If you’re visiting Birmingham for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, you might want to plan your trip from Birmingham to London ahead!
London is located approximately 101 miles (163 km) from Birmingham (West Midlands) and is well connected to the city by train and road.
Here’s an overview of how to travel from Birmingham to London:
| Travel Method | Approximate Journey Time | Cost | Best For |
| Train | 2 hrs 3 mins | From £7.50 one-way | Fastest travel |
| Bus | 2 hrs 50 mins | From £5.15 | Budget-friendly travel |
| Car | 2 hrs 30 mins (no traffic) | Dependent on vehicle engine and fuel prices | Freedom to make your own schedule |
| Flight | 3 hrs onwards (no direct flight) | From £250 upwards, one-way flight | Alternative to other transport modes |
Let’s cover each of these travel options in detail.
This Article Covers:
- Birmingham to London By Train: Fastest Travel Mode
- Birmingham to London By Bus: Cheapest Travel Mode
- Birmingham to London By Road: Most Flexible Travel Mode
- 11 FAQs on Travelling From Birmingham to London
| Read More: Explore the best ways to travel from London to Birmingham — by bus, car, and train. Also, discover the 20 best free things to do in Birmingham if you’re travelling on a budget. |
Birmingham to London By Train: Fastest Travel Mode
Travel from Birmingham to London via train is pretty easy. Interestingly, London is the UK’s most visited city, followed by Edinburgh, Manchester, and Birmingham.
Usually, around 122 trains run on this route every day. You can catch a direct London train for just £7.50 if you book your ticket in advance.
The popular train operators on this route include Avanti West Coast (previously known as Virgin Trains), Chiltern Railways, West Midland Trains, and London Midland.
Birmingham To London Train: Overview
| Travel Time | 1 hr 21 mins (fastest) |
| Train Ticket Price | From £7.50 (advance booking) |
| Distance | 101 miles (163 km) |
| First Train | 04:15 |
| Last Train | 23:30 |
| Departure Stations | Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Moor Street |
| Arrival Stations | London Euston |
| Transfers | Direct train available |
| Train Operators | Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, West Midlands Trains, and London Midland |
Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway trains depart from New Street, while Chiltern Railways trains leave from Birmingham Moor Street.
Trains for the Stansted airport and London Luton also depart from New Street Station, but there’s at least one change in between for London Luton. You can also catch a train for Manchester Piccadilly from New Street if you’re headed north instead.
Apart from New Street, you can board a London train from Moor Street, Birmingham International, and Snow Hill stations.
A Birmingham London train departing early in the morning or late evening may offer sleeper services. The train timetable and services may vary during weekends and holidays.
Airport Transfer: There’s a free ‘Air-Rail Link’ system between Birmingham Airport and Birmingham International station.
Arriving in London:
Trains coming from Birmingham arrive at the London Euston Station. London Euston is a railway terminus in Central London managed by Network Rail.
The London Euston station is located 4 miles from Victoria Coach Station and is connected by subway, coach, and taxi services.
If you need to catch a flight, an airport transfer for London Heathrow airport is available from London Paddington station. You can reach London Paddington with a short walk to the Euston Square station and hop on the Circle or Hammersmith and City subway lines.
Want to grab cheap train tickets?
Here are a few handy tips:
- Book an advance ticket: Ticket bookings open 12 weeks in advance. So booking a London train ticket early will be more economical than booking close to the travel date.
- Book directly: Whether you plan to travel by Chiltern Railways, West Midlands Railway, or London Midland, you should book a ticket directly from the train’s website. This way, you can avoid paying any booking fee to a third party.
- Use a railcard: National railcards offer 1/3 off on an eligible train ticket in the UK. It’s a good investment if you’re a frequent traveller.
- Buy GroupSave train tickets: Another way to get cheap train tickets is to buy group tickets (3-9 travellers) during off-peak times. You can save up to 34%on the ticket cost.
Birmingham to London By Bus: Cheapest Travel Mode
The Birmingham London route is serviced by bus companies like National Express, Megabus, and Flixbus.
National Express and Megabus leave from Birmingham Coach Station and Birmingham Brunel Street. Flixbus coaches depart from Dudley Street.
The Coach Station is based right at the city’s heart and connects to several locations around the West Midlands. It’s also close to the Birmingham New Street rail station.
