East of England Travel Information

Norwich Airport is located 10 minutes from Norwich city centre, the airport caters for a number of local and European flights.

London Stansted Airport is located 85 miles south west of Norwich. Both airports are conveniently located for good access to the East Anglia region.

Rail

Trains in East Anglia serve a number of routes across the county and to other areas. There are several mainline rail routes offering local and regional services. East Anglia Station is on the Great Eastern Main Line route and has services to London Liverpool Street station with a journey time of approx 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours. There are local services to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth and further to Manchester Piccadilly, Cambridge and Nottingham.

Train services are provided by several train operators including C2C Trains and Cross Country Trains and London Midland

Other railway stations in East Anglia include Cambridge, Chelmsford, Bury St Edmunds, Colchester, Great Yarmouth, Harwich, Ely, Southend, Peterborough and Stansted Airport.

For more information please see National Rail Enquiries

Roads

There are a number of car hire firms in East Anglia that offer car rental services for both short and longer term car hire offering a range of vehicles from small budget cars to family cars to larger mini-buses and luxury cars.

East Anglia is connected to the road network via the M11, A12 and A140. London to East Anglia by car via the A11, A12, M11 and A11 is a drive of approx 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes depending on traffic. Other major roads around the region include the A10, A14, A140, A143 and A47.

Parking in Norwich city centre includes a number of pay and display and pay on exit car parks. Major car parks in Norwich city centre include Castle Mall, Rose Lane, Chapelfield, Riverside and St Andrew’s car parks.

For more information please see: Norwich Parking

Drivers should note there may be driving restrictions in and around the city and town centres. It is recommended visitors ensure they fully understand the local parking rules before parking and help avoid unnecessary fines and worry.

Ports

East Anglia’s location includes the East of England coastline making it convenient to use ferries to get to the county. DFDS Seaways offers services from Denmark to Harwich port in Essex.

The south coast ports of Dover and Folkestone can both be used to get to the region from the European mainland, from Dover by car the route is via the M230, M25, A12 or M11.

North East England Key Facts

Accommodation in North East England

Book Hotels, Guest Houses & Villas in North East England

Hotels in North East England are spread around the State within the territory of 17.9 kilometers, while 66 hotels are located directly in the city center. We have 16 Guest Houses available to Book in London, North East England and 66 Hotels listed available for Booking right now.

• Discount Hotels in Newcastle Upon Tyne
• Guest Houses in Sunderland
• Bed and Breakfast in Gateshead
• Hostels in Washington
• South Shields Hotels with Restaurant
• Hotels in Tynemouth with Gym
• Hebburn Hotels with Swimming Pool
• Spa Hotels in North Shields
• Pets Allowed Hotels in Seaton Burn

Hotels in East of England by Town & City

We have listed Hotels in the East of England by town and city, select a location to view the latest Hotel Deals.

Hotels in East of England by Hotel Name

We have listed Hotels in North East England by Hotel Name, select a hotel in England to view the latest Deals.

• The Bell Inn, Rickinghall – Suffolk
• Penta Hotel – Ipswich
• All Saints Hotel – Bury Saints Edmunds
• Holiday Inn Express – Cambridge
• Days Inn – Peterborough
• George Hotel by Greene King Inns – Huntingdon
• Riverside Inn – Ely, Cambridgeshire
• The Old School House Rooms & Lodge – Waterbeach
• Highfields Cottage – Whittlesey – Peterborough

Healthcare

Healthcare in England is mainly provided by the National Health Service (NHS), a public body that provides healthcare to all permanent residents in England, that is free at the point of use. The body is one of four forming the UK National Health Service as health is a devolved matter, there are differences with the provisions for healthcare elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and in England it is overseen by NHS England.^[1] Though the public system dominates healthcare provision in England, private health care and a wide variety of alternative and complementary treatments are available for those willing and able to pay.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and leads the Department of Health and Social Care with responsibility for England’s NHS. The Secretary serves as the principal adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on all health matters.

National Health Service

The NHS is free at the point of use for the patient though there are charges associated with eye tests, dental care, prescriptions, and many aspects of personal care.

The NHS provides the majority of healthcare in England, including primary care, in-patient care, long-term healthcare, ophthalmology and dentistry. The National Health Service Act 1946 came into effect on 5 July 1948. Private health care has continued parallel to the NHS, paid for largely by private insurance, but it is used by less than 8% of the population, and generally as a top-up to NHS services. Recently there have been some examples where unused private sector capacity has been used to increase NHS capacity and in some cases the NHS has commissioned the private sector to establish and run new facilities on a sub contracted basis. The involvement of the private sector remains relatively small and according to one survey by the BMA, a large proportion of the public oppose such involvement.^[3]

Crime

The crime rate in the United Kingdom was 79.52 per 1,000 people in 2021–2022. The overall UK crime rate saw a 1.18% increase from 2020. Among England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the country with the highest crime rate was England, at 77.49 crimes per 1,000 people.

