Essex is roughly 40–80 km (about 25–50 miles) from central London, depending on which part of Essex you start from, and typical travel time is around 1–1.5 hours by car or train.

Where “Essex” Actually Is

Essex is a whole county, not a single town, so the distance to London changes a lot depending on whether you’re near the London border or out toward towns like Colchester. Places on the inner edge of Essex can be very commuter- friendly, while the far northeast of the county feels much farther away.

Typical Distances and Times

  • Essex (county area in general) to central London: about 60–90 km (40–55 miles) by road.
  • Driving time in normal traffic: roughly 1–1.5 hours.
  • Example: One route from Essex to central London is listed at about 39–40 miles (around 64 km) with a drive time just under an hour in good conditions.
  • Example: Another estimate for London–Essex gives around 89 km (about 55 miles), showing how much it can vary by start and end point.

Examples From Around Essex

To give you a feel for the range, think of Essex as a fan spreading out from London.

  • Inner Essex commuter belt (closer to London border): often around 30–40 miles from central London by road, roughly an hour’s drive.
  • Larger Essex towns further out, like Colchester: about 60 miles northeast of London, with journeys that can take around 1–1.5 hours or more depending on the route and traffic.

So when someone asks “how far is Essex from London?”, the everyday answer is: it’s a nearby commuter county, usually about an hour or so away, but the exact distance depends on where in Essex you’re headed.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.