Birmingham

Canals, workshops and Victorian civic squares in England's second city

Birmingham grew as a manufacturing town known as the City of a Thousand Trades, and the workshops, canals and railway stations of that era are still close to the centre. The Jewellery Quarter, north-west of the shops, makes an estimated 40% of British jewellery and is a conservation area with over 200 listed buildings.

The city centre is compact: Visit Birmingham puts the walk from New Street station to the cathedral at about five minutes, and from there to the Library of Birmingham at about ten. Beyond the library are the canals of Brindleyplace and Gas Street Basin; to the east, Digbeth's former factories hold studios, music venues and street food.

From London by trainFrom 1 hr 43 minChiltern Railways' headline time from Marylebone to Moor Street; Avanti West Coast runs from Euston to New Street
Ab FlughafenAbout 10 minBy train from Birmingham International to the city centre, according to Visit Birmingham
On the tramBuy before you boardWest Midlands Metro charges a penalty fare if you travel without a valid ticket or pass
Jewellery QuarterOver 200 listed buildingsA conservation area where an estimated 40% of British jewellery is made

Gegenden

4 Orte für den Anfang

Each area has its own mini guide with 56 sights, places to eat and drink, and where to stay across the city.

17 sights · 27 places to eat

City Centre & Bullring

Victorian civic squares, two cathedrals and the Bullring around New Street station

Mini-Guide öffnen →

12 Sehenswürdigkeiten · 20 Lokale zum Essen

Jewellery Quarter

Workshops, small museums and a Georgian square in a working jewellery district

Mini-Guide öffnen →

15 sights · 21 places to eat

Brindleyplace & the Canals

Gas Street Basin, Centenary Square and the concert halls and canalside squares of Westside

Mini-Guide öffnen →

12 Sehenswürdigkeiten · 15 Lokale zum Essen

Digbeth & Eastside

Former factories turned studios, music venues and street food, beside the new Eastside park

Mini-Guide öffnen →

Sehenswürdigkeiten

Highlights across Birmingham

A sight from each area. Every area guide lists the rest, with directions and official links.

City Centre & Bullring

St Philip's Cathedral

Baroque church by Thomas Archer, consecrated in 1715 and a cathedral since 1905. It is Grade I listed.

Jewellery Quarter

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

Preserved jewellery workshop on Vyse Street, shown by guided tour, Thursday to Sunday.

Brindleyplace & the Canals

Gas Street Basin

Canal basin where the Worcester and Birmingham Canal meets the BCN Main Line, between the Mailbox and Brindleyplace.

Digbeth & Eastside

Custard Factory

Workspace complex with independent shops, cafés and bars on the site of the Bird's Custard works.

City Centre & Bullring

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Fine and decorative art, local history and the Staffordshire Hoard; reopened galleries include the Pre-Raphaelites and Wild City for families.

Jewellery Quarter

Pen Museum

The only UK museum of the pen-making trade, explaining how Birmingham became the centre of world pen production.

Brindleyplace & the Canals

Brindleyplace

Canalside development begun in 1993, with squares of restaurants and bars, the Ikon Gallery and the Sea Life Centre.

Digbeth & Eastside

Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum

Science museum in Millennium Point with hands-on galleries and a planetarium, run by Birmingham Museums Trust.

Fotos

1 / 12

With kids in Birmingham

Animal attractions, railways, science centres, beaches and caves from our Birmingham guide, grouped by type. We hold no age ratings or child prices: check each place’s own site for age limits, height rules and family tickets.

Animals and wildlife

National Sea Life CentreAquarium, Brindleyplace & the Canals

Practical help: travelling with children and where to stay in Birmingham.

Routen

Ihre Tage planen

Kurze Routen, die die Gegenden miteinander verbinden.

