Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · United Kingdom

Chichester

Give Chichester one full day on foot for the cathedral, Roman palace and gallery; sleep here only if you want Goodwood or the harbour.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Jan–Feb (cold, wet, quiet)
Airports
LGW · LHR · SOU
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Chichester is a compact cathedral city on the West Sussex coast, built on the Roman town of Noviomagus and still ringed by stretches of Roman wall. The centre is a cross of four streets meeting at the medieval Market Cross, and everything in it is walkable in an afternoon. Most travellers see it as a day trip from Brighton, Portsmouth or London; it earns a night if you are adding Goodwood, the canal and harbour, or the South Downs.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Chichester, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
  • BeerPint of draught beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Metro or bus rideLocal bus single£2–3 (≈ US$3–4)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)
  • Museum or sight ticketCathedral entryFree; suggested donation £4 (≈ US$6)
  • Budget bedHostel or budget B&B bed, a night, per person£30 (≈ US$40)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid hotel or inn, a night, per room£130 (≈ US$180)
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid hotel or inn, a night, per room£220 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £85 (≈ US$120) · High £160 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Chichester CathedralFishbourne Roman PalacePallant House GalleryChichester Festival TheatreGoodwood
Airports
LGW London Gatwick (Direct Southern trains to Chichester, roughly 1 h; the closest major airport.) · LHR London Heathrow (No direct rail; train or coach into London, then Southern from Victoria, about 2.5–3 h total.) · SOU Southampton (Rail via Southampton Central and change, about 1 h 15 min–1 h 45 min.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Chichester: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

2°C

13 rd

Feb

8°C

2°C

10 rd

Mar

11°C

3°C

10 rd

Apr

14°C

5°C

9 rd

May

17°C

8°C

8 rd

Jun

20°C

11°C

8 rd

Jul

22°C

13°C

7 rd

Aug

22°C

13°C

8 rd

Sep

19°C

11°C

9 rd

Oct

15°C

8°C

12 rd

Nov

11°C

5°C

12 rd

Dec

8°C

3°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is small enough to cross on foot in about 15 minutes; the four main streets meet at the Market Cross. Local buses run from the bus station beside the railway station and many stop on West Street by the cathedral. Taxis are mostly private hire: book by phone or app rather than hailing.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Arundel

go

Door to door: About 45–60 min

Train from Chichester, change at Barnham

Castle and town; check castle opening days, it closes in winter.

Selsey

caution

Door to door: About 40 min

Stagecoach bus from Chichester

Coastal and quiet; worth it only with a car or on a beach day.

Bracklesham Bay

caution

Door to door: About 30–40 min

Stagecoach bus from Chichester

Fossil-hunting beach; check tide times before you go.

Worthing

go

Door to door: About 40–50 min

Train from Chichester, change at Barnham or direct

Pier and seafront; easy half-day.

Portsmouth

go

Door to door: About 30–40 min

Frequent train from Chichester

Historic Dockyard and Spinnaker Tower; a full day.

Brighton

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Frequent train from Chichester

Royal Pavilion and the Lanes; a full day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

City centre (North Street and around the Cross)

Walk to the cathedral, Novium and Pallant House; the only area that makes a car-free stay work.

Near the station

Cheapest practical base for one night with bags; 5–10 min walk into the centre.

Chichester Harbour villages (Bosham, Itchenor)

Quieter, pricier, needs a car or taxi; good for walkers and sailors.

Goodwood and the South Downs edge

Country inns and hotels for race days, the Revival and walking; book far ahead for events.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–75 (≈ US$60–100) excl. bed
Mid
£75–130 (≈ US$100–180) excl. bed
High
£130 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid hotel or inn1 × 1 night × £130£130
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £85£170
Train London Victoria → Chichester, both ways2 × £50£100
Stagecoach day ticket, local buses2 × £6£12
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£43
Trip total≈ £238 per person per day, bed included£475≈ US$650

2026 estimate in pounds; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
Pint of draught beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
Cathedral entryFree; suggested donation £4 (≈ US$6)
Pallant House Gallery£12.50 (≈ US$17)
Fishbourne Roman Palace£15 (≈ US$20) adult, £14 (≈ US$19) senior, £7.50 (≈ US$10) student
Local bus single£2–3 (≈ US$3–4)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

One of the safer small English cities; the real risks are wet pavements, dark lanes after pub closing, and Goodwood event days when taxis and hotels are booked out.
  • Chichester is a low-crime city; the usual UK cautions apply — watch bags in pub and festival crowds, and stick to lit streets at night.
  • Goodwood events (Festival of Speed, Revival) sell out and push local hotel prices up sharply: book months ahead or stay in Portsmouth or Brighton.
  • Many restaurants stop serving by 21:00–22:00 outside summer; eat earlier than you would in London.
  • Sunday and bank-holiday bus and train frequencies drop; check the last service before an evening out.
  • Fishbourne Roman Palace and the Weald and Downland Museum are outside the centre: check opening days before travelling.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999
Police, fire, ambulance (EU number)
112
NHS non-urgent
111
Police non-urgent
101

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ChichesterChichester

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • EU emergency number112
  • NHS non-urgent111
  • Police non-urgent101

Embassy

No embassies in Chichester; the US Embassy and most others are in London. Consulates-general for many countries are in London, Edinburgh or Belfast.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Train London Victoria → Chichester: about £25–40 (≈ US$35–55) advance single, 1 h 30 min–1 h 45 min
  • Train Chichester → Portsmouth: about £8–12 (≈ US$11–16), 30–40 min
  • Taxi in town: £6–10 (≈ US$8–14) for a short hop

Say or show

  • Excuse me / Sorry — Excuse me / Sorry
  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Please — Please
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?

English is the only language you need here.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Chichester. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Jan–Feb (cold, wet, quiet) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LGW: last Southern departures field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: the Cross and cathedral, Pallant House and the Novium, the canal basin, the station and Chichester Gate.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (cathedral, Fishbourne, Pallant House, Weald and Downland) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Goodwood and festival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources