52 Stanway to Highwoods via Colchester, Mile End

Operated by First Essex. First bus 05:39, last bus 22:22. 91 journeys on weekdays. Today, a Sunday: first 06:45, last 21:30. Fares: adult single £2.00 to £2.50 — more.

Next towards Highwoods from Sainsburys Store (adj): 18:45, 19:30, 20:35

Next towards Stanway from Highwoods Square (Stop 3): 18:29, 19:29, 20:29

Wanted a different 52? 41 other bus routes are numbered 52 elsewhere in the UK — see every 52 bus timetable by area.

Timetable

Ends at Highwoods Tesco unless marked “to …” · Sunday · 27 journeys
Stop 06:4507:4508:1508:4509:1509:4510:2010:5011:2011:5012:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5215:2215:5216:2216:5217:1517:4518:1518:4519:30 to Head Street20:3521:30 to Head Street
Sainsburys Store (adj) 06:4507:4508:1508:4509:1509:4510:2010:5011:2011:5012:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5215:2215:5216:2216:5217:1517:4518:1518:4519:3020:3521:30
Lucy Lane South (adj) 06:5307:5408:2408:5409:2609:5610:3111:0111:3112:0112:3113:0113:3114:0114:3115:0215:3116:0116:3117:0117:2417:5418:2418:5419:3920:4421:39
Halstead Road Corner (adj) 06:5507:5508:2608:5609:2809:5810:3311:0511:3512:0512:3513:0513:3514:0514:3515:0515:3516:0516:3517:0517:2817:5818:2718:5719:4220:4621:41
Head Street (Stop Ec) 07:0308:0308:3409:0409:3810:0810:4311:1511:4512:1512:4513:1513:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:1516:4317:1317:3618:0618:3619:0619:5420:5321:48
Railway Station Layby (Stand Ea) 07:0708:0708:3809:0809:4210:1410:4911:2111:5112:2112:5113:2113:5114:2114:5115:2115:5116:2116:4817:1817:4118:1118:4119:11·20:57·
General Hospital - main Rd (o/s) 07:1108:1208:4209:1309:4710:1910:5411:2611:5612:2612:5613:2613:5614:2614:5615:2615:5616:2616:5317:2317:4618:1618:4619:16·21:02·
Newcomen Way (adj) 07:1708:1808:4809:1909:5310:2511:0011:3212:0212:3213:0213:3214:0214:3215:0215:3216:0216:3216:5917:2917:5218:2218:5119:21·21:07·
Highwoods Square (Stop 1) 07:2308:2408:5409:2510:0010:3111:0611:3912:0912:3913:0913:3914:0914:3915:0915:3916:0916:3917:0517:3518:0218:3218:5719:31·21:13·

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.

The 52 is confirmed in the national fare cap — single fares cost at most £3 until 31 Dec 2026, then £2 from 1 January 2027. Source: GOV.UK. Details →

Fares on the 52

Adult single £2.00 to £2.50 · Child single £1.20 to £2.00

Adult single fare table, stage to stage
£2.30 WinstreeWay Wheatfi
£2.30£2.30 King Coel Rd
£2.50£2.30£2.30 Halstd Rd Cnr
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30 Glen Ave
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30 Park Road
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30 Essex County Hospita
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30 Colc town centre
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30£2.00 Causton Rd
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30£2.00£2.00 Colc North RS
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50 Colc Gen Hosp Turner
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50 Mill Rd Turner Rd
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30 Mill Rd Water Twr rb
£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.30£2.30 Highwoods Square
£2.30£2.30£2.30£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50£2.50 Tolgt Retail Pk

Read along the row of the stage you travel to, to the column below the stage you board at; the first stage is WinstreeCt.

First Bus's published fares on the Bus Open Data Service, in force from 28 August 2026. A fare stage is a group of neighbouring stops that are priced the same. Fares change — check with First Essex before you travel.

Tickets on the 52

First Essex publishes singles on this route for adults and children.

Adult Single · Child Single

Ticket types come from First Essex's own fares data on the Bus Open Data Service, last updated 4 September 2026. Prices for singles and returns are under Fares above; for the others, check with First Essex.

50–61% on time
average delay 3.2 min · the range 266 live GPS observations over 30 days can support

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 First Essex before you travel. Everything above is an ordinary week.

Not published yet: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Operators often publish festive timetables only a few weeks ahead, so check again nearer the date.