Birmingham to London route stops include:
- Birmingham Coach Station
- London Golders Green
- London Finchley Road
- London Marylebone Road
- London Marble Arch
- London Victoria Coach Station
Birmingham To London Bus: Overview
| Bus Companies | National Express | Megabus | Flixbus |
| Distance | 191 km | 191 km | 191 km |
| Travel Time | 2 hrs 50 min (fastest) | 2 hrs 50 min (fastest) | 3 hrs (fastest) |
| Bus Ticket price | From £6.90, one-way | From £5.15, one-way | From £7.49 |
| First Bus | 03:00 | 01:40 | 03:55 |
| Last Bus | 21:00 | 18:15 | 19:00 |
| Departure Station | Birmingham Coach Station | Brunel Street | Dudley Street |
| Arrival Station | London Victoria Coach Station | London Victoria Coach Station | London Victoria Coach Station |
Arriving at London Victoria Coach Station:
National Express, Megabus, and Flixbus coaches disembark at the Victoria Coach station. This London bus station has good transport links to mainline rail, tube, and bus services. There’s a taxi stand as well outside the station on Eccleston Place.
Birmingham to London By Road: Most Flexible Travel Mode
The on-road distance from Birmingham to Central London is about 118 miles (191 km.)
The shortest driving route is via the M40 motorway. But you can also get there via the M1 and M6 motorways. It’ll take you around 2.5 hours in good traffic. However, the actual time may vary depending on traffic conditions.
If you decide to make it a road trip and time is no constraint, you have some great stops along the way, like Windsor, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwick, and more.
However, you should consider the parking fees, gas bills, and Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) ruling and congestion charges while travelling by road.
FAQs on Travelling From Birmingham to London
Here’s what people generally want to know when they travel between Birmingham and London City:
1. How Long Does Birmingham To London Train Take?
2. What’s The Fastest Journey Time Between Birmingham And London By Train?
3. What Time Does The First And Last Train From Birmingham To London Leave?
4. How Much Does Travelling From Birmingham To London Cost?
5. How Often Do Trains Run From Birmingham New Street To London?
6. When Should I Book My Train Tickets From Birmingham To London?
7. Where Is The Departure Train Station In Birmingham Located?
8. Where Is The Arrival Train Station In London Located?
9. How Far Is Victoria Station From London Paddington?
10. Is There Any Direct Train Between Victoria Coach Station And London Heathrow Airport?
11. Can You Travel From Birmingham To London Via Canal?
1. How Long Does Birmingham To London Train Take?
The average train time between Birmingham and London city is 2 hours and 3 minutes. The travel time may be longer during weekends and holidays.
2. What’s The Fastest Journey Time Between Birmingham And London By Train?
The fastest train journey from Birmingham (West Midlands) to London is about 1 hour and 13 minutes.
3. What Time Does The First And Last Train From Birmingham To London Leave?
The West Midlands trains from Birmingham to London City leave as early as 04:15, and the last one departs at 22:30. However, the train timetable may vary during weekends and holidays.
4. How Much Does Travelling From Birmingham To London Cost?
A train ticket from Birmingham to London starts at £7.50 when you book in advance. The cost can vary depending on the time of day, route and class you book.
A bus ticket for the same route is cheaper and starts at £5.15.
5. How Often Do Trains Run From Birmingham New Street To London?
On average and during peak times, there are three trains per hour from New Street to London.
6. When Should I Book My Train Tickets From Birmingham To London?
Bookings for a train journey in the UK open around three months in advance. You can set a booking alert to receive an email when the cheapest tickets are released for your travel dates.
7. Where Is The Departure Train Station In Birmingham Located?
Passengers travelling on the Birmingham London route can board the train from New Street station or Moor Street. New Street is located around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the city centre, while Moor Street is 3.4 miles (5.4 km) away.
8. Where Is The Arrival Train Station In London Located?
You can get off the train at the London Euston, located 2.9 miles (4.7 km) away from the city centre or Central London.
9. How Far Is Victoria Station From London Paddington?
The distance between London Paddington and Victoria stations is about 2 miles (3 km.)
10. Is There Any Direct Train Between Victoria Coach Station And London Heathrow Airport?
No, there aren’t any direct trains from Victoria Coach station to London Heathrow.
However, train services depart from Victoria station and arrive at Heathrow Airport via London Paddington. The journey includes transfers and takes around 46 mins in total.
11. Can You Travel From Birmingham To London Via Canal?
You can travel from Birmingham to London by using the Grand Union Canal – the longest canal in the UK. However, it would take around 74 hours to reach your destination.