68 Highwoods to West Mersea via Colchester, Mile End
Operated by First Essex. First bus 19:20, last bus 23:15. 9 journeys on weekdays. Fares: adult single £2.00 to £3.00 — more.
Wanted a different 68? 28 other bus routes are numbered 68 elsewhere in the UK — see every 68 bus timetable by area.
| Stop | 19:50 | 21:05 | 22:05 | 23:15 to Abberton, Layer Rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highwoods Square (Stop 3) | 19:50 | 21:05 | 22:05 | 23:15 |
| Oyster Business Park (opp) | 19:54 | 21:09 | 22:09 | 23:19 |
| General Hospital (Stop 2) | 20:00 | 21:15 | 22:15 | 23:25 |
| Railway Station Layby (Stand F) | 20:06 | 21:21 | 22:21 | 23:31 |
| Angel Court (Stop Ga) | 20:13 | 21:28 | 22:28 | 23:38 |
| Queen Street (Stop Ja) | 20:16 | 21:31 | 22:31 | 23:41 |
| Pownall Crescent (opp) | 20:21 | 21:36 | 22:36 | 23:46 |
| The Silver Oyster (opp) | 20:26 | 21:41 | 22:41 | 23:51 |
| Lethe Grove (adj) | 20:28 | 21:43 | 22:43 | 23:53 |
| Gosfield Road (E-bound) | 20:30 | 21:45 | 22:45 | 23:55 |
| The Cherry Tree (o/s) | 20:32 | 21:47 | 22:47 | 23:57 |
| Layer Road (W-bound) | 20:35 | 21:50 | 22:50 | 00:04 |
| Lower Road (opp) | 20:40 | 21:55 | 22:55 | · |
| The Rose (E-bound) | 20:42 | 21:57 | 22:57 | · |
| The Fox (o/s) | 20:48 | 22:03 | 23:03 | · |
| High Street (S-bound) | 20:53 | 22:08 | 23:08 | · |
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 68
Adult single £2.00 to £3.00 · Child single £1.20 to £3.00
Adult single fare table, stage to stage
| £2.30 | Mill Rd Water Twr rb | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2.30 | £2.30 | Mill Rd Turner Rd | |||||||||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | Colc Gen Hosp Turner | ||||||||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | Colc North RS | |||||||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.00 | Causton Rd | ||||||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.00 | £2.00 | Colc town centre | |||||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Plum Hall | ||||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | £2.30 | Normandy Ave | |||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Blackheath Gar | ||||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Gosfield Rd Berechur | |||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | £2.30 | Weir Lane Cherrytree | ||||||||
| £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.30 | Roman Hill House | |||||||
| £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 | Manwood Bridge | ||||||
| £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 | Abberton Lion | |||||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | Peldon Village | ||||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | £2.00 | Peldon Rose | |||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | £2.50 | MerseaFox | ||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.00 | MerseaFountain | |
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.00 | Mersea terminals |
Read along the row of the stage you travel to, to the column below the stage you board at; the first stage is Highwoods Square.
