Village Way · Falmer · Brighton BN1 9BL · Capacity 31,800
The Amex: the closest away day to Kent
Brighton play at Falmer, in a bowl carved into the South Downs between Brighton and Lewes. From Tunbridge Wells or Tonbridge it is under an hour, which makes it the nearest away ground to our patch by a comfortable margin and the cheapest big fixture we run.
From Tunbridge Wells. Under an hour and a half from most of west Kent. No other Premier League away ground is that close to us, which makes the Amex the away day Kent supporters can treat almost as a local fixture.
A stadium in a National Park
The Amex sits inside the South Downs National Park, which shaped both the design and the transport plan.
Dug into the hillside
The design keeps the profile low against the landscape. It also means the ground sits below the approach roads.
At the door
A railway station immediately beside the stadium, which handles a very large share of the crowd.
The main car plan
Managed park and ride sites rather than stadium parking. Private vehicles are kept well back.
The only road
The trunk road between Brighton and Lewes runs past. It is the constraint in both directions.
The nearest away ground to Kent
Across Sussex rather than through London, which makes this a pleasant drive and a poor rail journey from Kent.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Matchday journey |
|---|---|---|
| Tunbridge Wells & Southborough | 32 miles | 55–80 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 38 miles | 65–90 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 45 miles | 75–100 min |
| Bromley & Orpington | 45 miles | 75–100 min |
| Ashford & Tenterden | 55 miles | 85–110 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 55 miles | 85–110 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 59 miles | 90–115 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 62 miles | 95–120 min |
| Canterbury & Whitstable | 76 miles | 110–140 min |
Getting in and out of Falmer
The transport plan here is stricter than at most grounds, and it was a condition of building in a National Park.
| Method | Note |
|---|---|
| Falmer station | Beside the ground. Queues heavily after the whistle, in an orderly fashion. |
| Park and ride | Managed sites with shuttle buses. Booked in advance. |
| Private vehicles | Kept well back from the ground. There is no stadium car park to arrive at. |
| The A27 | Single trunk road, and it backs up in both directions after a match. |
| We collect off the A27 | On a side road that traffic can leave by, around ten to fifteen minutes' walk. |
A Brighton away day
It is genuinely close
Under an hour from Tunbridge Wells and under ninety minutes from almost anywhere in west Kent. For a Premier League away fixture that is remarkable, and it means the Amex is the one big away day a Kent group can do without any of the usual planning around distance. Leave at midday for a three o'clock and you are home for dinner.
The A27 is the whole traffic story
One trunk road serves the ground in both directions and thirty-one thousand people use it at once. That is the constraint, and no route avoids it. We hold on a side road off the A27 where a vehicle can turn and leave, which is a ten to fifteen minute walk and considerably faster than sitting in the queue with everyone else.
Park and ride is the official plan
Building in a National Park came with transport conditions, and the result is a stadium with no meaningful private parking and a managed park-and-ride operation instead. If you were thinking of driving yourself, that is the arrangement you would be joining, and it is booked in advance rather than turned up to.
Make a day of Brighton
The ground sits between Brighton and Lewes, both of which are worth an hour or two. A good number of our Amex bookings include a stop in Brighton before or after, which costs nothing extra when built into the quote and turns a football match into a day out.
Amex Stadium questions
The closest away ground we cover.
How close is the Amex to Kent?
Under an hour from Tunbridge Wells, around ninety minutes from most of west Kent, under two hours from east Kent. It is the nearest away ground to our patch by a clear margin.
Is there parking at the stadium?
Effectively none for private vehicles. Building in the South Downs National Park came with transport conditions, and the arrangement is managed park and ride booked in advance.
Where do you collect after the match?
On a side road off the A27 where the vehicle can turn and leave, around ten to fifteen minutes' walk. The A27 itself backs up heavily in both directions.
Is Falmer station useful?
Very. It sits beside the ground and handles a large share of the crowd. It queues after the whistle, though in an orderly fashion.
Why not take the train from Kent?
Because the Kent to Sussex rail connection is poor. The coastal route is slow and the alternative goes via London. The drive across Sussex is much better.
Can we stop in Brighton?
Yes, and plenty of groups do. The ground sits between Brighton and Lewes and a stop either side costs nothing extra when built into the quote.
Can you take a supporters' coach?
Yes, up to forty-nine seats. Coach arrangements at Falmer are managed, so give us notice for the fixture.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking and unaffected by A27 traffic or added time.
Sussex venues and guides
The coast and the Downs.