53 Rowhedge to West Bergholt via Old Heath, Colchester
Operated by First Essex. First bus 06:05, last bus 22:30. 44 journeys on weekdays. Fares: adult single £2.00 to £2.50 — more.
Wanted a different 53? 31 other bus routes are numbered 53 elsewhere in the UK — see every 53 bus timetable by area.
| Stop | 06:05 | 06:45 | 07:25 | 08:10 | 09:00 | 09:45 | 10:30 | 11:15 | 12:00 | 12:45 | 13:30 | 14:15 | 15:00 | 15:45 | 16:35 | 17:20 | 18:10 | 18:55 | 19:35 | 20:20 to Colchester Osborne | 21:00 to Colchester Railway | 22:00 to Colchester Railway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heath Road Turn (opp) | 06:05 | 06:45 | 07:25 | 08:10 | 09:00 | 09:45 | 10:30 | 11:15 | 12:00 | 12:45 | 13:30 | 14:15 | 15:00 | 15:45 | 16:35 | 17:20 | 18:10 | 18:55 | 19:35 | 20:20 | 21:00 | 22:00 |
| Old Heath Post Office (opp) | 06:13 | 06:53 | 07:34 | 08:21 | 09:10 | 09:53 | 10:38 | 11:23 | 12:08 | 12:53 | 13:38 | 14:23 | 15:10 | 15:55 | 16:45 | 17:30 | 18:18 | 19:04 | 19:43 | 20:27 | 21:07 | 22:07 |
| Osborne Street (Stop Ad) | 06:23 | 07:05 | 07:47 | 08:34 | 09:23 | 10:05 | 10:50 | 11:35 | 12:20 | 13:05 | 13:50 | 14:35 | 15:23 | 16:08 | 16:58 | 17:43 | 18:30 | 19:15 | 19:53 | 20:34 | 21:17 | 22:17 |
| Head Street (Stop Ed) | 06:26 | 07:08 | 07:51 | 08:38 | 09:27 | 10:09 | 10:54 | 11:39 | 12:24 | 13:09 | 13:54 | 14:39 | 15:27 | 16:12 | 17:02 | 17:47 | 18:34 | 19:18 | 19:56 | · | 21:20 | 22:20 |
| Railway Station Layby (Stand Ea) | 06:31 | 07:14 | 07:58 | 08:45 | 09:33 | 10:15 | 11:00 | 11:45 | 12:30 | 13:15 | 14:00 | 14:45 | 15:34 | 16:19 | 17:09 | 17:53 | 18:40 | 19:23 | 20:01 | · | 21:25 | 22:25 |
| Colchester Railway Station (main entrance) | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 21:27 | 22:27 |
| Bakers Lane (adj) | 06:36 | 07:19 | 08:04 | 08:51 | 09:38 | 10:20 | 11:05 | 11:50 | 12:35 | 13:20 | 14:05 | 14:50 | 15:40 | 16:25 | 17:15 | 17:58 | 18:45 | 19:28 | 20:06 | · | · | · |
| The Queens Head (opp) | 06:43 | 07:26 | 08:11 | 08:58 | 09:45 | 10:27 | 11:12 | 11:57 | 12:42 | 13:27 | 14:12 | 14:57 | 15:47 | 16:32 | 17:22 | 18:05 | 18:52 | 19:34 | 20:12 | · | · | · |
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 53
Adult single £2.00 to £2.50 · Child single £1.20 to £2.00
Adult single fare table, stage to stage
| £2.30 | Shipyard Corner | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2.30 | £2.30 | Battwk Rd | |||||||||||||
| £2.30 | £2.30 | £2.30 | Cleavelands | ||||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | £2.30 | Speedwell Rd Battleb | |||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | AbbtsRd Old Hth | ||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Scarletts Rd | |||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Camp Church | ||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | £2.30 | Colc town centre | |||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.00 | Causton Rd | ||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £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 | £2.30 | £2.30 | Tufnell Way | ||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Colc Bakers Lane | |||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Brooklands | ||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Armoury Rd | |
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £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 | W Bergholt Loop |
Read along the row of the stage you travel to, to the column below the stage you board at; the first stage is Rowhdg Terminal.
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 53
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.
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.
