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