The Lewes to Haywards Heath line reopens Tuesday 1 September after the 13 August derailment. Until then Brighton is the diversion point: what runs and when.

Update, 27 August 2026: Network Rail and Southern confirmed on 20 August that the line reopens on Tuesday 1 September, which supersedes the “at least 26 August” position reported below. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has since published its first findings: what RAIB found. The rest of this article is left as it was written on 17 August.

The railway between Lewes and Haywards Heath will stay closed for at least another ten days, and Brighton is now the way round. Network Rail and Southern said on Sunday 16 August that the line will not reopen until the three carriages that derailed near Lewes on Thursday 13 August have been lifted clear by crane and the track underneath assessed and repaired; passengers heading anywhere beyond Cooksbridge and Plumpton are being told to travel by train through Brighton instead of the replacement buses (Network Rail, 16 August 2026). National Rail’s incident page now puts the closure at until at least the end of Wednesday 26 August, and adds that it “is likely to continue beyond this date” (National Rail Enquiries).

For Brighton the practical points are that the Brighton Main Line to London is unaffected, the coastway to Lewes, Eastbourne and Seaford is running, and Brighton station is carrying the London to Eastbourne and Hastings passengers who would normally go up through Lewes and Haywards Heath. Below is what is known from the operator, Network Rail and National Rail as of Monday 17 August, and what it means if you use the station this week.

What happened, as recorded so far

A Southern train derailed near Lewes at about 3.55pm on Thursday 13 August. Southern’s statement says the company is “saddened” by the derailment and that its thoughts are with everyone affected, “particularly those who have been injured, and their families, friends and loved ones”; the railway between Lewes and Haywards Heath has been closed since (Southern).

Network Rail’s account of the site explains why the closure is measured in weeks rather than days. Three carriages derailed and slid part-way down the embankment. The location is close to a river, inside a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and road access is restricted and only through a residential area, so as much equipment as possible is being brought in by rail. Engineers are preparing the ground for two 125-tonne rail-mounted cranes, among the largest available for use on the railway, and must first make sure the ground and track are strong enough to bear the cranes and the carriages before any lift. Only once the train is removed can the damage to the railway be assessed and the repair planned (Network Rail, 16 August 2026).

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch finished its work on site on Saturday 15 August and handed the site back to Network Rail; its investigation into the cause continues, and no findings have been published. We are not going to speculate on the cause and would caution against anyone else doing so before the RAIB reports.

Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s Sussex route director, called it “a complex recovery operation in a very difficult location” and said teams are “working around the clock”. John Whitehurst, chief executive of Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs Southern, said the company is “deploying additional colleagues at stations to support customers and help them complete their journeys” (both quoted in the Network Rail statement).

Schematic of the rail routes: the Brighton Main Line from Brighton to London is open; the coastway from Brighton to Lewes, Eastbourne and Seaford is open; the line from Lewes to Haywards Heath via Cooksbridge and Plumpton is closed until at least 26 August, with a limited-capacity replacement bus and a diversion via Brighton for everyone else

What is running, and what is not

National Rail lists the affected routes as Ore, Eastbourne and Seaford to Brighton, and Ore and Eastbourne to London Victoria. In plain terms (National Rail Enquiries):

  • Brighton to London: unaffected. The main line through Haywards Heath to Gatwick and London does not use the closed section.
  • Brighton to Lewes, Eastbourne, Seaford and Ore: running. Southern added extra carriages to Brighton to Eastbourne services on Sunday to make room for diverted passengers.
  • Lewes to Haywards Heath (calling at Cooksbridge and Plumpton): no trains. Replacement buses run between Haywards Heath and Lewes, calling at both stations, but Network Rail says bluntly that they have “limited capacity” and that anyone going anywhere else should use trains via Brighton.
  • London to Eastbourne and Hastings: no direct trains. Travel to Brighton and change for the coastway; for Hastings, National Rail’s current advice is to change again at Polegate and use a replacement bus to Eastbourne, then continue from there.
  • Allow at least 60 minutes extra on any journey that would normally use the Lewes to Haywards Heath line, and check the day before you travel: journey planners are being updated at least one day ahead for each following day.

Tickets, refunds and Delay Repay

Tickets are being accepted on relevant Southern, Thameslink and Southeastern services, on Brighton & Hove Buses, and on the London Underground between terminal stations. If you would rather wait until the line reopens, your ticket stays valid for a later date and will be accepted by all operators on the day you travel (Network Rail).

Southern’s own FAQ for this incident sets out the limits. A cancelled train’s ticket cannot be used on a different day: the choice is a full refund from the retailer, or travel on a service up to two hours either side of the booked time. Refunds on Advance tickets for later dates cannot be processed until the specific train is officially cancelled, and you then have 28 days after the ticket expires to claim. You cannot claim both a refund and Delay Repay: if you did not travel or could not complete the journey, ask for a refund; if you completed it and arrived 15 minutes or more late, claim Delay Repay (Southern).

What it means for you

If you commute from Brighton to London, nothing changes on the main line, but expect Brighton station’s concourse and the Victoria trains to be busier at peak times, because Eastbourne and Lewes passengers who normally travel up through Haywards Heath are now on your platform. Southern says it has put extra staff on stations.

If you travel from Brighton to Lewes, Eastbourne or Seaford, the trains are running and have been lengthened where stock allows. Do not plan on the Lewes to Haywards Heath buses to reach Cooksbridge or Plumpton in a hurry: capacity is limited and the operator says so.

If you are meeting someone off a London to Eastbourne train, it will now come through Brighton with a change, so add at least an hour to their arrival time and check the planner the evening before.

If you drive instead, the A27 through Brighton has no closures on National Highways’ report this week, and the roadworks and travel page lists what is shut on the city’s own streets, including the Old Shoreham Road gas works. Our trains to London page has the normal timetable and fares once things settle. Further ahead, Southern already had a Brighton Main Line closure between Brighton and Three Bridges on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October on its calendar, and a nine-day closure over February half term 2027 (Southern); neither is connected to the derailment.

We will update this page when Network Rail gives a reopening date.

Sources