GTR supports Brighton Pride for its 35th anniversary

• Rail operator has confirmed it will again be providing an enhanced service for the annual celebrations
• More trains and extra capacity will help people travel to and from the event safely

GTR – which runs Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services in and out of Brighton – has confirmed once again that it will have an enhanced train service in place for the return of Pride, which takes place on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 August 2026.

The strengthened offering includes longer trains to provide extra capacity on services to and from London Bridge, to and from London Victoria, and on coastal routes in and out of Brighton on Saturday 1 August. Extra trains will be in service at the busiest times of the day to help transport crowds in a safe and timely manner.

Brighton Pride, which is returning for its 35th year, sees headline acts Raye and Diana Ross take to the stage on 1 and 2 August respectively, in addition to the annual Pride Parade, taking place across the city. With free and ticketed entertainment to enjoy, the event is set to attract people from all over the UK. GTR is encouraging people to start thinking about their journeys now by using the Journey Planner function across the Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express websites. More detailed travel information will be available as the event draws closer.

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director at GTR, said:“We’re excited to be working with event organisers and other local partners for the 35^th anniversary of Brighton Pride. We will have plenty of services running throughout the day on Saturday 1 August to help people get to and from the event, but would advise leaving plenty of time to get there as some of our services will be much busier than usual. As per previous years, we’ll have a queueing system in place at Brighton station to manage crowds and ensure people leaving the city can do so safely. We look forward to welcoming people on board!”

Paul Kemp, Managing Director Brighton Hove Pride, added: “We welcome the news that GTR will again be providing additional train services over the Pride weekend. We work closely with GTR to meet our shared aim for people coming to our city to have an enjoyable visit. We continue to be grateful to the whole GTR team for planning the best possible services over the anticipated busy Pride weekend this summer. Train services into our city are essential for tourism all year round. And Pride brings people into the city who often stay and return, helping shape, support and celebrate our diverse LGBTQ+ communities for the good of all.”

Notes to editors

• On Saturday 1 August all Thameslink services between London Bridge and Brighton will be 12 carriage trains, as will all Gatwick Express services running between London Victoria and Brighton
• In addition, the West Coastway route (to from Worthing / Chichester and beyond) and East Coastway route (to/from Lewes and Seaford), will each have increased capacity to help move people in and out of Brighton
• GTR will once again be implementing its successful colour-coded queueing system at the station:

1. The green queue will lead to the East Coastway for trains towards Lewes, Seaford and Eastbourne.
2. The purple queue will be for West Coastway services towards Shoreham-by-Sea, Worthing and Chichester,
3. And the blue queue will be for trains on the Brighton Main Line heading up to Haywards Heath, Gatwick Airport and London

• Once again, GTR colleagues will be taking part in the annual Pride Parade through the city of Brighton, with the float currently being designed by the company’s internal LGBT+ Network
• On Friday 31 July, a separate music event is taking place at Preston Park. Those planning to travel into Brighton by train on Friday evening for Pride Weekend should be aware that the station may be busier than usual on this date