Brighton public transport: tickets, passes and apps

Decide by how many times you will board, not by how long you are in the city. One or two rides a day: tap a contactless card or phone on the bus and let the daily cap stop further charges. Three or more rides a day, or a family paying cash: a day pass is simpler and usually cheaper. Four or more days of steady riding: a weekly pass or an app bundle beats buying a day pass each morning.

Brighton is compact. The seafront, the Lanes and the station sit within about 25 minutes' walk of each other, so many visitors ride only twice a day. If that is your pattern, contactless is the answer and you can skip the rest of this page.

Brighton & Hove buses take contactless bank cards and phone wallets at the reader by the driver. Tap the same card or the same phone every time you board: the system counts your taps and stops charging once you reach the day rate, so a third or fourth ride costs nothing extra. Mixing a card and a phone splits the count and can cost you a second cap.

If you prefer cash, pay the driver on boarding and have the exact fare ready, since change may not be given. Paper day passes are sold on the bus and at some outlets; app passes are bought in the operator's app and shown on your screen. Children's and family tickets are usually available on the same terms as adult fares, but check the age bands with the operator.

Trains are separate. Brighton station sells national rail tickets at machines and counters, and contactless bank cards work on many routes into London and along the coast, but bus caps do not apply to rail. For a day trip to London or Gatwick, buy a rail ticket rather than trying to use a bus pass.

Gatwick is the nearest major airport to Brighton, and trains run from the airport station to Brighton in roughly 30–40 minutes. Heathrow and the other London airports are further: expect a train or coach into London first, then a onward train to Brighton, which usually takes two hours or more door to door.

Once you reach Brighton station, the seafront and the Lanes are about 20–25 minutes on foot downhill, or a short bus ride on a city service. If you are arriving late, check the last bus times before you land, since night services are thinner than daytime ones.

For onward trips, Lewes, Seven Sisters and the South Downs are reachable by train or bus from the city, and London is about an hour by rail. Buy those tickets as rail fares, not bus passes.

Brighton's centre is walkable, so build your day around walking and use the bus for the marina, Hove or the hills. That keeps your bus spend low and often removes the need for a pass at all.

If you are in the city for a weekend, a day pass on the day you cover the most ground and contactless taps on the others is usually the cheapest combination. For a longer stay, price the weekly pass against four day passes before you commit.

Keep an eye on service changes: roadworks, events and the summer festival season can slow buses and alter routes, so check the operator's site on the day.