If you live in London, the train to Southend Airport is almost too easy. It feels like a cheat code. Hop on a Greater Anglia service from Liverpool Street, and in about 53 minutes, you’re stepping off at the airport station—which is literally inside the terminal. No shuttle bus, no sweaty sprint through a car park.
I once took this train and spent the whole journey watching a man struggle to open a bag of crisps. By the time he won, we were already at the airport. That’s how fast it is. The only risk is that you’ll be so relaxed, you’ll forget you’re actually flying somewhere. “Wait, am I just here for the coffee and the carpet?”
Driving: The “I Can’t Be Bothered” Option
Driving to Southend is like choosing the long way to a friend’s house because you want to finish your podcast. The airport is just off the A127, which is a road that feels like it was designed by someone who really likes roundabouts. If you miss your turn, you’ll end up in a housing estate, waving at confused locals.
Parking is mercifully affordable compared to Heathrow, where you need a mortgage just to leave your car for a weekend. Just remember: don’t trust your satnav blindly. Mine once said “arrived” while I was in the middle of a Greggs car park. I sat there for five minutes eating a sausage roll before admitting defeat.
