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London Gatwick Airport
LGW • EGKK
Logistics · Destination Guide
Tide windows, chalk reefs and a century-spanning wreck archive on England's south coast
Use this travel brief to set arrival flow, local transit, and gear movement before you lock your itinerary.
London Gatwick is the most efficient international gateway for Brighton and Eastbourne, with the airport publishing direct rail journeys of about 30 minutes to Brighton and about 1 hour to Eastbourne. Selsey has no railway station. Travel by train to Chichester, then continue by local bus, taxi or rental car. London Heathrow offers the broadest long-haul choice but requires a longer cross-London or road transfer. Southampton Airport can be useful for Selsey and Chichester. Travelers moving dive equipment between all three clusters usually benefit from a car, but central Brighton is easier without one.
London Gatwick Airport
LGW • EGKK
The primary gateway for Brighton and Eastbourne, with direct Southern, Thameslink or Gatwick Express services to Brighton and direct Southern services toward Eastbourne.
Transport: Direct train, Pre-booked taxi, Rental car, Private group transfer
London Heathrow Airport
LHR • EGLL
Roughly 105 km to Brighton and 115 km to Selsey by road • Commonly 2 to 3 hourss, longer in heavy traffic or with rail changes
A major long-haul alternative with no simple direct rail route to the Sussex coast. Most travelers connect through central London, use a coach, book a private transfer or rent a car.
Transport: Coach, Rail via London, Pre-booked taxi, Rental car
Southampton Airport
SOU • EGHI
About 60 km to Selsey by road • About 1 to 2 hourss depending on road traffic or rail and bus connections
A smaller regional gateway that can suit Selsey and Chichester itineraries, subject to the traveler's route network.
Transport: Rental car, Taxi, Rail toward Chichester with onward bus or taxi
Brighton and Eastbourne sit on the south-coast rail network, but dive boats leave from marinas rather than the main stations, so allow for a taxi, local bus or gear-friendly pickup. Brighton parking is constrained and expensive in central areas. Eastbourne and Sovereign Harbour are easier by car for early starts. Selsey is about 13 km south of Chichester and is reached by local bus or taxi. A rental car is most useful for mixed-hub itineraries, Seven Sisters access and transporting cylinders, but nominate a non-diving driver after alcohol and respect post-dive fitness and fatigue.
Entry rules depend on nationality and immigration status. Use the official GOV.UK visa checker before travel. Eligible visa-exempt visitors may need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation linked to the passport used for travel. At the research date, the official ETA price is GBP 20 and it permits multiple journeys for up to 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. British and Irish citizens and people with qualifying UK immigration permission do not need an ETA. Carry a passport or accepted identity document valid for the full stay and recheck requirements before departure.
Pre-arrange cylinders, weights and gas rather than assuming a marina walk-in service. Ask the operator which valve standards, working pressures and nitrox or trimix options are available, whether fills happen onboard or ashore, and whether oxygen-clean cylinders are required for the planned blend. Airlines generally prohibit compressed cylinders and may impose special battery rules for dive lights. Travel with valves open and cylinders demonstrably empty when required. Bring spares for drysuit seals, hood and gloves, and a secure dry bag for exposed deck transfers. Rinse facilities and overnight kit storage vary by operator and accommodation.
Pound Sterling (GBP)
Cards and contactless payment are standard in Brighton, Eastbourne and Chichester. Carry a small amount of cash for isolated parking, small beach businesses or a backup when mobile coverage is weak. Dive charters, training and gas should be booked and priced directly with the operator because one-dive, two-dive and technical-gas days differ substantially.
ATMs are common in town centers and supermarkets but less convenient at marinas, reserve car parks and the Selsey shoreline. Withdraw or arrange payment before an early departure.
230V • 50Hz • G
Bring a Type G adapter and dual-voltage chargers. Keep charging stations dry, inspect dive-light batteries before travel and follow airline rules for spare lithium batteries.
Communications
Brighton, Eastbourne, Chichester and most of Selsey have normal UK mobile and broadband coverage, but cliffs, reserve edges and offshore areas can have weak or absent signal. Download charts, tide information, operator directions and accommodation access details before boarding. A phone is not a substitute for the charter vessel's VHF, emergency equipment or filed plan.
Language
English is the working language for operators, emergency services and visitor information. Ask for unfamiliar BSAC, PADI, skipper or maritime terminology to be explained during the briefing, especially around slack water, shotlines, decompression, surface markers and recalls.
Insurance
Use travel insurance that explicitly covers scuba or freediving to the planned depth, gas and decompression profile. Confirm hyperbaric treatment, medical evacuation, search and rescue, missed departure, equipment loss and weather-related cancellation. Standard travel policies may exclude technical diving, solo diving, instruction or dives beyond the policy's certification limit.
Packing list
For scuba, prioritize a drysuit, hood, gloves, cold-water regulators, DSMB and spool, torch and backup, cutting tool and warm deck clothing. A 7mm wetsuit may suit some summer divers but gives less flexibility for repetitive days. Add boots for shingle, anti-fog, seasickness medication, a dry bag and spare seals or repair materials. Freedivers and snorkelers need full exposure protection, a visible float and windproof clothing for long surface intervals. Topside travelers should add waterproofs, grippy shoes, binoculars and sun protection.