RM Sotheby's London to Brighton Veteran Car Run 2026: Route, London Motor Week and Stays

The RM Sotheby's London to Brighton Veteran Car Run takes place on Sunday 1 November 2026, marking 130 years since the 1896 Emancipation Run established modern road travel in Britain. More than 400 pre-1905 horseless carriages, steam cars, electric pioneers and vintage cycles assemble in Hyde Park before first light, ready for the 60-mile drive down to Madeira Drive on the Brighton coast. If you plan to attend, secure your London base and hospitality well ahead: London Motor Week draws collectors to the capital from late October.

Checked 5 October 2026. Event schedules and road closures can change: confirm exact timings with the Royal Automobile Club before travelling.

What this guide covers

• The 130th anniversary milestone
• London Motor Week schedule
• Sunday race day timings and route
• Best vantage points across London
• Hospitality, auctions and private viewing
• Route comparison: London to the coast
• Where to stay in London
• Transport, parking and private transfers
• Questions we are asked most
• Planning your London motoring weekend

The 130th anniversary milestone

The 2026 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run marks 130 years since the original Emancipation Run of 14 November 1896. That inaugural run celebrated the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896, which raised the national speed limit for light locomotives from 4 mph to 14 mph and did away with the legal requirement for a man with a red flag to walk ahead of every motorised vehicle.

Run by the Royal Automobile Club, the event remains the longest-running motoring celebration on earth. Every participating motor car, tricar or motorcycle must date from before 1 January 1905: each machine is at least 121 years old. Over 100 international entrants make the journey from Germany, France, Ireland and the United States. The entry list captures the experimental youth of motoring, with steam runabouts, battery-powered carriages and early petrol cars from Benz, De Dion-Bouton, Daimler, Napier and Panhard et Levassor.

Vehicles must finish the 60-mile (97-kilometre) route under their own steam to earn an official finisher medal at Madeira Drive. Before the first engine turns over on Sunday morning, organisers keep up the ritual of tearing a red flag in two at dawn in Hyde Park, recalling the moment British drivers took to the open road without escort.

London Motor Week schedule

London Motor Week is an annual programme staged by the Royal Automobile Club across central London, leading up to Sunday's run. The calendar brings together heritage car displays, lectures, awards dinners and international auctions.

The main public fixture arrives on Saturday 31 October 2026 with the St James's Motoring Spectacle on Pall Mall. The Club closes the road directly outside its clubhouse at 89 Pall Mall between 10:00 and 15:00. The street turns into an open-air display tracking automotive history from Victorian runabouts to mid-century sports racers and modern supercars. Inside the clubhouse and neighbouring galleries, the Art of Motoring exhibition brings together paintings, bronze sculpture and archival photography.

Across town on Saturday afternoon, the RM Sotheby's London Sale takes place at The Peninsula London on Grosvenor Place, bringing rare motor cars and historic automobilia to auction. The public preview opens on Saturday morning, followed by private viewings and the live bidding in the afternoon.

To arrange access to private previews, collector lounges or hosted dinners during London Motor Week, you can ask our AI concierge to manage arrangements through established partners.

Sunday race day timings and route

The 60-mile drive from Hyde Park to Brighton gets under way at daybreak on Sunday 1 November 2026. The first cars roll off Serpentine Road at 06:56. More than 400 veteran cars, three-wheelers, early motorbikes and period penny farthings leave in groups sorted by age and horsepower.

The Hyde Park paddock opens to entrants and spectators from 06:00. In the cold dawn air, crews work on crank handles, light paraffin and acetylene headlamps, and build boiler pressure in the steam cars. Starts continue until around 08:30, with the oldest and least powerful machines leaving first so they can make the coast before dusk.

Cars leave Hyde Park by South Carriage Drive, round Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner, and take Constitution Hill past Buckingham Palace. From there they travel along The Mall, slip under Admiralty Arch, head down Whitehall, skirt Parliament Square, and cross Westminster Bridge into Lambeth.

Once into South London, the route follows the old A23 through Brixton, Streatham and Norbury before meeting at Purley. The field carries on through Redhill to Crawley, pulling into The Hawth for a compulsory rest and mechanical check. The road then climbs the South Downs past Handcross, Cuckfield and Clayton Hill before descending to the seafront. The finish on Madeira Drive welcomes the first arrivals from 10:00, with the time control staying open until 16:30.

