How to get to Brighton

Travelling to Brighton


Getting to Brighton from London Airports

 

Gatwick Airport

There are regular trains to Brighton every 5-15 minutes, and the train from Gatwick to Brighton takes approximately 30 minutes if you take a direct train. The fastest train is the Gatwick Express, but you can get to Brighton by Southern and Thameslink trains as well. These trains have stops in the local towns and therefore take between 30-45 minutes. Nevertheless, they are cheaper, and you can enjoy watching the beautiful scenery of your Sussex surroundings.

Luton Airport

When you pre-book a train from Luton Airport Parkway to Brighton, you can save up to 51% on your fares. There are direct trains to Brighton, and the journey takes under 2 hours. The first train from London Luton Airport Parkway to Brighton departs at 4:41 am and the last train is at 00:13.

Heathrow Airport

The easiest way to get to Brighton from Heathrow Airport is to take the London Underground to London Victoria and take a connecting train to Brighton. The train from Victoria train station to Brighton takes under an hour for the journey. Alternatively, you can take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then take the London Underground to Victoria Station. This journey takes approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes, depending on your connection and chosen route.

Stansted Airport

The journey between Stansted Airport to Brighton involves one change of train. The travel time is about 2 hours and 25 minutes, depending on your connection and the time of departure. The earliest time to get a train is from 4 am and the last one is around midnight.

The most convenient way to get from all London Airports to Brighton is to pre-book an airport transfer, which might also be a cheaper option if you’re travelling in a group and with lots of luggage. There are plenty of companies that are offering airport transfers at reasonable prices.
 

Trains to Brighton

 

Trains from London to Brighton time and train operator


Train Station Time Train Operator
London Victoria 52 Minutes direct train Gatwick Express, Southern, Thameslink
London Bridge 58 Minutes direct train Southern, Thameslink
London Blackfrairs 1 hour 7 minutes Thameslink
London St. Pancras 1 hour 16 minutes direct train Southern, Thameslink


Trains from London


Rail services from London have lots of frequent connections to London. You can get to Brighton from the main London stations such as London Victoria, London Blackfriars, London Bridge and London St Pancras. The main train operators to Brighton are Thameslink and Southern. Gatwick Express provides the quickest train from London Victoria to Brighton.

Brighton Train Station
Trains from London to Brighton time and train operators:

If you would like to get to Hove or another seaside town, there are regular train connections from Brighton which take only a few minutes.

Eurostar

When you travel to the United Kingdom by Eurostar to St Pancras International, you can easily change to the main railway connections. St Pancras International Station is just a few minutes from London St. Pancras.
However, if you travel to Ashford International, there isn’t a direct train connection to Brighton. You can take a train to Hampden Park or to London St Pancras to get a train to Brighton.
 

Popular bus routes to Brighton

 

London to Brighton

  • Fastest journey 56 minutes departing from Victoria Coach Station, price starts from £9 per person
  • Bus services run from 4:50am till 8:50pm
  • Stops along this way include London Victoria Coach Station, Vauxhall, Stockwell, Streatham, Mitcham, Rosehill, Sutton Town Centre, Sutton Rail Station, Belmont, Banstead, Lower Kingswood, Patcham, Withdean Park, Preston Park, Preston Circus, Brighton (Coach Station).

London Heathrow to Brighton

  • Coaches run up to 13 times per day, from £12 one-way per person
  • Coaches arrive and depart from the Heathrow Central Bus Station to Terminal 2&3
  • For Terminal 4, coaches arrive outside Heathrow Terminal 4
  • For Terminal 5, coaches arrive and depart outside Heathrow Terminal 

London Stansted to Brighton

  • The fastest journey takes 4 hours 20 minutes, with prices starting from £9 per person
  • Bus services run from 1:40am till 9:25am
 

Driving to Brighton

 

Driving from London to Brighton

The distance between London and Brighton is approximately 50 miles and it takes approximately 90 minutes to drive (depending on traffic) by taking the A23 or M23 roads south till you get to Brighton.

Driving from Sussex, Surrey and Kent

The A27 road is the easiest way to get to Brighton from Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

Driving from outside the UK

If you’re travelling from outside the UK, check the Department for Transport website for the latest information and all the legal requirements for drivers from outside the UK.
 

Ferry Travel


If you’re travelling to Brighton via ferry, the closest port is Newhaven, at a distance of only 30 minutes by road or rail from Newhaven. The other major ports – Southampton, Dover, Folkestone, Portsmouth and the Channel Tunnel, are only between one and two hours away by motorway.
If you decide to take a train, always check with the rail operator for details.