Thorpe Park has revealed a Fright Nights first as the experience escapes the theme park’s gates for the first time in its 25-year history with the launch of a blackout bus experience that extends the story of new scare maze Tenement
Running for one night only on Saturday 3 October 2026, the Nova Lux Express will transport a select number of passengers, on an almost pitch-black journey from Staines Railway Station to Nova Lux Senior Living, the abandoned building setting at the heart of Tenement.
As the bus plunges into near darkness, passengers will learn more about the abandoned care home at the heart of Tenement. Riders will become the latest batch of electricians sent in to fix the persistent power problem, with the last crew having lost contact with the outside world days ago…
Horror lovers can be one of the unlucky few passengers by purchasing a ticket to attend Fright Nights and the new Tenement maze on the evening of October 3rd. After showing proof of purchase, 14 travelers at a time will board the near blackout bus at Staines Railway Station on a first come first served basis, with the journeys running on the hour from 14:00 to 17:00.
The bus trip ties into the launch of Tenement, Thorpe Park’s first fully immersive, pitch-black scare maze, which challenges guests to navigate an abandoned tenement armed with only a failing shared handheld light. Inside, the power is dead, the tenants have vanished, and every flicker of light reveals something getting closer.
Ruth Storey, Vice President at Thorpe Park, said: “Fright Nights is the home of fear but this year we’re taking that further than ever – literally, beyond the park’s gates.
“For the first time in Fright Nights history, the story doesn’t start when you walk through the entrance, it starts the moment you step on board the Nova Lux Express.
“The Nova Lux Express will transport guests straight into the world of Tenement before they’ve even arrived, so by the time they reach the park, they’re already inside the story.
“Tenement itself is our darkest scare maze yet, and after 25 years of Fright Nights, we wanted this anniversary to be the one that truly gets under people’s skin.”
Tenement isn’t the only experience lurking in the Thorpe Park shadows this Halloween at Europe’s top theme park scare event.
The four fearsome scare mazes are back. Trailers returns with a new screening, Blood Red Roses, where iconic horror nightmares are reimagined into something far more sinister in the SuperSpark Cinema, while Stitches reopens the doors of Howell’s Toy Emporium with new toys waiting to make unsuspecting guests part of the creepy collection.
Survival Games once again throws guests into a labyrinth of shifting pathways where assassins and brutal obstacles make escape anything but guaranteed, and fan-favourite DeadBeat drags visitors into an underground nightclub where every beat pulls partygoers closer to creatures lurking in the shadows.
Beyond the mazes, Purgatory Town - Thorpe Park’s first speak-to-scare zone – returns, with new inhabitants condemned to wander the streets desperate to tell their tales to anyone who will listen. The Lord of Darkness himself will be putting on an unforgettable show in Lucifer’s Lair, and The Crows have abandoned their home of Mawkin Meadow ready to spread their silent terror across the park.
Creature Campus: Reunion Reckoning will see old rivalries reignite in a high-energy live show, and new for 2026, the Rebel Ball sponsored by Fanta takes over The Launch Pad for a vibrant night of music, dance and wow-factor fire performances.
Once the sun goes down, the rides come alive, as guests can experience the likes of Hyperia, – the UK’s fastest and tallest rollercoaster – THE SWARM, SAW- The Ride, Stealth and Nemesis Inferno after dark, with Thorpe Park’s biggest coasters taking on an altogether different atmosphere when the night falls.
Thorpe Park can be found at Staines Road, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 8PN, and can be reached by car, by train from Waterloo in just 32 minutes, or by bus.
To book Fright Nights tickets before it gets scary late visit Thorpe Park website. Prices start from £39 per person by booking online and £66 on-the-gate. Tickets that include entry to the scare mazes start from £71 online and £98 for a walk-up price.
Merlin is the place to be this Halloween season. The fearless can push their nerves to the limit at Thorpe Park, where 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of its legendary Fright Nights, face the truly terrifying at Alton Towers’ Scarefest, or feel their blood run cold at The London Dungeon. Those after a chill can brave over a thousand years of haunted history at Warwick Castle, while families can sink their teeth into ghoulishly good fun at Cadbury World, LEGOLAND Windsor Resort’s Brick or Treat and Chessington World of Adventures’ annual Howl’o’ween event. Whatever their scare threshold, Merlin’s Halloween is here to haunt them.
Please note: Fright Nights experiences and attractions are recommended for ages 13+. Survival Games is rated 15.
Fright Nights is sponsored by Fanta with Chupa Chups, the official sweet partner for the event.
For more information, visit https://www.thorpepark.com/explore/events/halloween-fright-nights/
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