Southend Pier walk

3.5 miles (5.6 km) from the station. 2.6 miles (4.3 km) if you park next to it.

Southend has 2 stations, a few minutes walk apart. Trains to Southend Central go from Fenchurch Street (2 per hour, 50 mins) and to Southend Victoria from Liverpool Street (1 hour 5 mins, 4 per hour). Make sure it's not a stopping train! £14.70 super off peak return at weekends.

C2C (trains from Fenchurch Street) have serveral obfuscated discounts.

• Buy online from the C2C website 3 days in advance to get a 40% discount (makes a difference Mon-Fri when super-off-peak tickets aren't available), railcards get a further 1/3 off.
• A Senior Rover (day pass) is £10 (£7 London Freedom Pass holders). Either 65+, or 60+ with a Senior Railcard

By car: Pay and Display on-street parking along the seafront road, about £1.50/hour. Free after 6pm. Free on inland roads a miles or so either side of the 'pier' area.

This is a lovely stroll along Southend Pier, the world's longest pleasure pier (1.34 miles / 2.16 km long, in each direction!) [Wikipedia] out into the Thames Estuary. It may be a bracing walk in winter!

As an alternative to walking, there's a pier railway. 2 trains (diesel) per hour.

At the end of the pier is a glass fronted cafe (think coffee and panini rather than egg and chips) or you could take a picnic, and a lifeboat station with a sun terrace. It a nice spot with a breeze and for looking out over the estuary and shipping lanes. The Cafe may be closed off season.

Cost. Walk: £2 (£1 Nov-Mar). Train £5.35 return.

Opening Times: Closes: Aug-Sep: 9pm, Oct & Apr: 6pm, Nov-Mar: 6pm (Closed Xmas Day and Mon-Tue except school holidays). Last admission 1 hour before. NB: Google maps has different opening times from the pier's page on the council website.

Train times: out xx:00 and xx:30, back xx:15, xx:45

The small cafe building at the end of the pier used for Jammie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast is only a film set, it isn't actually a cafe in real life, just a kiosk for selling ice cream in high season.

C2C, who runs trains on the London Fenchurch Street - Benfleet - Leigh-on-Sea - Southend-on-Sea - Shoeburyness line, have serveral obfuscated discounts.

• Tickets on weekends are 20% cheaper ("super-off-peak"). Railcards give an extra 1/3 off.
• Buy online from the C2C website (ony) 3 days in advance to get a 40% discount (makes a difference Mon-Fri when super-off-peak tickets aren't available). Railcards give an extra 1/3 off. Use on any train, but no refunds due to an admin charge if you don't go.
• A Senior Rover (day pass) is £10 (£7 London Freedom Pass holders). Either 65+, or 60+ with a Senior Railcard

After the walk, we would love to get your feedback

You can upload photos to the SWC Group on Flickr (upload your photos) and videos to Youtube. This walk's tags are:

Start SS1 1AB Map Directions

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National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Travelline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Apr-20 Andrew