Transport planning under way to deliver Brighton & Hove Pride 2025

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is again working in close partnership with event organisers, the local council and other partners to plan for the celebrations, which is one of the biggest events in the UK’s Pride calendar.

GTR, which runs Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services to and from Brighton, is already making plans for more trains and to provide extra capacity to help passengers get to and from the city safely over Pride weekend on Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3.

Jenny Saunders, customers services director at GTR, said: “We’re really proud to support Brighton & Hove Pride, and with the success of last year’s event my team and I are throwing ourselves into the planning for 2025 to make sure we deliver another safe and reliable service for festivalgoers.

“This is a largescale event, so we’re again working in close partnership with event organisers and the city to ensure that visitors can have lots of fun, whilst keeping safe.”

Paul Kemp, managing director of Brighton & Hove Pride, said: “This year’s Pride is shaping up to be one of our best yet!

“With the legendary Mariah Carey headlining and over 150+ LGBTQ+ artists performing across the weekend, there’s truly something for everyone.

“Pride is always a fantastic celebration of inclusivity in our city, and this year promises to be especially momentous.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the GTR teams, volunteer drivers, and all the station staff who will be working hard to ensure visitors arrive and leave safely.”

Although one of the largest Pride events is still around four months away it’s never too early to start planning journeys.

Hints and tips GTR is already providing for those planning to attend Brighton & Hove Pride include:

• Allowing plenty of time to get to and from events in the city over the Pride weekend as trains will be very busy and you may not be able to board the first service.
• Make sure you have your train tickets in advance – including for your return home - to speed things up. Train tickets for Pride weekend will go on sale in early May.
• Remember that for safety reasons any glass bottles or containers will not be allowed into stations or on to trains. Cans and plastic containers are welcome!
• Advising everyone to give themselves at least an hour to get to Brighton station from any of the festival sites in the evening, as there will be large crowds leaving the city after the headline acts have finished their amazing sets.

The train company, event organisers and partners are also working together on Brighton station’s special Pride weekend rainbow queuing system, which directs passengers leaving the city into the appropriate queue for passengers’ train and destination, before they get to the station entrance.

Full travel information to help people plan their journeys will be available on the Southern and Thameslink websites as the event draws closer but, in the meantime, information is available on the event’s Travel page.