Best vantage points across London

Central London offers excellent spots to watch these early machines before morning traffic thickens. With average speeds hovering between 10 and 14 mph, you can examine exposed valve gear, drive chains and period driving suits as the cars chug past.

Hyde Park: Serpentine Road and South Carriage Drive

Hyde Park offers the most atmosphere. Arrive between 06:00 and 06:45 to walk the staging lines along South Carriage Drive. The morning brings a distinctive smell of castor oil, warm brass and coal smoke, broken by the crack of single-cylinder engines firing in the mist. The ceremonial tearing of the red flag takes place by the Serpentine start gantry just before sunrise.

The Mall and Buckingham Palace

Between 07:05 and 08:15, the field comes down Constitution Hill, turns past the forecourt gates of Buckingham Palace, and accelerates along The Mall. Autumn leaves in St James's Park and early morning sun provide ideal light for photography, without heavy crowds.

Westminster Bridge and Parliament Square

Cross Westminster Bridge between 07:15 and 08:45 to see Victorian machinery against the Palace of Westminster and the clock tower of Big Ben. From the upstream footway, you get a clear look at steam carriages and tiller-steered runabouts crossing the Thames towards Lambeth.

Hospitality, auctions and private viewing

Watching from the pavement costs nothing, but dedicated enclosures and hospitality suites offer warmth, shelter and direct access for collectors.

At the Hyde Park start, morning hospitality packages provide heated marquees, a full breakfast, coffee and viewing positions right beside the start gantry. At the Crawley midpoint in Sussex, private lounges offer a seated lunch and a close view while drivers service their engines. In Brighton, hospitality rooms on Madeira Drive host champagne receptions, lunch and balconies looking down onto the finish paddock.

On Saturday, entry to the RM Sotheby's London Sale preview requires registration or credentials from the auction house.

Luxury Experience AI sources hospitality, paddock passes and private viewings through providers with agreements in place with the organisers and venues. We do not sell general admission tickets. For private enclosures or guided itineraries, you can ask our AI concierge to coordinate arrangements. The supplier, inclusions and pricing are always confirmed in writing before you book.

Route comparison: London to the coast

Following the Run requires some planning, as the veteran entries share ordinary roads with regular traffic. The table below compares the main spectator points along the 60 miles.

Location	Distance from Start	Prime Viewing Window	Key Features	Facilities
Hyde Park	0 miles (0 km)	06:00 to 08:30	Start paddock, red flag ceremony, start gantry	Heated marquees, coffee stalls, nearby Underground stations
Westminster Bridge	2.5 miles (4 km)	07:15 to 08:45	Big Ben backdrop, Thames crossing	Public footways, Westminster Underground station
Crawley (The Hawth)	33 miles (53 km)	08:45 to 13:30	Midpoint check, engine maintenance	Parking, indoor food and drink, loos
Clayton Hill (A273)	52 miles (84 km)	09:45 to 15:00	Steep hill climb, South Downs backdrop	Roadside verges, exposed to wind; warm layers advised
Brighton (Madeira Drive)	60 miles (97 km)	10:00 to 16:30	Finish line arch, finisher medals, vehicle display	Hospitality suites, seafront cafes, Brighton rail station

If you want to catch both the start in Hyde Park and the arrivals in Brighton, avoid driving down the A23 behind the field. The slow traffic creates long tailbacks. The better route is to watch the departures until 07:45, walk down to London Victoria station, and catch a fast train to Brighton. The journey takes under an hour, putting you on Madeira Drive before the first cars cross the line.

Where to stay in London

With the paddock open from 06:00 on Sunday, a base in central London near Hyde Park or St James's saves an awkward commute. Being within walking distance of Serpentine Road avoids early-morning Underground transfers and puts you at the railings on time.

We provide a selection of apartments across London, which you can book through our online concierge.

An apartment provides the privacy and space that collectors and visiting families prefer during a busy motoring weekend. You have room for an early breakfast before heading out, and building porters make chauffeured pick-ups straightforward.