The overall crime rate in England in 2021 was 75 crimes per 1,000 people, and the most common crimes were violence and sexual offences, which happened to roughly every 33 out of 1,000 residents.

Out of all of England’s larger towns and cities, Westminster is the most dangerous. The next most dangerous is Middlesbrough, and Leeds comes in as third most dangerous. There are safer parts of England, starting with Bamber Bridge which ranks as the safest area in England, followed up by Fareham in second place, and Cannock in third place.

Tourism

Tourism plays a significant part in the economic life of England. In 2018, the United Kingdom as a whole was the world’s 10th most visited country for tourists,[2] and 17 of the United Kingdom’s 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites fall within England.

VisitEngland is the official tourist board for England. VisitEngland’s stated mission is to build England’s tourism product, raise Britain’s profile worldwide, increase the volume and value of tourism exports and develop England and Britain’s visitor economy.

Cities in England

The ten English cities visited most by overseas tourists in 2019 were:[7]

London — largest metropolitan area in Western Europe, and a global capital of finance, fashion, art and culture. In 2019, more than half of overseas tourists visiting the UK included a trip to London.[7]

Manchester — The third most visited city in the UK, a cultural, sporting, entertainment, shopping and media hub.

Birmingham — the UK’s second largest city (by population) in the industrial heartland.

Liverpool — The home of the Beatles, a cosmopolitan city famous for its vibrant nightlife, rich cultural heritage, waterfront, architecture, and music and sport.

Brighton and Hove — regency seaside resort and university town with quirky shopping, rich culture and vibrant gay nightlife.

Bristol — vibrant music and art scene, historic buildings, a waterfront area in the West Country’s largest city.

Oxford and Cambridge — university towns with prestigious colleges, museums, and gardens.

Bath — UNESCO World Heritage Site city renowned for its Georgian architecture, gardens, parks, and museums.

Leeds — cultural, financial and commercial heart of west Yorkshire
Tourist sites

Museums and Galleries

The Tate Modern art gallery in London was England’s top tourist attraction in 2018[8]
Unlike other countries, most state-run museums and places of cultural interest in England are free of charge to visit. Museums are an important aspect of English culture, and most cities and towns have a few museums and art galleries. Some of the most visited places are:

British Museum
Tate Modern
National Gallery
Natural History Museum, London
Victoria & Albert Museum
Science Museum, London
Royal Museums Greenwich
Tate Britain
Ashmolean Museum
National Railway Museum

World Heritage Sites

17 of the 25 United Kingdom UNESCO World Heritage Sites fall within England. Some of the best known of these include Stonehenge, the Tower of London, the Jurassic Coast, Westminster, the Roman Baths in Bath, Saltaire, Ironbridge Gorge and Studley Royal Park.

The northernmost point of the Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall, is the largest Roman artefact in the world, running a total of 73 miles in northern England.

National Parks

Some notable National Parks in England include:

• Lake District National Park — mountains, lakes and woodlands; the land of Wordsworth.
• New Forest National Park — one of the few remnants of the great oak and hornbeam woodland that once covered southern England.
• North York Moors National Park — heather-clad hills, woodlands, sea cliffs and secluded beaches
• Peak District National Park — rugged moors and hills which form the northern spine of England.
• South Downs National Park — the gentle rolling chalk downs of southern England.

England possesses a wide range of natural environments, and continues to benefit from a significant ecotourism industry.

Attractions include:

• Eden Project in Cornwall.
• The Lake District, a national park and mountainous region in Cumbria, including Windermere, the largest lake in England.
• The Peak District, a national park and upland area lying mostly in Derbyshire.
• Dartmoor and Exmoor, national parks and upland areas in Devon/Somerset.
• The New Forest, a rural forest and national park lying mostly in Hampshire.
• The Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site in Dorset and Devon.
• The Broads, a national park and lowland area lying mostly in Norfolk.
• The Yorkshire Dales, a national park and upland area in North Yorkshire and Cumbria.
• The National Forest, covering parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
• The South Downs, a national park stretching from Hampshire to East Sussex and comprising chalk uplands and sea cliffs.
• Center Parcs, a European network of rural holiday parks.

