Visit Birmingham by Train
Find out about trains to Birmingham, how to get great discounts on your travel, and top offers on things to do when you get there
Welcome to Birmingham
The second-largest city in Britain truly has something for everyone. There’s the iconic Bullring shopping centre and the small but productive Jewellery Quarter, which houses Europe’s largest concentration of jewellers and produces 40 precent of the UK’s jewellery. Discover street food galore at the award-winning Digbeth Dining Club and myriad galleries and museums too.
Find out more about travelling to Birmingham by train below, along with everything you need to know about the town. Discover all the best things to do and places to visit in Birmingham – and don’t forget you can save money on your train travel with a Railcard.
By taking the train you are also helping to lower carbon emissions. And, if you require additional support when travelling, the Passenger Assist service can help you.
If you fancy travelling a bit further afield, you can also visit our Day Trips from Birmingham by Train page.
How to get to Birmingham by train
Birmingham has 2 stations:
Birmingham New Street: This is Birmingham’s main station. There are regular direct trains to and from many destinations, including Wolverhampton, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Leicester, Nottingham and Cambridge. If you’re coming from or going to London Euston, there are direct services each day
Birmingham International: For trains from Birmingham Airport and the NEC (located a 5-minute walk away) plus regular direct trains to and from many destinations including Birmingham New Street, Manchester, Edinburgh, Lancaster and Carlisle. If you’re coming from or going to London Euston, there are direct services each day
You can plan your Birmingham train journey, find the cheapest fares and book tickets online with our Journey Planner.
Fastest journey times to Birmingham by train
From | To | Journey time from* |
---|---|---|
London | Birmingham | 1 hr 16 min |
Glasgow | Birmingham | 4 hr 9 min |
Edinburgh | Birmingham | 4 hr 14 min |
Penzance | Birmingham | 5 hr 35 min |
Manchester | Birmingham | 1 hr 30 min |
Cambridge | Birmingham | 2 hr 38 min |
* Please note, some journeys will take longer and you may have to change trains
Get great offers on top Birmingham attractions
Visit National Rail’s Days Out Guide for more great offers when you travel by train.
2FOR1: Birmingham Botanical Gardens
There’s something for everyone, with stunning gardens and glasshouses, a playground, tearoom and more
2FOR1: Afternoon Tea at The Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre
Enjoy the elegance of afternoon tea with this celebration of a timeless British tradition that is sure to delight
1/3 OFF: LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Birmingham
Discover the spectacular MINILAND, full of Birmingham's most famous landmarks built entirely out of 1.5 million LEGO® bricks, or build your own creation
More attractions in Birmingham
Get 2FOR1 entry to Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum(external link, opens in a new tab) with National Rail’s Days Out Guide. You can learn about prehistoric monsters or feel as though you’re hurtling through the solar system in the 4K Planetarium
Take one of the carefully curated Birmingham Heritage Walking Tours(external link, opens in a new tab), including The Lost Pubs of the Jewellery Quarter and Discovering the Birmingham Catacombs
Wander through the awe-inspiring Museum Collection Centre(external link, opens in a new tab), which holds around a million items collected over the years by Birmingham Museums (open Friday afternoons only, pre-booking essential)
Free things to do in Birmingham
Visit the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery(external link, opens in a new tab), housed in a glorious Grade II* listed landmark building and boasting a broad collection of fine art, ceramics, local and industrial history
Ikon(external link, opens in a new tab) is an internationally acclaimed contemporary gallery with an eclectic programme of exhibitions
Wander through Aston Hall(external link, opens in a new tab), one of the last houses built in the Jacobean style
Escape the hustle and bustle at Cannon Hill Park(external link, opens in a new tab), which has a nature centre, a small boating lake and a train
Accessible Birmingham
If you require assistance for any part of your rail journey, please visit our Passenger Assist page to find out more
To search or browse accessible attractions, restaurants, hotels and more, visit the AccessAble website(external link, opens in a new tab)
Theatre and shows in Birmingham
The Midland Arts Centre (external link, opens in a new tab)– or MAC – is a contemporary arts centre in Cannon Hill Park with a programme of theatre, cinema and special events
See a show at the Birmingham Hippodrome(external link, opens in a new tab), the city’s most famous theatre
For a more intimate experience, visit Blue Orange Theatre(external link, opens in a new tab), a 100-seat theatre that offers both touring shows and in-house productions
Music in Birmingham
Find out all about the history of Birmingham’s Musical Routes with Jo Whiley’s audio guide
The Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (external link, opens in a new tab)has been making classical music for over a century and its home in Symphony Hall(external link, opens in a new tab) is one of the best in the world
Recalling New York dive bars, The Sunflower Lounge(external link, opens in a new tab) has hosted the likes of Dua Lipa and Wolf Alice in its intimate setting
O2 Academy Birmingham (external link, opens in a new tab)is a medium-sized venue that holds just over 3,000 people and welcomes bands before they hit arena status
LGBTQIA+ Birmingham
Every year, Birmingham hosts its annual Pride Festival(external link, opens in a new tab)
The Nightingale(external link, opens in a new tab) is one of the most popular gay superclubs in the country
Enjoy karaoke, camp anthems and classic games shows at Missing Bar(external link, opens in a new tab)
Birmingham in film and TV
Birmingham is a popular shooting location for many film and TV shows, including:
Epic gangster drama Peaky Blinders was shot in several locations, including the Black Country Living Museum (external link, opens in a new tab)– where you can get 2FOR1 entry with National Rail’s Days Out Guide
Stan and Ollie, starting Steve Coogan and John C Reilly, was partly shot in Birmingham’s Old Rep Theatre
The first series of Line of Duty was shot entirely in Birmingham
Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg, was shot in various areas of the city, including the Jewellery Quarter
Find out more about Birmingham
Go to the Visit Birmingham website(external link, opens in a new tab).
Get 1/3 off train fares with a Railcard
Save up to 1/3 off your trips when you travel by train with a Railcard
From children to seniors, over 20 million people in Great Britain can save with a Railcard. See which one is right for you
Buy yours today for just £35 and you’ll make the cost back in 1 or 2 trips!
Journey times and offers are correct at time of publication but subject to change.
Midlands Art Centre image credit: © Copyright P L Chadwick and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra image credit © Copyright Roger D Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Birmingham Pride image credit: "Birmingham Pride 2018" by metrogogo is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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