Route map

All stops on route 52

52 towards Highwoods

All 48 stops
  1. Sainsburys Store (adj) Stanway
  2. Winstree Court (o/s) Stanway
  3. Fiveways (adj) Stanway
  4. Winstree Road (N-bound) Stanway
  5. Fiveways School (opp) Stanway
  6. Barley Way (opp) Stanway
  7. Rogation Close (opp) Stanway
  8. Oatfield Close (adj) Stanway
  9. New Farm Road (W-bound) Stanway
  10. Chapel Road (NW-bound) Stanway
  11. Lucy Lane South (adj) Stanway
  12. Garage (opp) Stanway
  13. King Coel Road South (adj) Stanway
  14. Halstead Road Corner (adj) Lexden
  15. The Crown (o/s) Lexden
  16. Church (opp) Lexden
  17. Glen Avenue (adj) Colchester
  18. Fitzwalter Road (opp) Colchester
  19. Park Road (opp) Colchester
  20. The Avenue (opp) Colchester
  21. Beverley Road (opp) Colchester
  22. Essex County Hospital (opp) Colchester
  23. Head Street (Stop Ec) Colchester City Centre
  24. Middleborough (N-bound) Colchester
  25. Causton Road (opp) Colchester
  26. The Albert (opp) Colchester
  27. Railway Station Layby (Stand Ea) Colchester
  28. Bruff Close (E-bound) Colchester
  29. Turner Rise (opp) Colchester
  30. Wryneck Close (opp) Colchester
  31. General Hospital - main Rd (o/s) Colchester
  32. Kingswood Road (opp) Colchester
  33. Thornwood (opp) Mile End
  34. Bedford Road (opp) Mile End
  35. The Water Tower (o/s) Mile End
  36. Julian Avenue (opp) Mile End
  37. Matchett Drive (adj) Mile End
  38. Newcomen Way (adj) Colchester
  39. Oyster Business Park (adj) Colchester
  40. Brinkley Lane (SW-bound) Highwoods
  41. Regents Close (adj) Highwoods
  42. Berkley Close (adj) Highwoods
  43. Derwent Road (S-bound) Highwoods
  44. Baronia Croft (adj) Highwoods
  45. Pinecroft Gardens (opp) Highwoods
  46. Victoria Gardens (opp) Highwoods
  47. Spindle Wood (adj) Highwoods
  48. Highwoods Square (Stop 1) Highwoods

52 towards Stanway

All 53 stops
  1. Highwoods Square (Stop 3) Highwoods
  2. Spindle Wood (opp) Highwoods
  3. Victoria Gardens (adj) Highwoods
  4. Pinecroft Gardens (adj) Highwoods
  5. Baronia Croft (opp) Highwoods
  6. Derwent Road (N-bound) Highwoods
  7. Berkley Close (opp) Highwoods
  8. Regents Close (opp) Highwoods
  9. Brinkley Lane (NE-bound) Highwoods
  10. Oyster Business Park (opp) Colchester
  11. Newcomen Way (opp) Colchester
  12. Julian Avenue (adj) Mile End
  13. Maximus Drive (adj) Mile End
  14. The Water Tower (opp) Mile End
  15. Bedford Road (adj) Mile End
  16. Thornwood (adj) Mile End
  17. Beaumont Close (opp) Mile End
  18. Kingswood Road (adj) Colchester
  19. General Hospital (Stop 2) Colchester
  20. Wryneck Close (adj) Colchester
  21. Turner Rise (adj) Colchester
  22. Bruff Close (W-bound) Colchester
  23. Groves Close (Stop B) Colchester
  24. Railway Station Layby (Stand F) Colchester
  25. The Albert (o/s) Colchester
  26. Causton Road (adj) Colchester
  27. Middleborough (S-bound) Colchester
  28. High Street (Stop Fd) Colchester City Centre
  29. Osborne Street (Stop Ac) Colchester City Centre
  30. Crouch Street (Stop Db) Colchester City Centre
  31. Essex County Hospital (o/s) Colchester
  32. Beverley Road (adj) Colchester
  33. The Avenue (adj) Colchester
  34. Park Road (adj) Colchester
  35. Fitzwalter Road (adj) Colchester
  36. Glen Avenue (opp) Colchester
  37. Church (o/s) Lexden
  38. Halstead Road Corner (opp) Lexden
  39. Nelson Road (adj) Lexden
  40. King Coel Road South (opp) Stanway
  41. Garage (adj) Stanway
  42. Lucy Lane South (opp) Stanway
  43. Chapel Road (SE-bound) Stanway
  44. New Farm Road (E-bound) Stanway
  45. Oatfield Close (opp) Stanway
  46. Rogation Close (adj) Stanway
  47. Barley Way (adj) Stanway
  48. Fiveways School (adj) Stanway
  49. Juniper Road (opp) Stanway
  50. Harvey Crescent (opp) Stanway
  51. Winstree Court (opp) Stanway
  52. Tollgate Centre (W-bound) Stanway
  53. Sainsburys Store (adj) Stanway

Service registration & registered changes

From official Traffic Commissioner registrations. Registration PF0000599/82 · Changes in Essex County Council · All service changes →

Towns & areas on this route

ColchesterStanwayMile EndColchester City CentreHighwoodsLexden

Frequently asked questions

What time is the first 52 bus?

The first 52 departure on weekdays leaves at 05:39 (check the full timetable below for your stop, as times vary along the route — weekend times can differ).

What time is the last 52 bus?

The last 52 on weekdays leaves its first stop at 22:22. Always check the timetable for your specific stop — later stops are reached after this time.

How much does the 52 bus cost?

First Essex's published fares on the 52: adult single £2.00 to £2.50, child single £1.20 to £2.00. The 52 is confirmed by GOV.UK as part of the national fare cap, so a single costs at most £3 until 31 December 2026, then £2 from 1 January 2027. First Essex day and weekly tickets can work out cheaper if you travel more than twice a day.

Who runs the 52 bus?

The 52 is operated by First Essex.

Timetable data from First Essex via the DfT Bus Open Data Service (South East England feed). Registered with the Traffic Commissioner as PF0000599/82. Check before you travel — services can change at short notice.