Mayfair remains the natural base for London Motor Week. Bordering Hyde Park and a short walk from Pall Mall, it sits conveniently for Saturday's St James's Spectacle, the auction at The Peninsula, and the Sunday start line. Mount Street and Park Lane offer dependable dining throughout the weekend.

Knightsbridge borders the south side of Hyde Park, giving immediate pedestrian access to South Carriage Drive. If you prefer a quiet garden square in South Kensington, a partner apartment can be booked from our list on enquiry; our own residence there is planned and not yet open.

For longer stays combining the Run with business in the capital, Luxury Experience AI operates its own residences in Canary Wharf:

• The John Cabot (/residences/the-john-cabot-canary-wharf): 1-bedroom luxury apartment in Canary Wharf, sleeps 4, from £427 a night.
• The William Jessop (/residences/the-william-jessop-canary-wharf): 2-bedroom luxury apartment in Canary Wharf, sleeps 7, from £580 a night.
• The Mellish Residence (/residences/the-mellish-canary-wharf): 1-bedroom luxury apartment in Canary Wharf, sleeps 5, from £275 a night.

Both the Elizabeth line and the Jubilee line run directly into central London, giving you a quiet base if your weekend combines motoring with work in the City.

Transport, parking and private transfers

Getting around on Sunday morning calls for care: road closures affect Constitution Hill, The Mall and Parliament Square from 06:30.

Underground and Rail

Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly line), Marble Arch (Central line) and Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line) are all an easy walk from the Hyde Park paddock. Sunday tube trains start running around 07:00, so coming on foot from Mayfair or Knightsbridge is the simplest choice for dawn. Check Transport for London before you leave for weekend engineering work. Direct trains from London Victoria and London Blackfriars reach Brighton in 58 to 75 minutes.

Chauffeurs and Private Transfers

If you travel by car, a chauffeur can drop you at Hyde Park Corner before sunrise, meet you by Westminster Bridge, and take the M23 ahead of the field down to Brighton. You can ask our AI concierge to book a driver aligned with your day's schedule.

Private Aviation

Visiting collectors often use London Biggin Hill, Farnborough Airport or RAF Northolt. Biggin Hill is well placed for South London and the Sussex route via the M25. Helicopters from the London Battersea Heliport reach Brighton City Airport (Shoreham) in under 25 minutes, avoiding the roads entirely. One-way charter prices between Battersea and Shoreham run from £3,200 to £5,500, subject to aircraft type and availability.

Questions we are asked most

What is the date of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in 2026?
The RM Sotheby's London to Brighton Veteran Car Run takes place on Sunday 1 November 2026. The staging paddock in Hyde Park opens at 06:00, with vehicles starting from 06:56 and the finish on Madeira Drive in Brighton remaining open until 16:30.

How old do the cars have to be to take part in the Veteran Car Run?
Every car, tricar or motorcycle participating must have been constructed before 1 January 1905. The entry list includes early petrol cars, steam-powered vehicles, electric carriages and pioneering cycles.

Do I need a ticket to watch the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run?
Spectator viewing along the 60-mile public highway route from London to Brighton is entirely unticketed and free. Dedicated paddock enclosures in Hyde Park, official midpoint dining in Crawley and VIP suites on Madeira Drive require pre-booked hospitality credentials.

Where is the best place to watch the start of the race in London?
The best viewing location is along Serpentine Road and South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park between 06:00 and 07:30, where you can watch the vehicles preparing and witness the traditional red flag tearing ceremony. Other popular spots include The Mall and Westminster Bridge.

What is London Motor Week and when does it take place?
London Motor Week is an annual series of automotive events hosted by the Royal Automobile Club during late October. It features the free St James's Motoring Spectacle on Pall Mall on Saturday 31 October 2026, the Art of Motoring exhibition, and the RM Sotheby's London Sale auction at The Peninsula London.

Planning your London motoring weekend

The 130th anniversary RM Sotheby's London to Brighton Veteran Car Run remains one of Britain's great autumn traditions. Enjoying it without fuss comes down to good planning around dawn starts, enclosure bookings and London accommodation.

Look through our luxury apartments to reserve a central base for the weekend. For paddock passes, chauffeur transfers to Sussex or private aviation, ask our AI concierge to manage the details. If you want to take in other events this season, see our VIP sport concierge service for the full sporting calendar.