Getting there / back

We aim to provide as much information as possible below. However, if any of our travel suggestions do not work for you, it may be a good idea to team up with other runners to find an alternative approach. Please feel free to post a message to our Facebook page, or place a post on one of the many running forums (or fora, if you prefer the correct Latin plural). You should find discussion threads for the race on sites such as Runner’s World, Fellrunner, The MdS, Runners Forum, Fetch Everyone, and Tri Talk, to name but a few.

Coach service from Brantham to Newmarket

  • If you wish to leave a vehicle at the finishing area before the race, we are offering a coach service between Brantham (just one mile from Manningtree) and Newmarket.
  • The coach will leave Brantham at 5am on the morning of the race and will arrive in Newmarket shortly after 6am leaving plenty of time for registration. Places on the coach are limited and can be purchased for £10 per person.
  • Priority will be given to people who have reserved a place in advance by buying a ticket. The ticket can be purchased through the race registration platform.
  • Due to the narrow roads near the leisure centre, the coach will pick people up at Brantham Village Hall (CO11 1RF) which is a one minute walk from the Brantham Leisure Centre. You should be able to leave your vehicles at the leisure centre beforehand and please be ready for a 5am departure, so we would advise on arriving for the coach at 4:45am at the very latest. Hopefully you can then get some sleep on the coach!

Driving to Newmarket

  • The town is located 12 miles from Cambridge and 60 miles from London.
  • For Satellite Navigation systems, the following postcode will take you to the starting location: CB8 9AP
  • The A11 and A14 provide good access and from the M11 and A1 / M1 respectively.
  • If you are driving, there should be adequate parking very close to the starting location, particularly around Birdcage Walk and Falmouth Avenue. Please note that you will be leaving your car at your own risk and you will need to finish with adequate time to get the last train from Manningtree back to Newmarket, at approximately 20:55 hours.


Trains to Newmarket

  • There are hourly trains from London Kings Cross to Newmarket (via a change in Cambridge). Total travel time is approximately 1hr 15.
  • There are hourly trains from Cambridge to Newmarket, and also from Ipswich to Newmarket.
  • Please note that it is 600m from the train station to the start. Please ensure that you leave adequate time to travel from the train station to the starting point, bearing in mind that you will need to register and drop your bag off before the race starts.
  • There are plenty of taxi firms that operate in Newmarket. A quick search online will provide you with details of a number of local operators. They should be able to transport you from the train station to the starting location in approximately 2 minutes.


Flying to Newmarket

  • The easiest way to get to Newmarket is to fly into Stansted airport. From Stansted airport, there are regular trains to Cambridge, where you can connect to Newmarket. The total train time from Stansted airport to Newmarket train station is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

Getting to Sudbury for the SVP50

  • Sudbury is easily accessible by road or train. If you are driving, you could park your car near the finish line and then take the train from Manningtree to Sudbury, via Marks Tey.
  • If you decide to park in Sudbury, please do so near the train station as there is very limited access and parking near the Quay Theatre. The train station is a very short walk from the Quay Theatre along the Valley Trail.

Trains from Manningtree

  • Manningtree train station is just over 1km away from the finish line.
  • There are regular trains direct from Manningtree to London Liverpool Street station (approximately 1 hour journey). There is a very nice little pub / cafe at Manningtree train station on the platform, so you can wait for the train with a well earned drink in hand. The pub / cafe was actually named as one of the ten best railway cafes by the Guardian, stating that it’s the “sort of place that makes missing trains a pleasure”. The last train back to London departs Manningtree at 22:53 hours.
  • If you need to get a train back to Newmarket, you will need to finish the race with adequate time to get the last train from Manningtree back to Newmarket, at approximately 20:55 hours. There are hourly trains between Manningtree and Newmarket up until this time (journey time approximately 1 hour 20 minutes).

Taxis from the finish

  • If you wish to book a taxi from the finishing area, there are a number of local taxi firms. It is recommended that you book in advance to guarantee a car / minibus. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to order a taxi after finishing the race.
  • Please note, we may be able to run people to Manningtree train station in our minibus. The station is approximately 1km from the finishing area. However, the primary purpose of our minibus will be to pick up runners who withdraw from the race. As such, please do not rely on our minibus service if you are aiming for a specific train time.