- Monday, 28 December 2026 towards West Bergholt: 10 journeys, first 09:05 towards Rowhedge: 10 journeys, first 09:48
Route map
All stops on route 53
53 towards West Bergholt
All 36 stops
- Heath Road Turn (opp) Rowhedge
- Taylor's Road (opp) Rowhedge
- Shipyard Corner (NE-bound) Rowhedge
- Battleswick Farm (o/s) Rowhedge
- Cleavelands (opp) Old Heath
- Battlesbrook Road (adj) Old Heath
- The Bell (opp) Old Heath
- Abbot's Rd (adj) Old Heath
- Old Heath Post Office (opp) Old Heath
- Barn Hall Avenue (adj) Colchester
- Scarletts Road (opp) Colchester
- Worsnop House (opp) Colchester
- Recreation Ground (opp) Colchester
- Garrison Church (opp) Colchester
- Mill Street (adj) Colchester
- Military Road (Stop E) Colchester
- Osborne Street (Stop Ad) Colchester City Centre
- St John's Street (Stop Ca) Colchester City Centre
- Head Street (Stop Ed) Colchester City Centre
- Middleborough (N-bound) Colchester
- Causton Road (opp) Colchester
- The Albert (opp) Colchester
- Railway Station Layby (Stand Ea) Colchester
- Colchester Railway Station (main entrance) Colchester
- The Bricklayers Arms (opp) Colchester
- Enid Way (opp) Colchester
- Tufnell Way (adj) Colchester
- Warwick Bailey Close (adj) Colchester
- Golf Club (opp) Colchester
- Bakers Lane (adj) Colchester
- A12 Bridge (W-bound) West Bergholt
- Armoury Road (opp) West Bergholt
- Albany Road (adj) West Bergholt
- Methodist Chapel (o/s) West Bergholt
- Donard Drive (opp) West Bergholt
- The Queens Head (opp) West Bergholt
53 towards Rowhedge
All 41 stops
- Colchester Railway Station (main entrance) Colchester
- The Queens Head (opp) West Bergholt
- Sackville Way (adj) West Bergholt
- Orpen Hall (opp) West Bergholt
- Hall Road (adj) West Bergholt
- The Crescent (adj) West Bergholt
- Treble Tile (Opp) West Bergholt
- Garthwood Close (SE-bound) West Bergholt
- Armoury Road (adj) West Bergholt
- A12 Bridge (E-bound) West Bergholt
- Bakers Lane (opp) Colchester
- Golf Club (o/s) Colchester
- Warwick Bailey Close (opp) Colchester
- Tufnell Way (opp) Colchester
- Enid Way (adj) Colchester
- Railway Station Layby (Stand F) Colchester
- The Albert (o/s) Colchester
- Causton Road (adj) Colchester
- Middleborough (S-bound) Colchester
- Angel Court (Stop Gb) Colchester City Centre
- Queen Street (Stop Ja) Colchester City Centre
- Military Road (Stop D) Colchester
- Lookers Garage (o/s) Colchester
- Garrison Church (o/s) Colchester
- Recreation Ground (o/s) Colchester
- Worsnop House (o/s) Colchester
- Scarletts Road (adj) Colchester
- Barn Hall Avenue (opp) Colchester
- Old Heath Post Office (o/s) Old Heath
- Abbot's Rd (opp) Old Heath
- The Bell (o/s) Old Heath
- Rowhedge Road (SE-bound) Old Heath
- Battlesbrook Road (opp) Old Heath
- Cleavelands (o/s) Old Heath
- Battleswick Farm (opp) Rowhedge
- Shipyard Corner (SW-bound) Rowhedge
- Taylor's Road (adj) Rowhedge
- Heath Road Turn (adj) Rowhedge
- Rowhedge (S-bound) Rowhedge
- Rowhedge (N-bound) Rowhedge
- Heath Road Turn (opp) Rowhedge
Towns & areas on this route
Frequently asked questions
What time is the first 53 bus?
The first 53 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 53 bus?
The last 53 on weekdays leaves its first stop at 22:30. Always check the timetable for your specific stop — later stops are reached after this time.
How much does the 53 bus cost?
First Essex's published fares on the 53: adult single £2.00 to £2.50, child single £1.20 to £2.00. The 53 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 53 bus?
The 53 is operated by First Essex.
Timetable data from First Essex via the DfT Bus Open Data Service (South East England feed). Check before you travel — services can change at short notice.