| Birmingham used to be the city of the car, to the | | | | Liverpool & Norwich and Nottingham & Cardiff. |
| extent that pedestrians in the city centre came a | | | | There are two other stations in the city centre; |
| poor second. This is no longer true, Birmingham | | | | Moor Street (at the east of the city centre) and |
| has inner and outer ring roads that keep traffic | | | | Snow Hill (at the north of the city centre) which |
| out of the way, an orbital motorway system so | | | | are connected by a railway tunnel. The main train |
| that passing traffic doesn't even have to be near | | | | operators from these stations are Central and |
| the city and a fully pedestrianised shopping zone. | | | | Chiltern Railways. |
| A combination of elevated highways and | | | | Central Trains again run local commuter services, |
| underground tunnels speedily carries traffic that | | | | as far as Worcester, Stratford-Upon-Avon and |
| does have to pass through the city centre away | | | | Wolverhampton. Chilton Railways operate a |
| from the shopping and business areas. With its | | | | service that runs to London Marylebone; this is a |
| central location in the heart of England Birmingham | | | | service that stops frequently with a fastest |
| is well served by road, rail, air and canal. | | | | journey time of 2 hours 7 minutes. Most journeys |
| The city of Birmingham is ringed by a network of | | | | begin at Snow Hill with the option of joining the |
| motorways, from which the city centre can be | | | | train at Moor Street. |
| accessed. These are the M42 to the east and | | | | The main coach station in Birmingham is Digbeth, |
| south, the M5 - to the west and the M6 to the | | | | to the south of the city centre. The main coach |
| north. The junction of the M5 and M6 heading | | | | operator from Digbeth is National Coaches who |
| north had for many years been a cause of major | | | | offer services to all other major towns and cities. |
| delays as the motorways were carrying twice | | | | whose main operator is National Coaches. The |
| the volume of traffic they were designed for. | | | | fastest journey time to London Victoria Coach |
| The M6 Toll Road was opened in 2003 to relieve | | | | station is 2 hours 50 minutes, but can cost less |
| this congestion; it is the only toll motorway in The | | | | than 10 GBP one way. Megabus, which operates |
| UK and runs for 43km (27 miles) from the M42 | | | | from the city centre, offers a similar service. |
| at Coleshill to the M6 at Cheslyn Hay. The main | | | | Birmingham Airport is to the east of the city and |
| route connecting Birmingham and London is by | | | | is the fifth largest airport in the UK. 50 airlines |
| using the M6 which joins the M1 near Rugby. | | | | operate out of it to over 100 destinations daily. |
| Heading north the M6 continues on to Carlisle. The | | | | The airport does handle inter-continental flights, |
| Gravelly Hill interchange is a route by which traffic | | | | however most flights are to and from European |
| on the M6 accesses the city. The interchange is | | | | destinations. The airport also used by freight |
| known affectionately as Spaghetti Junction, due to | | | | carriers and charter flight operators. |
| the tangle of elevated roads and underpasses | | | | Birmingham has an excellent public transport |
| that make up the junction. Motorists new to | | | | system operated by Network West Midlands, |
| Birmingham can be confused by the A38(M) at | | | | which integrates public transport across the region. |
| Gravelly Hill. It has seven lanes and operates a | | | | The city has a modern fleet of buses operated |
| 'tidal' system in the middle-lane. If you have to | | | | by Travel West Midlands that are able to utilise |
| travel through the city from north to south, using | | | | 'bus only' lanes on the main arterial routes, an |
| the Queensway tunnel system makes it an easy | | | | excellent local commuter railway network that |
| journey. A series of three inter-connected tunnels | | | | befits the second city and is only surpassed by |
| means you can avoid a whole lot of traffic | | | | London's. Centro is the current operator of this |
| trouble. | | | | franchise. The rail network is fully integrated with |
| The main railway station for Birmingham is New | | | | the bus services and many of the railway stations |
| Street, in the heart of the city. With a footfall of | | | | have free park-and-ride facilities. Midland Metro is a |
| 35 million passengers a year it is the busiest | | | | light rail/tram system that operates from |
| railway station outside of London. Many train | | | | Birmingham Snow Hill and Wolverhampton city |
| operators use the station, but Central and Virgin | | | | centre, via Wednesbury. |
| Trains are the two main users. Virgin operate the | | | | It is a fact that Birmingham has more canals than |
| lucrative express London-Birmingham mainline | | | | Venice. Whilst still used to transport some freight |
| route, the fastest journey time for this is 1 hour | | | | around the country, they are now more likely to |
| 21 minutes. Virgin also operates the main | | | | be used by leisure craft. Once the transport |
| south-west to the north routes, many of which | | | | highway of the nation, Birmingham is at the |
| pass through and stop at Birmingham New Street. | | | | confluence of 4 major canals; the Dudley & |
| As well as operating local commuter trains Central | | | | Stourbridge, the Grand Union, the Stratford and |
| run many other services such as those between | | | | the Worcester & Birmingham canal. |