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 68
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, 28 December, 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 68
68 towards West Mersea
All 62 stops
- Highwoods Square (Stop 3) Highwoods
- Highwoods Approach (E-bound) Highwoods
- Derwent Road (N-bound) Highwoods
- Berkley Close (opp) Highwoods
- Regents Close (opp) Highwoods
- Brinkley Lane (NE-bound) Highwoods
- Oyster Business Park (opp) Colchester
- Newcomen Way (opp) Colchester
- Julian Avenue (adj) Mile End
- Maximus Drive (adj) Mile End
- The Water Tower (opp) Mile End
- Bedford Road (adj) Mile End
- Thornwood (adj) Mile End
- Beaumont Close (opp) Mile End
- Kingswood Road (adj) Colchester
- General Hospital (Stop 2) Colchester
- Wryneck Close (adj) Colchester
- Turner Rise (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
- Angel Court (Stop Ga) Colchester City Centre
- Queen Street (Stop Ja) Colchester City Centre
- Town Railway Station (Stop C) Colchester
- Napier Road (opp) Colchester
- Plum Hall (o/s) Colchester
- Pownall Crescent (opp) Colchester
- Cemetery Gates (opp) Colchester
- Crematorium (opp) Colchester
- Middlewick Ranges (adj) Colchester
- Talcott Road (adj) Colchester
- Monkwick Avenue (opp) Monkwick
- The Silver Oyster (opp) Monkwick
- Bardfield Road (opp) Monkwick
- Lethe Grove (adj) Monkwick
- Lethe Grove (opp) Monkwick
- Wethersfield Road (S-bound) Monkwick
- Gosfield Road (E-bound) Monkwick
- The Cherry Tree (o/s) Blackheath
- Weir Lane (adj) Blackheath
- Roman Hill House (o/s) Blackheath
- Haye Lane (opp) Abberton
- Layer Road (W-bound) Abberton
- St Ives Road (adj) Peldon
- Lower Road (opp) Peldon
- Kemps Farm (o/s) Peldon
- The Rose (E-bound) Peldon
- Pyefleet House (o/s) West Mersea
- Dawes Lane (opp) West Mersea
- Blue Row (opp) West Mersea
- Waldegraves Caravan Park (o/s) West Mersea
- The Fox (o/s) West Mersea
- Seaview Avenue (adj) West Mersea
- Empress Avenue (adj) West Mersea
- The Fountain (opp) West Mersea
- Barfield Rd (opp) West Mersea
- Melrose Rd (adj) West Mersea
- Church (opp) West Mersea
- High Street (S-bound) West Mersea
68 towards Highwoods
All 59 stops
- High Street (S-bound) West Mersea
- Yorick Road (E-bound) West Mersea
- Barfield Rd (adj) West Mersea
- Elmwood Drive (opp) West Mersea
- The Fountain (adj) West Mersea
- Empress Avenue (opp) West Mersea
- Seaview Avenue (opp) West Mersea
- The Fox (opp) West Mersea
- Waldegraves Caravan Park (opp) West Mersea
- Blue Row (o/s) West Mersea
- Dawes Lane (adj) West Mersea
- Pyefleet House (opp) West Mersea
- The Rose (W-bound) Peldon
- Kemps Farm (opp) Peldon
- Lower Road (adj) Peldon
- St Ives Road (opp) Peldon
- Layer Road (E-bound) Abberton
- Haye Lane (adj) Abberton
- Roman Hill House (opp) Blackheath
- Weir Lane (opp) Blackheath
- The Cherry Tree (opp) Blackheath
- Gosfield Rd (W-bound) Monkwick
- Wethersfield Rd (N-bound) Monkwick
- Lethe Grove (adj) Monkwick
- Lethe Grove (opp) Monkwick
- Bardfield Road (adj) Monkwick
- The Silver Oyster (o/s) Monkwick
- Monkwick Avenue (adj) Monkwick
- Talcott Road (opp) Colchester
- Middlewick Ranges (opp) Colchester
- Crematorium (o/s) Colchester
- Cemetery Gates (adj) Colchester
- Pownall Crescent (adj) Colchester
- Plum Hall (opp) Colchester
- Napier Road (adj) Colchester
- Osborne Street (Stop Ae) Colchester City Centre
- St John's Street (Stop Cb) 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
- Turner Rise (opp) Colchester
- Wryneck Close (opp) Colchester
- General Hospital - main Rd (o/s) Colchester
- Kingswood Road (opp) Colchester
- Thornwood (opp) Mile End
- Bedford Road (opp) Mile End
- The Water Tower (o/s) Mile End
- Julian Avenue (opp) Mile End
- Newcomen Way (adj) Colchester
- Oyster Business Park (adj) Colchester
- Brinkley Lane (SW-bound) Highwoods
- Regents Close (adj) Highwoods
- Berkley Close (adj) Highwoods
- Derwent Road (S-bound) Highwoods
- Highwoods Approach (W-bound) Highwoods
- Highwoods Square (Stop 1) Highwoods
Towns & areas on this route
Frequently asked questions
What time is the first 68 bus?
The first 68 departure on weekdays leaves at 19:20 (check the full timetable below for your stop, as times vary along the route — weekend times can differ).
What time is the last 68 bus?
The last 68 on weekdays leaves its first stop at 23:15. Always check the timetable for your specific stop — later stops are reached after this time.
How much does the 68 bus cost?
First Essex's published fares on the 68: adult single £2.00 to £3.00, child single £1.20 to £3.00. The 68 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 68 bus?
The 68 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.