1 Tag

The essential Birmingham

Victoria Square & the museum — the Council House, the Town Hall and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Cathedral & Bullring — St Philip's Cathedral, then down to St Martin's and the Bullring
Library & canals — Centenary Square, then Gas Street Basin and Brindleyplace for the evening

2 Tage

Add workshops and the Back to Backs

Jewellery Quarter — a guided tour at the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, the Pen Museum and St Paul's Square
Coffin Works — the Newman Brothers factory on Fleet Street
Back to Backs — a booked visit to the National Trust's courtyard houses on Hurst Street

3 Tage

Digbeth, science and a day out

Digbeth — the Custard Factory, street art and an evening at a music venue
Eastside — Thinktank science museum and Eastside City Park
A day trip — Cadbury World in Bournville, Warwick Castle or Stratford-upon-Avon (see below)

Anreise

Arriving in Birmingham

Birmingham has an airport east of the city with its own railway station, three city-centre railway stations and a coach station in Digbeth. Always check the operator for current times, fares and disruption.

Mit dem Flugzeug

Birmingham Airport is linked to Birmingham International railway station by the free Air-Rail Link. Visit Birmingham describes the train from Birmingham International as a ten-minute direct link to the city centre.

Mit dem Zug

New Street is the main station, with Avanti West Coast trains from London Euston. Chiltern Railways runs from London Marylebone to Moor Street, next to the Bullring, and quotes as little as 1 hour 43 minutes. Snow Hill, in the Colmore business district, has local services.

Mit der Straßenbahn

West Midlands Metro runs through the centre from Edgbaston Village, Five Ways and Brindleyplace via Library, Town Hall and Grand Central, with stops for the Jewellery Quarter and for Eastside at Albert Street and Millennium Point. Buy a ticket before you board.

Mit Bus und Reisebus

Long-distance coaches use Birmingham Coach Station in Digbeth, south-east of the Bullring. Transport for West Midlands has the journey planner, bus timetables and Swift tickets.

Die Fahrzeiten auf dieser Seite sind die Richtwerte der Betreiber. Wir veröffentlichen keine Fahrpläne oder Preise.

Das Zentrum zu Fuß erkunden

Visit Birmingham puts New Street station about five minutes' walk from the cathedral and the cathedral about ten minutes from the Library of Birmingham; Brindleyplace is a short walk beyond, through the ICC. Digbeth is under ten minutes' walk from the Bullring.

Trams

West Midlands Metro links Brindleyplace, Centenary Square, Victoria Square, New Street (Grand Central), the Jewellery Quarter and Eastside. Buy a ticket before boarding: the operator charges a penalty fare to anyone travelling without one.

Züge und Busse

The Jewellery Quarter has its own railway station, and Moor Street and Snow Hill serve local lines. Transport for West Midlands has bus timetables and Swift ticket information.

Autofahren

A Clean Air Zone covers the city centre inside the A4540 Middleway, 24 hours a day. Vehicles that do not meet its standards pay a daily charge, payable up to six days before or after travel.

Beste Reisezeit

Birmingham through the year

Birmingham is an indoor-and-outdoor city: museums, galleries and theatres work in any weather, and the canals are best on a dry day. Check opening days before you go, as several museums do not open every day.

Frühling und SommerApril bis September

Longer evenings suit a walk along the canals from Gas Street Basin to Brindleyplace and the outdoor tables in Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter.

Autumn and winterOctober to March

A good time for the museums, theatres and concert halls. The city holds a Frankfurt Christmas Market in the centre; check Visit Birmingham for this year's dates.

WeekdaysGanzjährig

Some museums keep shorter weeks: the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter opens Thursday to Sunday by guided tour, and Thinktank is closed on Mondays in term time.

Tagesausflüge

Außerhalb der Stadt

Ideas for a day away from Birmingham. Check the operators for times and tickets.

The Cadbury factory building at Bournville

South-west Birmingham

Cadbury World, Bournville

Chocolate attraction beside the Cadbury factory in Bournville, the model village the Quaker Cadbury family founded for its workers.

Cadbury World →

Warwickshire

Warwick Castle

Castle beside the River Avon whose history goes back to 1068, now run as a visitor attraction. Visit Birmingham lists Warwick within an hour's travel.

Warwick Castle →

The timber-framed house on Henley Street where Shakespeare was born

Warwickshire

Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare's birthplace on Henley Street and the other family houses are run by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust →

FAQ

Gut zu wissen vor der Reise

Which station should I use in Birmingham?

