42 Post Office to Osborne Street
Runs in Colchester. Operated by Central Connect. Registered as running via Sudbury. First bus 06:05, last bus 22:40. 9 journeys on weekdays. Fares: adult single £1.50 to £3.00 — more.
Wanted a different 42? 38 other bus routes are numbered 42 elsewhere in the UK — see every 42 bus timetable by area.
| Stop | 06:05 | 08:56 | 17:50 | 19:45 | 21:52 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post Office (opp) | 06:05 | · | · | · | · |
| Bus Station (Stand C) | 06:20 | · | 17:50 | 19:45 | 21:52 |
| Queensway (opp) | 06:26 | · | 17:58 | 19:52 | 21:58 |
| Saracens Head (opp) | 06:33 | · | 18:06 | 20:00 | 22:05 |
| Hare and Hounds (adj) | 06:39 | 08:56 | 18:14 | 20:07 | 22:11 |
| Bear Street (adj) | 06:44 | 09:02 | 18:20 | 20:12 | 22:15 |
| Half Butt (opp) | 06:51 | 09:10 | 18:28 | 20:20 | 22:22 |
| Cordelia Drive (opp) | 06:53 | 09:12 | 18:30 | 20:22 | 22:24 |
| Railway Station Layby (Stand F) | 06:59 | 09:19 | 18:38 | 20:29 | 22:30 |
| Osborne Street (Stop Ae) | 07:08 | 09:28 | 18:48 | 20:38 | 22:38 |
Each column is one journey, headed by the time it sets off; one that finishes short of the usual end says where ("to …") — not every journey on this route runs the whole way. A · means that journey does not stop there. Times are shown at the route's main timing stops — buses serve all stops in between. Switch a table to All stops for every stop it calls at, or open a stop's own page for live departures there.
Fares on the 42
Adult single £1.50 to £3.00
Adult single fare table, stage to stage
| £2.50 | Sudbury | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2.50 | £2.50 | Cornards | |||||||
| £3.00 | £2.50 | £1.50 | Newton Green | ||||||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | Leavenheath | |||||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | Nayland | ||||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £1.50 | Gt Horkesley | |||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | £1.50 | Horkesley Heath | ||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | £1.50 | Mile End | |
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | Colchester |
Read along the row of the stage you travel to, to the column below the stage you board at; the first stage is Long Melford.
Transport Made Simple's published fares on the Bus Open Data Service, in force from 4 September 2026. A fare stage is a group of neighbouring stops that are priced the same. Fares change — check with Central Connect before you travel.
Tickets on the 42
Central Connect publishes singles on this route for adults and young people.
Adult Single · Young Person Single
Ticket types come from Central Connect's own fares data on the Bus Open Data Service, last updated 7 September 2026. Prices for singles and returns are under Fares above; for the others, check with Central Connect.
Christmas & bank holidays
These dates are not the usual timetable for the day they fall on. They come from the operator’s published data, which for Christmas and New Year is often late or incomplete, so check with Central Connect before you travel. Everything above is an ordinary week.
Not published yet: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 28 December and New Year's Day. Operators often publish festive timetables only a few weeks ahead, so check again nearer the date.
- Christmas Eve — Thursday, 24 December 2026 towards Osborne Street: 4 journeys, first 08:45 towards Post Office: 4 journeys, first 09:50
- New Year's Eve — Thursday, 31 December 2026 towards Osborne Street: 4 journeys, first 08:45 towards Post Office: 4 journeys, first 09:50
Route map
All stops on route 42
42 towards Osborne Street
All 53 stops
- Post Office (opp) Long Melford
- George & Dragon Hotel (adj) Long Melford
- Chapel Green (adj) Long Melford
- Long Melford Inn (opp) Long Melford
- Ropers Lane (opp) Long Melford
- Barleycombe (opp) Long Melford
- Chaucer Road (adj) Sudbury
- Priory Road (adj) Sudbury
- Woodhall Road (adj) Sudbury
- Suffolk Road (adj) Sudbury
- Bus Station (Stand C) Sudbury
- Lucas Road (adj) Sudbury
- Sainsbury's (adj) Sudbury
- Cats Lane (adj) Sudbury
- Stannards Way (adj) Great Cornard
- Glenside (opp) Great Cornard
- Highbury Way (opp) Great Cornard
- Beech Road (adj) Great Cornard
- Queensway (opp) Great Cornard
- The Drift (adj) Great Cornard
- Minsmere Way (adj) Great Cornard
- Rede Way (adj) Great Cornard
- Raydon Way (adj) Great Cornard
- Chelsworth Avenue (adj) Great Cornard
- Northern Road (adj) Sudbury
