Birmingham travel guide
Birmingham Tourism | Birmingham Guide
You're Going to Love Birmingham
With a population of 984,333, Birmingham is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Birmingham to see all of its attractions.
Where to Eat in Birmingham
Gas Street Basin is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Birmingham. These include popular favourites such as Noel's Bar and Restaurant (Unit 1 Holiday Wharf), Côte Brasserie - Birmingham (The Mailbox 120-122 Wharf Street) and Aria Restaurant (The Hyatt Hotel 2 Bridge Street). If you’re looking for affordable options, The Ivy Temple Row (67-71 Temple Row) and Tattu Birmingham (17 Barwick Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Plough Harborne (21 High Street) and Lulu Wild (Eleven Brindley Place) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Birmingham.
When to visit Birmingham
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Birmingham in July, when the average temperature is 16 °C, and the highest can go up to 20 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 1 °C, with an average temperature of 3 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 70 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Birmingham, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.
How to Get to Birmingham
Plane
When flying to Birmingham, you’ll arrive at Birmingham Airport (UK) (BHX), which is located 7 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to Birmingham from New Zealand departs from Wellington and takes around 32h 15m.
Train
AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Birmingham, followed by Cross Country. The train journey from Birmingham to London takes 1h 05m and costs around $205 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Manchester, expect to pay about $78 for a 1h 30m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city centre, Birmingham New Street is the busiest station in Birmingham. Another popular train station is Birmingham Duddeston, located 1.3 miles from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Birmingham is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 101 miles from Birmingham. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Birmingham, including National Express, FlixBus and Megabus. From Manchester, the bus ride to Birmingham takes 100 miles and will cost you around $15. From Bristol, the ticket costs about $22 for a journey of 120 miles. The most popular bus station is Birmingham Colmore Row, located 1.4 miles from the city centre of Birmingham. Birmingham Summer Row- Great Charles Street is also a commonly used station, and is 0.3 miles from the city centre.
Airlines serving Birmingham
Where to stay in Birmingham
Average rates range from around $132 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $202 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include ibis budget Birmingham Airport - NEC and Ibis Budget Birmingham Centre. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Birmingham, with prices from $45 to $332 per night. Ladywood is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Birmingham are about 48% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Birmingham
Most booked hotels in Birmingham
Hiring a car in Birmingham
Hiring a car in Birmingham costs $43 per day, on average.
You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 5% more expensive than at Birmingham.
Expect to pay $3.11 per litre in Birmingham (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $37.24 and $49.65. The most frequently booked car type in Birmingham is Compact (Seat Leon ST or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Toyota Yaris or similar) is, on average, 61% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.