Inside the roofless ruins of Coventry's old cathedral, with the porch of the new cathedral on the left

Coventry

Two cathedrals side by side, Lady Godiva and the UK's big road transport collection

Coventry was one of the wealthiest cities in medieval England and later the centre of Britain's bicycle and motor industries. That made it a target in the Second World War: the air raid of November 1940 destroyed much of the historic centre, including the cathedral. The ruins were kept, and the new St Michael's Cathedral, consecrated in 1962, was built right beside them.

The cathedral quarter holds most of what survived: the ruins and spire, Holy Trinity Church, the medieval St Mary's Guildhall and the remains of the priory. The Herbert and the Coventry Transport Museum are a few minutes away, Lady Godiva rides in Broadgate, and Spon Street and the almshouses keep some timber-framed buildings. Coventry had about 345,000 people at the 2021 census and was UK City of Culture for 2021.

  • Train from LondonJust under an hourAvanti West Coast from London Euston, according to Visit Coventry
  • Birmingham AirportAbout 20 minutesBy train via Birmingham International, according to Visit Coventry
  • PopulationAbout 345,0002021 census
  • New cathedralConsecrated in 1962Built beside the ruins of the cathedral bombed in 1940

区域

Where to begin

The Coventry city centre guide has 14 sights, places to eat and drink, and where to stay.

前往方式

Arriving in Coventry

Coventry station is on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Birmingham. Visit Coventry gives London as just under an hour by train and Birmingham Airport as about 20 minutes. Check operators for times and fares.

火车

Avanti West Coast links Coventry with London Euston in under an hour and Birmingham International in under 10 minutes, according to Visit Coventry, which also says trains from London run every 20 minutes.

Birmingham Airport

Birmingham Airport is about 20 minutes away; trains from Birmingham International reach Coventry in under 10 minutes.

Buses and coaches

Pool Meadow bus station in the city centre is the main departure point for local buses, according to Visit Coventry.

Journey times are Visit Coventry's figures, checked on 3 November 2026. We do not publish timetables or fares.

步行

The cathedral quarter, Broadgate, the Herbert and the Transport Museum are close together inside the inner ring road; Spon Street is just west of it.

Visit Coventry: travel information →

公交车

Pool Meadow bus station is the main departure point, with stops across the city.

Visit Coventry: travel information →

最佳出行时间

Coventry through the year

The cathedral and museums are open all year. Wikipedia lists the Godiva Festival, the Coventry Caribbean Festival and the Coventry Jazz Festival among the city's events; check Visit Coventry for dates.

Summer6 月至 8 月

Festival season: the Godiva Festival and the Coventry Caribbean Festival are held in War Memorial Park.

Rest of the yearSeptember to May

Quieter for the cathedral, the Herbert and the Transport Museum; Visit Coventry lists guided walks of the Cathedral Quarter.

常见问题

出行前须知

Can you visit the old cathedral ruins?

Yes. The ruins of the old St Michael's Cathedral stand beside the new cathedral, and the 87-metre tower and spire survived the 1940 bombing.

How long is the train from London to Coventry?

Visit Coventry says under an hour from London Euston, with trains every 20 minutes.

Is Coventry near Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon?

Yes. Warwick is about 10 miles south; see our Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwickshire guide for Warwick, Kenilworth and Leamington.

Nearby places

Guides near Coventry

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

图片来源

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