Brighton Main Line closed on Sunday 29 November, then nine days in February

There will be no trains between Brighton and Three Bridges on Sunday 29 November 2026, and a bigger closure follows in February half-term. Southern lists both on its Brighton Main Line engineering work page, and Network Rail confirms them on its essential work page.

What is closed on Sunday 29 November

No trains. Between Brighton and Three Bridges, between Hove and Three Bridges via Haywards Heath, and between Lewes and Three Bridges.

Replacement buses. Southern lists buses from Three Bridges to Preston Park, calling at all stations, and from Three Bridges to Lewes, calling at Haywards Heath and Cooksbridge. Others run from Balcombe to Brighton, calling at all stations, and from Haywards Heath to Plumpton and Plumpton to Lewes. Some stops are limited. A Three Bridges to Brighton bus also runs at the start and end of the day when direct trains via Littlehampton are not running.

Times. The Southern page gives no start or finish times for the closure, so check the journey planner for your own train.

The diverted train to London

Southern is running a diverted service between Brighton and London Victoria. It calls at Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea, Worthing, Angmering, Littlehampton, Horsham, Three Bridges, Gatwick Airport, East Croydon and Clapham Junction.

Southern says people travelling between Brighton and London should use the diverted train rather than the limited replacement buses, and that journeys will take longer, so allow extra time.

Why the work is happening

Network Rail says the closure is for track upkeep and work on bridges and other structures. It affects people travelling between the Brighton area and Three Bridges, Horsham, or London via Gatwick. The same work was set for Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, and 29 November repeats it for a single day.

Nine days in February

The biggest closure comes in half-term: no trains between Three Bridges and Lewes, Brighton or Hove via Haywards Heath from Saturday 13 to Sunday 21 February 2027. Network Rail says these are large engineering works that cannot fit into normal weekend closures. Southern says details of replacement buses and diverted trains for February will be published later.

The January closure is further north: Southern and Network Rail both list no trains between Gatwick Airport and Purley or East Croydon on Sunday 10 January 2027, with details still to come. It will matter to anyone heading to London from Brighton that day.

How to plan ahead

Southern says its journey planners are generally updated 12 weeks in advance, and points passengers to the Southern app or National Rail for full details. Closures elsewhere on the network are in its planned works calendar. For more on getting around the city, see our Brighton travel guide.