Travel Information

Getting here

The Great Sussex Way is located on the beautiful south coast within the County of West Sussex.  The region is very well connected via public transport and easily accessible via car.

The Great Sussex Way represents the geographical area of the Chichester District, from the Downs to the Dunes, encompassing the picturesque market towns of Petworth and Midhurst, the historic city of Chichester, Chichester Harbour and it's thriving water-side villages and the Manhood Peninsula, where the seaside destinations of Selsey and the Witterings can be found.

  • Just over one hour’s travel from London
  • Under one hour from London Gatwick airport
  • Less than an hour from Guildford
  • Half an hour from Portsmouth
  • Forty-five minutes from Southampton
  • Under an hour from Winchester
  • Less than an hour from Brighton

Travelling by rail

Frequent train services operate from London Victoria to Chichester the main city with The Great Sussex Way® region, taking approximately 1 hour 35 minutes. Services also run from Gatwick Airport, Brighton and Portsmouth.

To find more information on train times and services you can use:

The Trainline

Telephone: 0871 244 1545

Website: www.thetrainline.com

Please note, calls to this number cost 10p per minute from a BT landline. Calls from other operators and from outside the UK may cost more.

National Rail

Telephone: 08457 484950

Website: www.nationalrail.co.uk

Southern Rail

Telephone: 03451 27 29 20

Website: www.southernrailway.com

South Western Rail

Telephone: 0345 6000 650

Website: www.southwesternrailway.com

 

Travelling by car

Chichester is easily reached via the M27 and A27 coast road which links Hampshire, Sussex and Kent. The A29 and A24 connect London and mid-Sussex to Chichester, and the A3 also connects Chichester and the local area with London, the M25 and other main routes from the West.

Car Parking

Car parking is available in town and village centres across the region, more information on locating car parks and charges can be found here chichester.gov.uk/carparkmap

Parking for the disabled is free in designated bays in most car parks. On street City Centre voucher parking spaces may be used as long as a valid disabled person’s badge is correctly displayed.

Travelling by coach or bus

Regular services operate from London Victoria Coach Station. The Coastliner route links Chichester as far as Brighton or Southsea, and there are local bus services that run all around The Great Sussex Way region, connecting Chichester with Selsey, Midhurst and Petworth.

National Express

Telephone: 0871 781 8181

Website: www.nationalexpress.com

Stagecoach Coastliner

Telephone: 0345 121 0190

Website: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/

Stagecoach

Telephone: 0345 121 0190

Website: www.stagecoachbus.com

 

Traveline

Public transport information, details of times and availability of public transport within the Great Sussex Way region.

Telephone: 0871 200 22 33

Website: www.traveline.info

 

By Air and Sea

Travelling to The Great Sussex Way® from abroad, the two closest airports are Gatwick and Heathrow and guides for both can be found below:

Gatwick International Airport is 38 miles from Chichester
Website: http://www.gatwick-airport-guide.co.uk

Heathrow International Airport is 57 miles from Chichester
Website: http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk

The nearest Continental Ferry Terminal is Portsmouth, 18 miles away

P&O Portsmouth
Website: www.poferries.com

Brittany Ferries
Telephone: 0330 159 7000
Website: www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

Using public transport while you are here

If you will be using public transport to explore the Great Sussex Way®, Stagecoach buses connect the whole region allowing you to follow your own great way.

Route 51 for a trip to Selsey beach, or if golf is more your thing the 51 also stops close by to Chichester Golf Club too. The service runs up to every 15 minutes Monday to Friday daytime and every 20 minutes at the weekend.

Route 52 takes you to both East and West Wittering giving you the opportunity to explore the coastal village centre with its surf shops and cafes and then onto the sandy dunes of West Wittering beach. Buses run every 30 minutes Monday to Friday and every hour at the weekend too.

Route 55 takes you across Chichester to Tangmere, Boxgrove and Halnaker. If you are interested in Aircraft, Tangmere is home to the Tangmere Military Aviation Museum, which is directly on the route. You can catch the 55 up to every 20 minutes Monday to Friday daytime, every 30 minutes Saturday and hourly on Sundays.

Route 60 will take you to discover Midhurst; home to Cowdray Estate and Woolbeding Gardens or Singleton and West Dean; where you will find West Dean Gardens and Weald & Downland Living Museum (where you will receive 50% off your entry by showing your bus ticket), it’s the perfect route for the best family day out. Buses run every 30 minutes, with once an hour at the weekend.

Coastliner 700 is a popular route for those wanting to venture further afield, with connections to Portsmouth and Brighton.

Route 56 will take you to picturesque Bosham via Fishbourne, where you can alight to visit the famous Roman Palace.

Compass Bus route 99 serves Petworth to Chichester, flexible service.

Compass Bus route 107 runs between Chichester and villages of West Dean, Lavant and Singleton.

Download the Stagecoach Bus App or visit stagecoachbus.com for the latest timetables and pricing information.

Book a Bus

Book a bus is an on-demand bus service for areas with limited bus services. The service operates north-west of Chichester, encompassing Midhurst, Petworth and the surrounding villages, you simply book your space at your closest meeting point. The best way to do this is using the Ride Pingo app but you can also call 01243 858854 (operating hours 6.30am-7.30pm).