We're making the long trip to the South Coast for the second time in as many weeks when we face Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

Our friends at Brighton Supporters' Club have put together a handy guide for those making the journey to the Amex.

Getting to the Amex

The first thing you need to know about the Amex is that it's a long way out of town. Getting there, and getting away after the match, can be problematic because the majority of fans will arrive by bus, coach or train.  The good thing is your match ticket entitles you to free bus or train travel on matchdays to and from the game from within the Brighton, Hove and Sussex region.  If you’re travelling on the day of the match, you only need to buy a train or bus ticket as far as Haywards Heath, if you’re coming from north of the city, Worthing, from the west, and Eastbourne from the east. Your match ticket covers the rest. 

Please note that this free travel is only in place three hours before kick off to three hours after the final whistle. So if you are coming down early for a late kick off, you will need a rail ticket to Brighton.

Also the bars and food outlets are open at least two hours before and after the match, meaning many fans arrive early and leave late to avoid the queues.

Trains

There is a frequent train service calling at Falmer from Brighton station, and there is a well organised queuing system as the trains are always packed, so allow plenty of time. You may well not get on the first, or even second, train after you arrive at the station. There are a couple of stops en route but the train may not call at them if it is very full, so if you decide to go to a pub near (for example) London Road Station you may not be able to get on a train.  The same sometimes applies on the return journey.  

When you arrive at Falmer station you will find it is adjacent to the north of the stadium Visiting fans are seated in the south stand, some 600 yards from the station.

Another popular option is to go to the town of Lewes to park, and for pre match refreshment, because its less crowded. Falmer is only one train stop from Lewes, but you still need to leave plenty of time.

After the game there is always a long queue at Falmer station, which can take up to 50 minutes to clear.  However, the Away end South Stand concourse is open for an hour after the match and the North Stand bar is open to both home and away fans after the match, so you may prefer to have a pint while the queue subsides. 

Buses

Bus routes from various parts of the city (but not Brighton Station) serve the Amex quite well.  

Look for buses heading towards Lewes (28) Tunbridge Wells (29) Sussex University (25 or 25x) 

Buses from Lewes are all going to Brighton (28 or 29)

After the game you'll find that the available buses can fill up quickly so you'll have to wait, walk or catch the train.  Buses are more frequent than trains, but obviously the capacity on each is much less.

No need to buy a bus ticket. Your match ticket includes free bus travel.

Coach Park

If you are on an organised coach, the coach park is adjacent to the south stand away end. The concourse opens two hours before kick off. There are stairs and a lift down to the turnstiles.

Parking

There is NO street parking anywhere near the ground. Brighton is second only to London in revenue earned from parking tickets, so don’t park on the street and risk it. They will ticket you every time.

There currently two free Park & Ride schemes.  One operates from Brighton racecourse BN2 9XZ and the other from Mill Road BN1 8ZF at the bottom of the A23, which makes this the most convenient for visiting fans. But it fills up quickly, so get there early. It opens two and a half hours before kick off.  

You can buy a parking space near the ground from the club website but its expensive and you have to book well in advance. Nothing on the day.

Even at £15 per car this sells out so secure your spot early by booking online at BrightonAndHoveAlbion.com/tickets. You will receive a parking voucher to display in the window of your vehicle.

If you buy a parking space at the University you need to access it via the Stanmer Park entrance, NOT the University turning as might seem obvious. Making this easy mistake will incur a tedious detour back to Stanmer Park.

There is free Motorcycle parking at the stadium, but it is allocated on a first come first served basis.

The roads around the ground become very busy, so allow plenty of time if you are driving. 

Food and Drink

There are no pubs open to away supporters anywhere near the Amex.  The only pub is at Falmer but it is for home fans only, and door security will ask to see your match ticket.  Therefore if you are an away fan and want a drink it's best to stay in Brighton or go over to Lewes.  

There are numerous pubs outside Brighton station, many of which are open to away fans, and many more close but not in the immediate station vicinity. But don’t forget get to the station in good time.  There is also a selection of food outlets near Brighton station and in the city centre.

The same applies in Lewes. Lots of pubs and restaurants almost all away fan friendly, but don’t leave it late to get to Lewes station or one of the several bus stops for the short journey to The Amex.

On the concourse outside the stadium there are various outlets, sometimes with entertainment for fans. You can buy Fish & Chips, Harvey Ale and other refreshments – but note there are no toilets outside the stadium.

Inside you will find hand-pulled real ale and the burgers, pies, drinks etc, generally of quite good quality and, by Brighton standards, reasonably priced (remember that Brighton is a very expensive city).  All outlets in the stadium are cashless.  The stadium opens a couple of hours before kick-off.  

Dick’s Bar is also open to home and away fans, but there is usually a queue to get in and they don’t allow away fans wearing their colours, so may not be ideal for everyone. There is good seating in Dick’s Bar though, so it’s more comfortable than the concourses.

Security

Security is generally fairly 'light touch' unless it is a high profile match. Entry to the ground is usually quite speedy as long as you are there in reasonable time. The police presence is rarely intimidating although armed officers may be present for some games. The usual searches apply plus prohibitions on bottles and bags larger than A4 size.  There are no exceptions to this and no bag storage facility.  

Banners over 150cm x 150cm in size need written permission.

There is a strict policy regarding Anti-social behaviour, and the club is not shy of prosecuting fans from home or away sections of The Amex. Such behaviour can be reported by text to 07880 196442.

Matchday Experience

The Amex is a modern, medium-sized stadium (similar, for example, to Molineux or St Mary’s) with, on the whole, good clean comfortable and efficient facilities.  It occupies an attractive setting (we would say that, wouldn't we?) but there are quite a few steps outside as well as inside, and some of the roads and paths in the vicinity are hilly (Brighton as a whole is very hilly).  Therefore plan for this if your mobility is restricted or if you are a wheelchair user.  That said, the club is pretty conscientious about its responsibilities to people with disabilities of whatever kind and there is step free access to all parts of the stadium for visiting fans.

There is a cafe and peaceful countryside in Stanmer Park, just over half a mile from the stadium via Falmer Station bridge and pedestrian underpass. Not a place you would park for the match, but if you arrive early and want to enjoy countryside rather than pies and pints, it is an option.