Brighton from Hertfordshire

[helpyhelperton]

Really boring q, I need to travel to Brighton for an evening work event on a Saturday in June, starts at 4ish and finish by 11pm.

I can drive or get the train. I wondered if I could drive to somewhere (Gatwick airport? Maybe) and get a short train journey to Brighton and back. Driving the whole way would take over 2 hrs and I don't want to do that late at night.

I could get the train the whole way but I'd have to leave so early to get the last train back from King's Cross or Liverpool st.

I don't want to stay over - it's a social event so work won't pay for accommodation. Plus I'm taking a friend and she has young kids so can't stay over.

Can you even park at Gatwick and not fly? Is the car park near the station?

Thanks for reading of you've got this far.....

Three bridges might be Cheaper to park at than Gatwick and is in the same mainline.

Have you checked out the Thameslink trains as well as the ones that go from Victoria? They go through London and out the other side - through places like borehamwood if that’s anywhere near you?

I think trains from St Albans go direct to Brighton.

For parking you could possibly go from Watford Junction to St Albans and then down to Brighton.

Trains from Stevenage go direct to Brighton too.

Is there a "last train"? Worth checking- pretty sure thameslink runs all night as it's the Gatwick -Luton airport line. There may be fewer trains during the night but sure there are some.