Castles & Palaces
Hever Castle
Romantic 13th-century double-moated castle that was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, set within award-winning gardens and a 38-acre lake.
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Road trip route · United Kingdom
London to Brighton drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 1 hr 38 min
- Distance
- 53 mi
- Fuel (est.)
- £9
- Tolls (est.)
- None
The London to Brighton drive
The drive from London to Brighton covers 53 miles (86 km) and takes about 1 hr 38 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
Most of it is one road: the A23 carries 66% of the distance. You pass Sutton and Crawley on the way.
It's flat. Nowhere along the way did we measure the road higher than about 144 m above sea level.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around £9 one-way with no significant motorway tolls on the way. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 53 miles this is longer than 4% of the 144 routes covered here, short enough to fold into a bigger itinerary without losing a day.
The road, mile by mile
Towns within a few miles of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartLondon
- 14 miSutton26 min in
- 32 miCrawley59 min in
- 53 miBrighton
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A2335 mi · 66%
- M2316 mi · 31%
Best stops between London and Brighton
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Museums
Brooklands Museum
The birthplace of British motorsport and aviation, featuring the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit from 1907.
Cafes & Pit Stops
Box Hill National Trust Cafe
The hilltop cafe at the summit of Box Hill offering sweeping views across the Surrey Hills, a classic destination for drivers and cyclists alike.
Cafes & Pit Stops
David's Cafe at Box Hill
A popular roadside cafe at the base of the Box Hill zig-zag road, serving as the unofficial meeting point for the Surrey biker community.
Landmarks
Thorpe Park
Thrill-focused theme park near London catering to older children and adults with intense roller coasters.
Racetracks
Brands Hatch Circuit
Legendary undulating British racing circuit in Kent hosting major motorsport events and offering car racing experiences.
Racetracks
Brooklands
The world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit, opened 1907, where surviving sections of the towering concrete Members' Banking rear up out of the Surrey woodland. The museum holds racing cars and aircraft on the original site.
Landmarks
Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Test Track)
The famous airfield test track used by BBC Top Gear for its power laps and celebrity challenges.
Scenic Viewpoints
Box Hill
A steep chalk escarpment above the Mole valley, the Zig Zag Road on its flank made famous by the 2012 Olympic road race.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
United Kingdom
- Motorway
- 112 km/h · 48 in town
- Tolls
- Individual tolled crossings (Dart Charge, M6 Toll)
- Drives on
- the left
Low-emission zones: London ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in United Kingdom
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Snake Pass + Peak District
Cobblestone villages, Bronte-novel moors, and the moodiest 14 miles of road in England
104 km · 2h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
Atlantic Highway A39: North Cornwall
Cornish surf beaches, smuggler's coves, and the Westcountry pasty trail
139 km · 2.5h driving · 7 stops · 4 days
Causeway Coastal Route
Belfast to Derry along Northern Ireland's cliff-edge coast, via Game of Thrones country
200 km · 3.3h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
NC500: North Coast 500
Scotland's answer to Route 66: 516 miles of mountains, single-track roads, and empty beaches
755 km · 11.4h driving · 9 stops · 7 days
London to Brighton FAQs
How long is the drive from London to Brighton?
Driving from London to Brighton takes about 1 hr 38 min nonstop, covering 53 miles (86 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from London to Brighton?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly £9 one-way. There are no significant motorway tolls on this route. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from London to Brighton in one day?
Yes, at about 1 hr 38 min of driving, London to Brighton is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from London to Brighton?
The fastest route uses the A23 (about 35 mi), the M23 (about 16 mi). It passes Sutton, Crawley.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 57 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between London and Brighton?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Hever Castle, Brooklands Museum, Box Hill National Trust Cafe: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from London & Brighton
London → AberdeenLondon → AmsterdamLondon → BarcelonaLondon → BathLondon → BirminghamLondon → BristolLondon → BrugesLondon → BrusselsLondon → CambridgeLondon → Cardiff
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free United Kingdom road trip planner, browse every destination we cover, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in United Kingdom guide.