We've travelled Birmingham and the surrounding area and in this chapter we provide practical information about transport in the city.
On foot
Most of the sights and attractions are in the relatively small area of the historic and new centre around Victoria Square.
The best way to get around the city is therefore on foot.
Birmingham is a very pedestrian-friendly city and you can get around all the local attractions on foot in a day.
After all, walking along the water canals in Brindleyplace is one of the main things to do in B'ham.
Public transport
Birmingham has an extensive network of buses, suburban trains and the tram is also the main spine line across the city centre, running all the way to Wolverhampton.
Book a hotel in Birmingham city centre
Fares and tickets
Fares are quite complicated as bus, tram and train fares vary.
To pay for some types of ticket you need to purchase a Switf PAYG (pay-as-you-go) card. The card itself is free, but you must load at least 5 gbp credit onto it when you purchase it.
You can purchase a Swift card in the following ways:
- at ticket machines at some bus and tram stops
- in newsagents, supermarkets and other shops, see map
- via the Swift mobile app (Google Play / App Store) - via NFC technology
The Swift PAYG card is always charged the maximum daily rate (called "Daily caps") automatically according to what is most convenient for you.
Single tickets can then be purchased simply with your own contactless card.
All-day
If you only want to visit Birmingham, you probably won't be able to use a day or multi-day pass, as you'll be able to walk around most of the sights.
These tickets are good if you want to explore the surrounding towns such as Dudley, Wolverhampton and more.
Day tickets are only valid on a given calendar day and not 24 hours from the first marking.
| Price | Ticket type | |
|---|---|---|
| Bus only* | 4,80 gbp | Your own contactless card** Cash Swift PAYG |
| Tram only | 3,20 gbp - 6,70 gbp by number of zones |
Own contactless card Cash Swift PAYG |
| Bus + Tram* | 8,20 gbp | Swift PAYG |
| Bus + Tram + Train | 11,20 gbp | Swift PAYG |
* Except for "Diamond" buses.
** You won't get a physical ticket, but your card will never be charged more than £4.80 per calendar day (called "Daily caps")
One-off
| Price | Ticket type | |
|---|---|---|
| Bus | 2,20 gbp | Your own contactless card Cash Swift PAYG |
| Tram | 2,20 gbp - 4,70 gbp by number of zones |
Own contactless card Cash Swift PAYG |
| Train | From 3,55 gbp | Own contactless card Swift PAYG |
Connection search
The system in Birmingham and the West Midlands is quite complex with many different bus and rail operators.
The whole system is covered by Transport for West Midlands, whose website is also the easiest way to search between stations.
Find a connection at tfwm.org.uk.
Buses
There are many different bus operators in Birmingham, but all except Diamond Bus have the same conditions and tickets.
There are no comprehensive maps of the bus network in Birmingham, you can only find a connection if you know the name of the origin and destination stops at tfwm.org.uk.
Buses are only boarded through the front door.
If you pay your fare with your own contactless card or Swift card, you will only need to swipe it against the reader when you board.
Tram
A single tram line is called the "West Midlands Metro" and runs across the centre from Edgbaston via Brindleyplace, Victoria Square, Birmingham New Street station and then continues north through West Bromwich, Wednesbury to Wolverhampton.
The whole city of Birmingham lies in Zone 1, while the outermost city of Wolverhampton lies in Zone 4.
The tram runs approximately every 5 minutes or 8 minutes at weekends.
You can pay your fare at the ticket machine at the bus stop or inside the carriage with the conductor by attaching your own contactless card or Switf PAYG to the payment terminal.
You can also pay with cash.
Trains
A very dense network of rail lines allows for fast travel to all the surrounding cities, and even around Birmingham.
You can use the trains to get to the airport, for example. Birmingham BHX or if you're walking along one of the longer canals.
Stations are accessed via turnstiles, where you pay your fare by attaching your own contactless card or Swift PAYG to the reader, just as you would when exiting the station.
You can also buy your ticket online via the website thetrainline.com.
Prices vary according to distance from 3,50 gbp to 7 gbp.
Bike share app
A very good alternative for getting around the city besides walking and public transport is the bicycle.
Birmingham has a good cycling infrastructure and a unified bike hire system, which is described on the official wmcyclehire.co.uk website.
To hire a bike, you need to sign up to the Beryl mobile app (Google Play / App Store).
Prices are as follows:
- 1 gbp - bike unlocking
- 0,08 gbp - 1 minute ride
Taxi, Uber, Bolt
Hundreds of typical English black cabs ply the streets of Birmingham, but they should be the last choice in terms of transport.
Classic taxis are always metered and can be paid for by card.
Alternative taxi services Uber and Bolt also work well in Birmingham, and usually have significantly lower prices than classic taxis. Download their apps and hail a car anytime, anywhere:
- Uber(Appstore / Google Play)
- Bolt(Appstore / Google Play)