- Joes Road (opp) Cornard Tye
- Saracens Head (opp) Newton Green
- Links View (adj) Newton Green
- Airey Close (adj) Newton
- Hare and Hounds (adj) Leavenheath
- High Road (opp) Leavenheath
- Red Lion (o/s) Honey Tye
- Bear Street (adj) Nayland
- London Road (opp) Great Horkesley
- Tog Lane (opp) Great Horkesley
- School Lane (opp) Great Horkesley
- Old House Road (opp) Great Horkesley
- Coach Road (opp) Great Horkesley
- Half Butt (opp) Great Horkesley
- Green Lane (opp) Great Horkesley
- Chapman's Farm (adj) Mile End
- Cordelia Drive (opp) Mile End
- The Dog & Pheasant (opp) Mile End
- Constable Close (opp) Mile End
- Hospital Path (adj) Colchester
- Bruff Close (W-bound) Colchester
- Groves Close (Stop B) Colchester
- Railway Station Layby (Stand F) Colchester
- The Albert (o/s) Colchester
- Causton Road (adj) Colchester
- Middleborough (S-bound) Colchester
- High Street (Stop Fa) Colchester City Centre
- Osborne Street (Stop Ae) Colchester City Centre
42 towards Post Office
All 48 stops
- Osborne Street (Stop Ae) Colchester City Centre
- Head Street (Stop Ec) Colchester City Centre
- Middleborough (N-bound) Colchester
- Causton Road (opp) Colchester
- The Albert (opp) Colchester
- Railway Station Layby (Stand Ea) Colchester
- Bruff Close (E-bound) Colchester
- Hospital Path (opp) Colchester
- Cordelia Drive (adj) Mile End
- Chapman's Farm (opp) Mile End
- Green Lane (adj) Great Horkesley
- Half Butt (o/s) Great Horkesley
- Coach Road (adj) Great Horkesley
- Old House Road (adj) Great Horkesley
- School Lane (adj) Great Horkesley
- Tog Lane (adj) Great Horkesley
- London Road (adj) Great Horkesley
- Bear Street (opp) Nayland
- Red Lion (opp) Honey Tye
- High Road (adj) Leavenheath
- Hare and Hounds (opp) Leavenheath
- Airey Close (opp) Newton
- Rectory Road (adj) Newton Green
- Joes Road (adj) Cornard Tye
- Northern Road (opp) Sudbury
- Rede Way (opp) Great Cornard
- The Drift (opp) Great Cornard
- Queensway (adj) Great Cornard
- Beech Road (opp) Great Cornard
- Pot Kiln Lane (adj) Great Cornard
- St Andrews Road (opp) Great Cornard
- Glenside (adj) Great Cornard
- Stannards Way (opp) Great Cornard
- Kings Meadow (opp) Great Cornard
- Lucas Road (opp) Sudbury
- Bus Station (Stand B) Sudbury
- Gregory Mills (opp) Sudbury
- Walnut Tree Lane (adj) Sudbury
- York Road (opp) Sudbury
- Woodhall Road (opp) Sudbury
- Priory Road (opp) Sudbury
- Chaucer Road (opp) Sudbury
- Barleycombe (opp) Long Melford
- Ropers Lane (adj) Long Melford
- Long Melford Inn (adj) Long Melford
- Chapel Green (opp) Long Melford
- George & Dragon Hotel (opp) Long Melford
- Post Office (adj) Long Melford
Service registration & registered changes
- Withdrawal effective 29 August 2026 Operating between Great Cornard, Sudbury, Babergh, Suffolk and Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk given service number 42 / 42A effective from 29 August 2026.
- Withdrawal effective 29 August 2026 Operating between Sudbury Bus Station, Sudbury, Suffolk and Braintree, Essex given service number 42 effective from 29 August 2026.
- Service change effective 31 August 2025 To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.
- Service change effective 31 August 2025 To amend Route, Start & Finish Point, Stopping Places and Timetable.
- Service change effective 1 September 2024 To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.
From official Traffic Commissioner registrations. Registration PF0002189/125 · Registration PF0002189/140 · Changes in Suffolk County Council · All service changes →
Towns & areas on this route
Frequently asked questions
What time is the first 42 bus?
The first 42 departure on weekdays leaves at 06:05 (check the full timetable below for your stop, as times vary along the route — weekend times can differ).
What time is the last 42 bus?
The last 42 on weekdays leaves its first stop at 22:40. Always check the timetable for your specific stop — later stops are reached after this time.
How much does the 42 bus cost?
Central Connect's published fares on the 42: adult single £1.50 to £3.00. Most single fares in England are capped at £3 until 31 December 2026 (then £2 from 1 January 2027). Central Connect day and weekly tickets can work out cheaper if you travel more than twice a day.
Who runs the 42 bus?
The 42 is operated by Central Connect.
Timetable data from Central Connect via the DfT Bus Open Data Service (South East England feed). Registered with the Traffic Commissioner as PF0002189/125. Check before you travel — services can change at short notice.