Getting to Brighton

How to reach Brighton by train, bus, car, or bicycle.

Train

Brighton station (station code BTN) is a mainline Victorian terminus and the fastest way in from London or Gatwick. Southern runs the core London Victoria to Brighton line in around an hour, Thameslink connects Brighton to London Bridge, Blackfriars and St Pancras in about an hour to an hour and twenty depending on stops, and direct trains from Gatwick Airport take as little as 30 minutes. Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink are all run by the same parent company, Govia Thameslink Railway. The station sits at the top of the town, about a 10 to 15 minute walk downhill to the seafront, with Queen's Road running directly down to the sea.

Station Code: BTN
From London Victoria: About 1 hour (Southern / Gatwick Express)
From London Bridge Blackfriars: About 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes (Thameslink)
From Gatwick Airport: About 30 minutes direct (Southern / Thameslink / Gatwick Express)
Walk To Seafront: 10 to 15 minutes downhill via Queen's Road

Tips

•Book Advance tickets through Southern, Thameslink or National Rail rather than buying on the day; walk-up fares on this route are not cheap.
•The walk down from the station to the seafront is easy and downhill; the walk back up after a day at the beach is steeper than it looks.
•Some peak trains from Victoria call at Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Hassocks first, so check before boarding if speed matters.

Bus & Coach

There is no underground or tram network in Brighton, so Brighton & Hove Buses carries the bulk of local public transport, running a dense network across the city, up to the racecourse, and along the coast to Hove and beyond. Contactless bank cards and mobile payment are accepted on every bus, and fares are capped automatically per day. For journeys to and from London, National Express runs a direct coach from London Victoria Coach Station, slower than the train but considerably cheaper on advance fares. A regional network run by Metrobus and others connects the outlying towns and the South Downs.

Operator: Brighton & Hove Buses
Payment: Contactless card or mobile payment, tapped on and capped per day
Coach From London: National Express direct from London Victoria Coach Station, about 2 hours
No Underground: There is no underground or tram system in Brighton and Hove

Tips

•Tap the same card or phone for every journey in a day and the fare is capped automatically, so there is no need to buy a day ticket in advance.
•Seafront and racecourse buses get very busy on hot days and during Pride weekend, so allow extra time.
•The National Express coach from Victoria is cheaper but much slower than the train, worth it mainly when the price difference matters more than the time.

Driving & Parking

Brighton is about 55 miles from London via the M23 and A23, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes outside peak traffic. There is no congestion charge in Brighton and Hove itself, though the M23 and A23 corridor gets heavy on summer weekends and bank holidays. Parking in the centre is difficult and among the most expensive in the south east, so the council runs a Park and Ride site at Withdean off the A27, connecting to the centre by the frequent bus. Central multi-storey options include the Lanes car park, the Brighton station car park, and NCP sites near the seafront and the theatre.

From London: About 55 miles via the M23 and A23, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes outside peak traffic
Congestion Charge: None in Brighton and Hove; central London's separate congestion charge and ULEZ apply if driving out from London
Park And Ride: Withdean Park and Ride site off the A27, connecting to the city centre by bus
Main Car Parks: The Lanes car park, Brighton station car park, and NCP sites at Regency Square and near the theatre

Tips

•Avoid driving into the Lanes or the seafront on peak summer weekends; the one-way system and lack of spaces make it slow going.
•Use the Withdean Park and Ride or a station car park and finish the journey by bus or on foot rather than hunting for street parking.
•Weekend and bank-holiday traffic on the A23 out of London can add significant time, especially in summer.

Cycling

A flat, mostly separated cycle path runs along the seafront from Hove through central Brighton to Ovingdean, forming part of National Cycle Route 2 which follows the coast. The city's bike-hire scheme, run by Beryl, has hire hubs across the city with a mixed fleet of pedal and electric bikes, paid by the app. Streets running inland from the seafront climb steeply, so the easy cycling is mostly confined to the coast road itself. It is a pleasant, flat ride once you are on the promenade, and a good way to reach Hove or the marina.

Seafront Path: A flat, mostly separated cycle path runs along the seafront from Hove through central Brighton to Ovingdean
National Route: National Cycle Route 2 follows the coast through Brighton and Hove
Bike Share: Beryl bike hire, pedal and e-bikes from hubs across the city, paid through the Beryl app

Tips

•Download the Beryl app before arriving so hire is ready to go rather than signing up on the seafront.
•The seafront path is flat and easy, but the streets running inland are steep, so plan routes accordingly.
•Return e-bikes to a proper hub to avoid an out-of-hub fee.

From the Airport

Live options for reaching the village from the nearest airports. Times and fares are a guide and can change with traffic or operator schedules.

London Gatwick AirportLGW

45 km away

RailDirect train

Duration: About 30 minutes
Cost: Around £10 to £15 one-way, cheaper with Advance or off-peak tickets

Off-peak and evening services run nonstop; some peak services from Victoria call at Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Hassocks before Brighton.

Operator: Southern / Thameslink / Gatwick Express

TaxiTaxi or private transfer

Duration: About 40 to 50 minutes
Cost: Roughly £60 to £90; verify at the time of travel

Fixed-price transfers booked in advance are often cheaper than a rank taxi.

DrivingDrive via the M23 and A23

Duration: About 40 minutes
Cost: Fuel and parking, or car hire

A straightforward route, mostly motorway and dual carriageway. Gatwick is the closest major airport to Brighton.

London Heathrow AirportLHR

110 km away

BusNational Express direct coach

Duration: About 2 hours 5 minutes
Cost: From around £9 to £25 one-way depending on how far ahead it is booked

Runs direct between Heathrow Central Bus Station and Brighton several times a day, no change needed.

Operator: National Express

RailTrain via central London

Duration: About 2 to 2.5 hours total
Cost: Typically £30 to £50 one-way

Requires a change in central London (Victoria, London Bridge or St Pancras) onto a Brighton mainline service.

Operator: National Rail

EV & Essentials

Practical infrastructure on the ground: charging, water, and accessibility facilities worth knowing about before you arrive.

Accessibility Facilities

Accessible seafront promenade

Brighton to Hove seafront

The paved seafront promenade gives a long, flat, step-free route between Brighton and Hove; confirm the location of the nearest accessible toilets and any seasonal beach-wheelchair scheme with Brighton & Hove City Council before visiting.

Parking

Parking options in and around Brighton. On busy weekends, arriving early is recommended.

The Lanes car park

Confirm current tariffs locally. The closest large car park to the Lanes and the seafront hotels; some hotels have a discounted arrangement. Central Brighton parking is among the most expensive in the south east.

Brighton Station car park

Confirm current tariffs locally. Useful if arriving by car but walking or bussing down to the seafront.

Withdean Park and Ride

Parking plus bus fare; confirm current rates. Park outside the centre off the A27 and take the frequent bus in. The best option for avoiding city-centre parking prices and the one-way system.

Planning the wider trip?

Our country-level primer covers national rail, intercity buses, airports, the Leap Card, and whether you actually need a hire car for your trip around United Kingdom.

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