255 507905
  address: Lower Marine Parade, Dovercourt, CO12 3ST

Popular pubs include the traditional New Bell Inn and Hanover and the Stingray with large-screen TV.

• The Alma Inn

  phone: +44 1255 318681
  address: 25 King’s Head St, Harwich, CO12 3EE

• Samuel Pepys

  phone: +44 1255 503857
  address: 31 Church St, Harwich, CO12 3EA

• The New Bell Inn

  phone: +44 1255 503545
  address: Outpart Eastward, Harwich, CO12 3EN

• The Hanover Inn

  phone: +44 1255 502927
  address: 65 Church St, Harwich, CO12 3DR

• The Captain Fryatt

  phone: +44 1255 240770
  address: 65 Garland Rd, Parkeston, CO12 4PA
  Free Wi-Fi.

There are a number of B&Bs and pubs with accommodation.

• Pier Hotel

  phone: +44 1255 241212
  address: The Quay, Harwich, CO12 3HH
  The only full-service hotel in Harwich.

Dovercourt offers a wider range of accommodation.
Do not stay at the campsite in Harwich: it is better to drive to one of the camping grounds in the surrounding countryside.

• The Good Life

  phone: +44 1255 556565
  address: 162 High St, Harwich, CO12 3AT
  AA 3

*. Free parking. Biker friendly. Pets allowed (£6)

• Premier Inn

  phone: +44 871 527 8494 (premium)
  address: Parkeston Rd, Dovercourt, CO12 4NX
  Free parking. Free Wi-Fi.

• The Tower Hotel

  phone: +44 1255 504952
  address: Main Rd, Dovercourt, CO12 3PJ
  AA 3

*.

• The Bottle Kiln

  phone: +44 1255 245400
  address: 60 Kingsway, Dovercourt, CO12 3JR

• Post Office

  address: 477 Main Road, Dovercourt, CO12 4HT

• North to Felixstowe via harbour foot ferry
• South to Frinton-on-Sea and Clacton
• Ipswich
• West to Colchester