Harwich Cruise & Ferry Terminal

What To Expect & Logistics of Using Harwich Cruise Terminal


Harwich is the smallest of the three main cruise ports that serve London, (Harwich, Southampton and Dover). It is is a single berth, single terminal affair which even at the height of the summer season will only have a cruise ship every other day.

However relatively unused by cruise ships it has plenty going for it and is very pleasant to use.


Next door to the cruise terminal is a ferry terminal with large ferries going to the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Both ferry and cruise terminals are a small part of a much larger port complex. On the other side of the river from Harwich is Felixstowe, one of the UK's largest container ports.


Harwich Pier
Harwich Cruise Terminal
From Left , Rail Station Taxi rank, Cruise Terminal, Coach Park and Ship. Ferry Terminal at far end of platform.
Cruise Terminal
Harwich Town
Harwich To/From
Central London
Heathrow Airport
Gatwick Airport
Private Cars And
Group Transfers
 

Harwich Cruise & Ferry Terminal Facilities

Facilities within the cruise terminal are fairly basic, but purpose built and spacious. There is a cafe, very reasonably priced and a local tourist stand within the cruise terminal, but little else.

Next door in the ferry terminal, accessed by going along the rail platform, is another restaurant an exchange bureaux, more toilets and telephones.

This is also where you will find the ticket office for the railway.


Harwich Cruise Terminal - Customs & Baggage Claim

Immediately outside the front entrance to the cruise terminal is a spacious coach park and a taxi rank, very accessible. If you have a coach or private vehicle waiting you have a very, very short walk.


If you are not taking one of the cruise buses, then the transport of choice for most independent travelers will be by rail. There is a broadly hourly service from the platform adjacent to the cruise terminal to London Liverpool Street Station.


For most cruises a special cruise train is put on specially for cruise passengers, the fastest and most convenient transport to Central London. There are two stations at Harwich, Harwich Town and Harwich International, the station for the docks, ferry and cruise terminal.

Private Cars, Vans & Buses, Harwich - London,

Direct transfers between Harwich and London by private hire vehicle save a lot of hassle and tedium associated with the public transport alternatives.

More Details of Private Transfers Between Harwich & London

Harwich - London Trains

Scheduled Harwich - Liverpool Street Train

If you do not have a private vehicle then train is going to be the realistic public transport option.


Harwich cruise and ferry terminal has its own railway station with direct trains to London's Liverpool Street Station.

The station is called Harwich International. From London, scheduled trains go another two stops where they terminate at Harwich Town - make sure you get off at the correct station!


The trains between Liverpool Street and Harwich run broadly hourly daily. Especially at weekends do check in advance that there is no rail maintenance work where bus replacement services may delay your journey.


The trains take around 90 minutes during the week, remember you want Harwich International, not Harwich Town. At the weekends you may have to change trains at Colchester making the journey more lengthy

Purchasing Train Tickets

As a general rule of thumb for journeys of around an hour or so there is no financial advantage in pre purchasing, you may as well buy at the station on day of travel. For longer journeys, advance purchase fares offer great savings.

The three types of tickets are broadly :

Advance Purchase   Buy in advance, sold in limited numbers and subject to availability. These tickets are only valid on the date/train specified.  
Off Peak Buy any time, travel off-peak.
these tickets may require you to travel at specific times of day, days of the week or on a specific route. Where there is more than one Off-Peak fare for a journey, the cheaper fare with more restrictions will be called Super Off-Peak.
Anytime Buy any time, travel any time.
Anytime fares are fully flexible tickets, with no time restrictions on when you can travel. With an Anytimeticket you can also break your journey at stations along the route of travel.

At Harwich unless you are traveling far beyond London, advance purchase tickets are not available. You can just get your tickets at the station on day of travel.


You can purchase tickets at 'The Trainline' web site. Tickets are mailed to UK addresses only or you can opt to collect them from machines at many of London's main stations or Gatwick Airport but not Heathrow Airport. You are sent a unique code which you enter into the machine which dispenses the tickets.


Note, most trains are only confirmed up to 3 months in advance. So if you search for a journey further ahead than 3 months you may well get an incomplete picture of available schedules and tickets.


Harwich Cruise Train 2010 - Special Train For Cruise Passengers

For many of the larger cruise ships, a special 'cruise train' operates.

2010 Timetable

Leaves Liverpool Street :12:05
Arrives Harwich International : 13:17

(departs 12:00 arrives 13:15 Sundays)

 Leaves Harwich International : 08:50
Arrives Liverpool Street : 10:11

(arrives 10:28 Sundays)

Cruise Train runs in 2010 for:

"JEWEL OF THE SEAS"

May 19 & 31

June 12 & 24

July 6, 18, 30

Aug 11, 23

Sept 4