Local Bus Travel Guide
Travelling to and from campus and around the local area by bus
The University of Sussex campus is well-served by public transport and it is a good option to
take the bus or the train to travel to and from the campus, and to travel around the local area. It
is generally cheaper and more convenient to take the bus if you are going to be regularly
travelling to and from the campus. However, if you live far away from the campus, and
especially if you live near a train station, it might be quicker for you to get to the campus or to
Brighton town centre by train.
Which bus should I get?
The Sussex campus is served by a number of buses
including 25, 25X, 23, 5B, 50U, 28, 29 and 29B. Bus
services 25 and 25X connects the campus with
central Brighton and Hove/Portslade via the Lewes
Road. The map below shows the route for the 25
bus. Services 28, 29 and 29B run from Churchill
Square along Lewes Road, stopping on the main
road just outside the campus before continuing on
to Lewes. When going in the opposite direction,
buses 28, 29 and 29B stop across the main road
from the campus, outside Falmer Station. Service
23 connects the campus with Brighton Marina.
Service 5B runs from campus to central Brighton
via Coldean/Hollingbury/London Road and then
continues on to Hove. The 50U runs between
Churchill Square, Hollingbury and the university
campus. For detailed routes refer to
www.buses.co.uk. The map to the right shows bus
routes on campus and as well as bus stops where
you can catch the bus (blue dots).
How frequently do the buses run?
25 and 25X Buses run approximately every 5-10 minutes on weekdays during term-time. On
Sundays, in the evenings, and during vacations buses tend to run less frequently, for example
every 15-20 minutes. 23 buses run every 20-30 minutes on weekdays. 28, 29 and 29B buses run
every 10-15 minutes on weekdays.
In addition, the picturesque county town of Lewes can be reached by the number 28 or 29 bus
(every 15 minutes during the day) which leaves from the bus stop at the front of campus on the
A27.
How long is the
journey?
On the 25 bus, the
journey time between
town centre (Churchill
Square) and the campus
is approximately 30
minutes (up to 40
minutes at busy times).
Buses 25X, 28 and 29
cover the same distance a
bit more quickly as they
only stop at a limited
number of bus stops.
What should I do when I get on the bus?
You should board the bus at the front door, and then either buy a ticket from the driver or show
the driver your ticket which you bought previously. A short while before the bus is due to arrive
at your stop, press the red ‘Stop’ button to signal that you want to get off at the next stop. You
can get off the bus at the front, and on ‘bendy’ buses you can also leave through the doors in the
middle of the bus.
What type of ticket should I buy?
The type of ticket you need depends on how often you will be travelling on the bus. Single or 1day Saver tickets are good for occasional use, however if you are going to be travelling on the
bus more than once or twice a week, it is worth investing in a 7-day, 90-day or Annual Saver
ticket, where substantial student discounts are available. Tickets come in several forms. Some of
the most popular are the Key Smartcard and M-tickets, which are often cheaper than buying a
ticket from the driver on the bus. Please see below for more details about ticket types and costs.
The prices quoted below are correct from 25th July 2016 but may be subject to change in the future.
Occasional bus travel
All of the below tickets can be purchased from the bus driver using cash. We have
created a table to help you decide which ticket is right for you:-
I want to. . . . .
Type of ticket
Cost
What it covers
Make a single journey
Explore the city for one day
Single ticket
1 Day City Saver
£2.50
£5.00
Explore the city for one day
1 Day Network
Saver
23/25 Day Saver
£6.50
One journey on only one bus
Unlimited journeys around the city
for one day (NOT VALID ON NIGHT
BUSES)
Unlimited journeys around the city
for one day (VALID ON NIGHT BUSES)
Unlimited journeys on services 23, 25,
25X and N25
Travel between Falmer and
Churchill Square
£4.00
Regular bus travel – Student Saver tickets*
The key card is the most cost effective if you plan to travel regularly between the University and
Brighton every day. Please note that you can use this card on any bus journey in the area.
I need to . . .
Type of
ticket
What it is
Cost
How to use
Where to buy
from
Travel to the
university/
Brighton most
days
Key card
City
Saver
Plastic ‘smart’
card which
you can top up
with tickets
£3 for 1 day
£13 for 7 days
£120 for 90 days
£375 for 12
months
1 Stop Travel Shop,
26 North Street,
Brighton
Travel to the
university/
Brighton most
days
Key card Plastic ‘smart’
Network card which
Saver
you can top up
with tickets
£3.20 for 1 day
£13.75 for 7 days
£127 for 90 days
£395 for 12months
Travel to the
university/
Brighton most
days
M-ticket
City
Saver
£3 for 1 day
£13 for 7 days
£120 for 90 days
£375 for 12months
Travel to the
university/
Brighton most
days
M-ticket E-ticket which
Network can be
Saver
purchased on
a smartphone
app.
£3.20 for 1 day
£13.75 for 7 days
£127 for 90 days
Travel specific
days across a
number of
weeks
Scratch
off
ticket
£14.50
Put the card
on the
smart-card
reader near
the driver
when
boarding the
bus
Put the card
on the
smart-card
reader near
the driver
when
boarding the
bus
Show the
ticket on
your phone
to the driver
when
boarding the
bus
Show the
ticket on
your phone
to the driver
when
boarding the
bus
Scratch off
the dates
you wish to
travel on and
seal the
adhesive
film. Show to
the driver.
E-ticket which
can be
purchased on
a smartphone
app.
Cardboard
ticket
1 Stop Travel Shop,
26 North Street,
Brighton
Download the app
from
www.buses.co.uk
Download the app
from
www.buses.co.uk
Students’ Union
Shop in Falmer
House
* Please note that you will need your Sussex Student ID card to obtain the Student Key, and if you
purchase an M-ticket or scratch-off card the driver might want to see your Student ID when you board.
We recommend that you buy single or student day saver tickets to travel to campus until you obtain your
Sussex Student ID card.
Night buses
You can use daytime bus tickets up until midnight. After midnight, you can use the night bus
N25 to travel between Brighton town centre and campus. This service runs every night of the
week. There is a flat fare of £4 for any journey on the N25 night bus in the city area. In termtime N25 buses run every 10 minutes, and in vacations every 30 minutes.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights there are nightclub buses that also serve other parts of
the city (ticket prices vary). Network SAVER tickets are also valid on night buses and nightclub
buses.
For further information regarding bus travel in Brighton and Hove please refer to the
Brighton & Hove Buses website
www.buses.co.uk