Destination guides > Europe > England > Southeast England > East Sussex > Brighton
Brighton
Less than an hour from London, Brighton bucks the trend set by most other English beach resorts and is a surprisingly lively and cosmopolitan city. It is also a popular destination with European backpackers who come here to study English.
Practical information
Brighton Tourist Information Centre
Bartholomew Square, Brighton
Tel 0906 711 2255
Website www.visitbrighton.com
Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
INTERNET ACCESS
There is free internet access a libraries in Brighton and Hove. The main branch is on New England Street.
Internet cafes in Brighton include:
Café 3000
69 Church Road, Hove
Tel (01273) 773 557
Website www.digital-cafe.co.uk
Open 9.30am-midnight daily
Eazinet
1st floor, 47 West Street, Brighton
Tel (01273) 721 995
Open 9.30am-midnight daily
Internet Junction
109-111 Western Road, Brighton
Tel (01273) 772 272
Open Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm
Brighton also has a good choice of free Wi-Fi hotspots. Looseconnection and Pier-to-Pier operate many of Brighton's Wi-Fi hotspots with free access on Brighton Beach and in many bars and cafes.
Coming & going
AIR
Brighton is only half an hour from London Gatwick Airport (tel 0870 000 2468). There are frequent transport connections between Brighton and Gatwick including trains operated by First Capital Connect and Southern plus National Express coaches. Coaches to Gatwick take 45 minutes and cost £7.30.
National Express also run buses connecting Brighton with London Heathrow Airport (tel (020) 8759 4321), which is 1½ hour away. This coach service costs £23.50.
BUS & COACH
Brighton has good coach connections with London and destinations in southern England with buses departing from the Pool Valley Coach Station near Grand Junction Road and the Palace Pier.
Megabus has several express buses a day to London with prices between £1 and £3 (plus 50p booking fee).
National Express (tel 0870 580 8080) has frequent buses to London and destinations in southern England including Portsmouth (£9.40 one-way).
Buses operated by Arriva and Stagecoach connect Brighton with other destinations throughout south and southeast England. The Southern Counties Explorer travel pass gives you one day unlimited travel in Kent and East Sussex for £6.50.
TRAIN
Frequent train services connect Brighton and London in a little under an hour. They depart from London Victoria, Kings Cross and London Bridge, although the most frequent services depart from Victoria.
There is also a good coastal train route and services to the Midlands, South Wales and the West Country.
Brighton's train station is at the top of Queens Road in the city centre.
Local transport
Brighton & Hove Buses provide a comprehensive transport network linking most parts of the city. One-way fares are £1.80, but Saver tickets are better value if you're planning on making two or more trips in one day. A Super Saver ticket costs £5 (£3.20 if you buy the ticket from a shop in advance) for one day or £16 for one week and gives you unlimited travel on daytime bus routes
If you're making a day trip out of town or travelling on to other destinations on the south coast, the Southern Counties Explorer ticket is the best deal. This ticket gives you one day unlimited travel on most buses on the south coast including Brighton & Hove buses, Eastbourne Buses, Metrobus, Arriva and Stagecoach.
Hostel accommodation
Baggies Backpackers
33 Oriental Place, Brighton BN1 2LL
Tel (01273) 733 740
Brighton Royal Hotel
76 Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 9JA
Tel (01273) 604 182
Grapevine North Laine
29-30 North Road, Brighton BN1 1YB
Tel (01273) 777 717
Grapevine Seafront
75-76 Middle Street, Brighton BN1 1AL
Tel (01273) 777 717
Seadragon Backpackers
36 Waterloo Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN3 1AY
Sluggies Backpacker's
10-11 Seafield Road, Hove BN3 2TN
Bus 7 (stop: George Street, Hove)
Tel (01273) 323 097
St Christophers at the Palace Hotel
Palace Hotel, 10-12 Grand Junction Road, Brighton BN1 1NG
Tel (020) 7407 1856
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
Booth Museum of Natural History
This museum houses a collection of over 500,000 specimens collected over three centuries. Exhibits include hundreds of butterflies and birds, a whale and dinosaur bones.
194 Dyke Street, Brighton
Bus 27, 27A
Tel (01273) 292777
Website www.booth.virtualmuseum.info
Admission free
Open Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2pm-5pm
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
Brighton's Museum and Art Gallery adjoins the famous Royal Pavilion and features displays of art, fashion and contemporary design.
Church Street, Brighton
Tel (01273) 290900
Website www.brighton.virtualmuseum.info
Admission free
Open Tue 10am-7pm, Wed-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2pm-5pm
Brighton Toy & Model Museum
This large collection of toys and models features over 10,000 exhibits including impressive working model trains, model cars, ships and planes as well as dolls, dolls houses and toy soldiers.
52-55 Trafalgar Street, Brighton
Train Brighton
Tel (01273) 749494
Website www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk
Admission £4
Open Tue-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 11am-5pm
Royal Pavilion
This extravagant building was built in 1787 for King George IV, but it was John Nash who transformed the building into an Indian style palace between 1815 and 1823. This exotic building is Brighton's major landmark and it features lavish Chinese inspired interiors and an opulent Banqueting Room.
Corner North Street & Old Steine, Brighton
Tel (01273) 290900
Website www.royalpavilion.org.uk
Admission £8.80
Open Jan-Mar 10am-4.30pm daily; Apr-Sep 9.30am-5pm daily; Oct-Dec 10am-4.30pm daily
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