How to travel from Plymouth to Brighton, United Kingdom

The distance between Plymouth and Brighton is around 346km (215 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 60m.

5 routes found

We've found 5 different ways to get from Plymouth to Brighton by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out BrightonPlymouth if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
+
plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Newquay then fly from Newquay (NQY) to London Gatwick (LGW).

  • Duration3h 60m
  • Flight time1h 15m
  • Typical cost
    £165($195)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2
train
+
train
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Train

Take the train to London Paddington and then to Brighton.

  • Duration4h 25m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    £95($115)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

💰 Cheapest
3
3 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Exeter Honiton Road then Heathrow Airport London T23 and then to Brighton.

  • Duration6h 30m
  • Departs4 times a day
  • Typical cost
    £28($33)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Brighton.

  • Duration4hrs
  • Distance346km (215 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Plymouth and Brighton

There are several options for getting from Plymouth to Brighton by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £28 ($33) and will take around 6h 30m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 3h 60m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £165 ($195).

The distance between Plymouth and Brighton is around 346km (215 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 287km (178 miles)

It takes around 4h 25m to get from Plymouth and Brighton by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4hrs to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Plymouth to Brighton is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 60m and will set you back approx £165 ($195).

The cheapest way to travel between Plymouth and Brighton, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £28 ($33) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Plymouth and Brighton. It typically takes around 4h 25m and departs hourly.

There are no direct train services that runs from Plymouth to Brighton. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in London Paddington and Victoria station. These services run hourly and will take a minimum of 4h 25m.

Great Western Railway, Gatwick Express, Southern Service, CrossCountry and South Western Railway run train services between Plymouth and Brighton. Trains depart hourly and will take around 4h 25m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Plymouth and Brighton. It typically takes around 6h 30m and departs 4 times a day.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Plymouth to Brighton. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Exeter Honiton Road and Heathrow Airport London T23. These services run 4 times a day and will take a minimum of 6h 30m.

Megabus UK and National Express run regular bus services between Plymouth and Brighton. Buses run 4 times a day and take around 6h 30m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Plymouth to Brighton. We recommend that you take the train to Newquay then fly from Newquay (NQY) to London Gatwick (LGW). instead which will take 3h 60m.

The closest major airport to Brighton is Gatwick Airport (LGW) (LGW) which is approximately 37km (23 miles) from Brighton. Heathrow Airport (LHR) (LHR) and London City Airport (LCY) (LCY) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Plymouth and Brighton. The distance is around 346km (215 miles) by road and it will take around 4hrs in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Plymouth to Brighton is to take the train which takes, on average, 4h 25m and will usually cost around £95 ($115).

How do I get from Plymouth to Brighton

Compare travel optionsbetween Plymouth and Brighton

Transport options from Plymouth to Brighton
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane
3h 60m
£165($195)
twice daily486km (302 miles)
Train + 1 similar
4h 25m
£95($115)
hourly448km (279 miles)
Train via Exeter St Davids5h 10m
£105($125)
hourly363km (226 miles)
Bus
6h 30m
£28($33)
4 times a day441km (274 miles)
Drive
4hrs
£40($47)
on demand346km (215 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Plymouth and Brighton

Train operators

Airlines

Airports near Brighton

The following major airports near Brighton offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

LGW
Gatwick Airport (LGW)
International Airport
Distance
37km (23 miles) from Brighton
LHR
Heathrow Airport (LHR)
International Airport
Distance
75km (47 miles) from Brighton
LCY
London City Airport (LCY)
International Airport
Distance
77km (48 miles) from Brighton