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Amex Stadium Transport

The Amex Stadium is situated on the campus of Brighton University, just over four miles from the city centre next to the village of Falmer. It is rather unique in that it is one of the only grounds outside of London that relies largely on public transport.

This was a condition of the planning permission for the stadium, with some residents of Falmer concerned that their village would be ruined by effectively becoming a huge car park. How none of these people had noticed the A27 running straight through the middle of the village remains a mystery to this day.

While you can drive to the stadium, there are plenty of other, preferable options for getting to and from the Amex. And don't forget, you can claim free travel in the Sussex area on production of your match day ticket.

Train
Train is the most popular form of transport to and from the Amex and it certainly used to be the easiest. Unfortunately, Southern Rail, ASLEF and the RMT Union and the Department for Transport are currently being run by a bunch of complete and utter cretins and Brighton and the South East have been crippled by a diabolical rail service and multiple strikes over the last year.

It has been particularly felt during evening games, with the Friday night encounter with Aston Villa in November 2016 kicking off in front of a 3/4 full stadium with thousands still queuing at Brighton Station at 7.45pm. If it isn't a strike day however then the train is the best option. Falmer Station is quite literally on the doorstep of the Amex and is served by trains from Brighton and Lewes. These run every 15 minutes or so on a match day, with the busiest periods being between two counting down to one hour before kick off.

A queuing system is in place at Brighton Station and you can expect to wait between 10 and 20 minutes to board a train depending on how busy it is. If you don't mind turning up right on the referees whistle, one trick we have found is that catching the 2.40pm for a Saturday 3pm kick off will mean no queue, getting a seat and arriving just in time for kick off.

As you would expect, the queue afterwards can be massive and you can wait up to 30 minutes for a train if you wait for the final whistle. If you don't fancy that, then there are two options - either leave before the final whistle or stay and enjoy a beer on the concourses afterwards. The bars remain open to help the crowd disperse.

You can travel for free between Haywards Heath in the north, Worthing in the west and Eastbourne in the east to the Amex on production of your match ticket. If you are travelling from further away than those three stops, then simply buy a ticket to the relevant station on your route and the rest of the journey is free.

 
Bus
From central Brighton, the Amex is well served by buses that drop off and pick up on both university campuses. Buses 23, 25X, 28 and 29 all go to Falmer from stops outside the Royal Pavilion and Churchill Square. There was plenty of controversy when bus lanes were installed on Lewes Road as in rush hour it now makes the M25 look like the Nurburgring, but one positive of that decision is that if you do catch the bus you can get to the stadium quickly while avoiding either commuter or football traffic.

All Brighton and Hove buses are free with a match ticket meaning you can travel from as far as Tunbridge Wells in Kent without paying. Stagecoach's 700 and N700 along the coast from Worthing are also free.

 
Park and Ride
If you can't think of any way to get to the Amex other than using your car, then Park and Ride is another option. There are three sites available - at Mill Road at the bottom of the A23, the University of Brighton on either side of Lewes Road near the Gyratory and at Brighton Racecourse. Simply park your car for free and hop on a bus to the stadiums coach park. Mill Road is the most popular of these given that it serves traffic from both the north and west and can fill up quickly. There is a queuing system after games although this does tend to move quicker than that at the station and you will normally be back with you car within 45 minutes of the final whistle.
 
Taxi
There are plenty of taxis around Brighton and Hove and the journey from central Brighton should weigh in at under a tenner. Alternatively, the city recently moved into the 21st century and so you can take an Uber, providing you are happy with the possible risk of going via Southampton or getting raped.
 
Car Parking
There is minimal parking at the Amex and if you do choose that option, it will cost you. This has to be booked in advance and will extract £15 from your person. The parking sites are the Bridge Car Park (not named after former Albion left back Wayne and his hot wife Frankie unfortunately) which is a 10 minute walk away at the bottom of the University of Brighton Campus, the University of Sussex the other side of the A27 from the stadium and Bennett's Field behind the East Stand. Pedestrians and public transport always take priority over private cars and so you can expect to face a long wait to get out after a game. There is no on street parking around the stadium with the permit holders only zone stretching out around three miles into the city from the Amex.
 
Bicycle & Walking
If you are healthy or have too much time on your hands, then you can either cycle or walk to the Amex. The journey is relatively straightforward, you just head straight up the Lewes Road. There are cycle lanes in both directions which should reduce the chances of you getting mown down and there are multiple bicycle racks at the stadium.

For those who fancy a walk, it takes around an hour from central Brighton. It used to be quite pleasant on an August day as there were a number of pubs on route to stop in for replenishment, but only The Bear and The Gladstone remain after the closing down of The Lectern and The Dugout. Once you pass the University of Brighton, it can be a dreary walk through the edges of Moulsecoomb, one of the least attractive parts of the city but hey, think of all the calories you are burning.