Before you go · Brighton
Brighton essentials
The practical things worth knowing before you arrive, checked on 26 October 2026. Timetables change: always check the official sources before you travel.
Updated October 2026
Getting here
Direct trains run from London Victoria and London Bridge in about an hour, and Thameslink trains through central London from St Pancras International in about 1 hour 15. From Gatwick Airport, direct trains take about 30 minutes (National Rail journey planner, checked on 26 October 2026).
Brighton by rail Airports from Brighton
Around the city
The centre is compact and walkable: from the station to the sea takes about 15 minutes. Brighton & Hove Buses run across the city, with the Coaster along the coast and Breeze buses up to Devil’s Dyke and Ditchling Beacon (buses.co.uk). BTN BikeShare has hire bikes across the city.
The beach and the cliffs
Brighton’s beach is shingle: bring shoes for the pebbles. On the cliffs east of the city, at the Seven Sisters and at Beachy Head, the chalk is unstable: keep well back from the edge and from the foot of the cliffs.
Money and cards
The currency is the pound sterling (£). Cards and contactless payment are widely accepted.
Emergencies
Call 999 or 112 in an emergency; on the beach or at sea, ask for the coastguard. For urgent medical advice, call NHS 111. The city’s main hospital is the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Kemptown.
Questions and answers
How long is the train from London to Brighton?
About an hour direct from London Victoria or London Bridge, and about 1 hour 15 from St Pancras by Thameslink (National Rail, checked on 26 October 2026).
How far is Gatwick from Brighton?
About 30 minutes by direct train.
What is the emergency number?
999 or 112; NHS 111 for urgent medical advice.
Timetables change, sometimes at short notice. Check nationalrail.co.uk, southernrailway.com, thameslinkrailway.com and buses.co.uk before you travel.