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Travel Requirements

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the British authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Check your Passport and Travel Documents before you travel

Check how long it will take to get a passport before you apply.

If you need a passport urgently, you can find out more about the Online Premium or 1 week Fast Track services.

Do not book travel until you have a valid passport – your new passport will not have the same number as your old one.

What is a passport?
A passport is a travel document that serves as the ultimate form of proof for your citizenship. Every country issues passports to citizens of that country.  British Citizen passports are issued by the United Kingdom Identity & Passport Service (IPS).  UK passports come in two sizes to accommodate frequent travellers, jumbo and regular.  Jumbo passports contain 48 pages while regular passports contain 32 pages.

Do I need a passport?
British citizens require passports to exit and enter the UK and all other countries in the world. It is your responsibility to carry the correct identification while travelling abroad.

Do British Subjects have the same rights of entry to other countries as a British Citizen passport?
No. British Subject passport holders have different entry requirements than British Citizen passport holders. If you hold one of these passports and require information on passports and visas, email info@uk.visacentral.comfor further information.

How does VisaCentral obtain a passport for me?
VisaCentral provides passport services for UK citizens by submitting proper documentation on your behalf to the UK Identity & Passport Service (IPS). This eliminates the need for you to visit, communicate, and correspond directly with the IPS.  Please go to Passports to see the full range of passport services VisaCentral provides.  For citizens of any other country residing in the UK, please consult your home country’s local consular office for passport details.

How long is my passport valid?
If your passport was issued when you were 16 years of age or older, your passport is valid for 10 years. If your passport was issued when you were 15 years of age or younger, your passport is valid for 5 years.

When applying for a passport renewal, will my old passport be returned to me?
Yes, your old passport will be returned unless it is deemed to be damaged by the UK Identity & Passport Service (IPS). The passport will clearly indicate that it is invalid and it is important that you advise whether any valid visas remain in the passport before applying for it to be renewed.

How long must my passport be valid for international travel?
Most countries require that a passport be valid for at least six months beyond the completion of a trip. If your passport expires sooner than that, you must apply to renew your passport.  Go to Visas to determine how long a passport must be valid for each specific country of travel. In the event that your passport is set to expire go to Renew Passport and get started.

Can VisaCentral obtain additional passport pages for my passport?
No. You must apply for another passport. Go to Renew Passport for details.

How many blank passport pages do I need to meet entrance requirements and what is considered a ‘blank’ passport page?
Passports must have enough blank pages to accommodate entry and exit immigration stamps for each country of travel. At least one visa page in your passport is required for each visa. Most travel visas that are stamped into your passport require an entire blank visa page. A ‘blank’ visa page must be clean, clear, and not show ink or stains from any other pages in the passport.

I am recently married or divorced and have changed my name. Can VisaCentral help me change my name on my passport?
With proper documentation, you are able to change the name listed in your passport.  VisaCentral can assist you in this process by submitting the necessary documents on your behalf.  Visit Passport Name Change for details.

Can VisaCentral replace my lost or stolen passport?
With correct documentation, VisaCentral can replace your lost or stolen passport in as little as a day. Visit Lost or Stolen Passports for details.

Do my children require passports?
Yes. Each individual citizen, including infants, must possess his or her own passport. You are not allowed to represent other members of the family inside your passport. VisaCentral can assist you if you need to get a new child passport or if you need to renew a child’s passport.  Visit Child Passport to learn about passport requirements for children.

How old must my children be to apply for a Child Passport?
Your children must be 15 years old or younger to apply for a Child Passport.  Visit Child Passport to learn about passport requirements for children under the age of 15.

How long will it take VisaCentral to process my passport?
For most passport services VisaCentral has one processing time: Fast Track – 6 working days. Visit Passports to determine the passport processing time for the type of passport you are looking for.

What mailing method does VisaCentral recommend for submitting my completed VisaCentral Application Pack?
VisaCentral recommends using Royal Mail Special Delivery or other traceable methods of delivery when submitting your completed VisaCentral Application Pack.

UK Emergency Travel Documents

UK Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) aren’t valid for entry into the USA or transit through the USA on an ESTA. If you’re planning to enter or transit through the USA using an ETD, you must apply for a visa from the nearest US embassy or consulate before you travel, which may take a number of days, or hold a valid lawful permanent resident card (often referred to as a ‘green card’), which you must have with you on arrival. UK ETDs issued in the USA are valid for exit from the USA.

Visa Requirements

Healthcare

Bringing Medicines into England, UK

Weather

Travel Safety

Foreign travel checklist

Read our foreign travel checklist to help you plan for your trip abroad and stay safe while you’re there.