Brighton & Sussex Student Bus Guide
I remember when I first stared at The University of Sussex in 2019, one of the things I found really difficult was how to navigate my way through a new city as well as getting used to the new student lifestyle.
As a fresher, I was well versed on the different events, club nights and where to get drink, but getting from A to Z was a little but more confusing.
I have put together a little guide to make this journey a little easier...
Travelling to town from campus
The 25 bus goes from North-South Road from the University of Sussex, this is pretty much the middle of campus and the closest to East Slope, Northfield, Brighthelm, Park Houses, Lewes Court and Park Village you can get in the day. You can also go from Sussex House or Falmer Station if you fancy though. This bus stops at Old Steine which is just in front of the Brighton Palace Pier and next to the Pavilion. Here you can get another bus to Churchill Square shopping Centre, or it is a short walk past the Laines.
There is also the 25X which is a fast bus with limited stops, I would only recommend getting this is you are going to Old Steine as it misses out a lot of the other ones and this will get you there quicker.
You can also get the train from Falmer station, at the bottom of campus, to Brighton station and this is a little bit quicker than the bus, taking about 5 minutes instead of 30. Just remember that the train does not operate all night like the Bus.
Travelling to clubs from campus
If you are travelling to a club on the seafront or more central to town, the only bus going to town that late will be the N25. This bus is the only time where you can use the bus stops outside Lewes Court and Northfield, making it much easier to travel from the top of campus. However, this also means that it takes a bit more time to get there, so if your are in a rush to go out, it is worth the walk to Falmer Station as a short cut!
Getting home from the club
The N25 runs from Old Steine all night, meaning you can get back to campus for your lectures after a big night out. However, one thing to keep in mind is where to get the bus. The Old Steine bus stop to get home is different to the one you get off at. If you are walking along the High Street on North Street, the end of the road is where you get the bus, outside The Royal Bank of Scotland.
Day vs Night buses
The buses change a lot between night and day, especially if you are going from the top of campus. One thing that really helped me get used to this was taking a picture of the bus stop timetable outside Northfield Bar (where the bus stop is) and referring to this to make sure I wasn't waiting for a bus that wasn't coming.
It was always quite annoying having to walk through campus to go to town so sometimes it was worth going out later and waiting for the night buses to start picking up from Northfield and Lewes Court.
How to pay for tickets
There are a couple of ways that you can pay for your bus fare. you can download the Brighton and Hove Bus App and buy a 24 hour student ticket (around £3.75). Or you can tap on and tap off (similar to the Oyster card system in London), meaning that you don't have to get the app.
If you know that you will be travelling to town more often that 4 times a week, it may be worth buying a weeks ticket or a months ticket. This is only really worth it if you have a job in town.