New Street is the main station, with Avanti West Coast trains from London Euston and services from across the country. Chiltern Railways trains from London Marylebone use Moor Street, next to the Bullring, and Snow Hill, in the Colmore business district. Visit Birmingham says Moor Street is six minutes' walk from New Street.

How do I get from Birmingham Airport to the city centre?

Take the free Air-Rail Link from the terminal to Birmingham International station, then a train to New Street. Visit Birmingham describes it as a ten-minute direct link. Check National Rail for times.

Can I pay on the tram?

West Midlands Metro operates 'Buy Before You Board': buy a ticket before you get on, with the MyMetro app, a ticket machine or a pass. The operator charges a penalty fare if you travel without a valid ticket.

Will I pay the Clean Air Zone charge?

The zone covers the city centre inside the A4540 Middleway and runs 24 hours a day, every day. Vehicles that do not meet its emission standards pay a daily fee, online or by phone, up to six days before or after the day of travel. Check your vehicle on the Brum Breathes site.

Do I need to book the Back to Backs or the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter?

The National Trust advises booking the Back to Backs in advance. The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is open Thursday to Sunday and entry is by guided tour only, with pre-booking advised.

Is Birmingham easy to explore on foot?

Yes. Visit Birmingham describes the city as relatively flat, with some inclines between the main streets, and puts New Street station about five minutes' walk from the cathedral and the cathedral about ten minutes from the Library of Birmingham. Trams cover longer hops to Edgbaston and the Jewellery Quarter.

Nearby places

Guides near Birmingham

Our closest other guides, by straight-line distance between centres. Road and rail distances are longer: check a journey planner.

More in England · Places A to Z · Getting between regions

Fotonachweise

Birmingham (header): Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
City Centre & Bullring: Mutney, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jewellery Quarter: Brian Clift, CC BY 2.0, source
Brindleyplace & the Canals: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Digbeth & Eastside: Brianboru100, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
St Philip's Cathedral: St_Philip's_Birmingham.JPG: Sunil060902 derivative work: JimmyGuano (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Museum of the Jewellery Quarter: Cams0ft, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Gas Street Basin: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Custard Factory: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery: Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pen Museum: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Brindleyplace: Reading Tom from Reading, UK, CC BY 2.0, source
Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum: Amandachan1106, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Council House: Tanya Dedyukhina, CC BY 3.0, source
Coffin Works: Erebus555, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Eastside City Park: Stove1441, CC BY 3.0, source
Cadbury World, Bournville: Lauren, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Warwick Castle: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Stratford-upon-Avon: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
The Mailbox: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Birmingham Town Hall: Very Quiet, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
St Paul's Church: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ikon Gallery: SilentVicinity, Public domain, source
Curzon Street station building: Tony Hisgett, CC BY 2.0, source
The River: Elliott Brown from Birmingham, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, source
St Paul's Square: Chris Whippet, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Library of Birmingham: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Birmingham Moor Street station: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Chamberlain Memorial: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chamberlain Clock: Mathew Growcoot, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Symphony Hall: Graham Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, source

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits

Quellen

Official pages we opened while writing and checking this page. Details change, so check with the venue or operator before you travel.

Visit Birmingham: travel by train (visitbirmingham.com)
National Rail: Birmingham International (nationalrail.co.uk)
Birmingham Airport (birminghamairport.co.uk)
National Rail: Birmingham New Street (nationalrail.co.uk)
Chiltern Railways: trains to Birmingham (chilternrailways.co.uk)
Avanti West Coast (avantiwestcoast.co.uk)
West Midlands Metro: maps and stops (westmidlandsmetro.com)
West Midlands Metro (westmidlandsmetro.com)
Transport for West Midlands (tfwm.org.uk)
National Express (nationalexpress.com)

Place names and map positions: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Wikidata (CC0). See credits.

Checked on 3 November 2026 · what this means Report a problem with Birmingham

Gründlich planen

More guides for Birmingham

Weiter entdecken

All 4 Birmingham areas Vereinigtes Königreich London-Guide