Getting here

This guide will help you explore options for travelling into and around Birmingham.

⏺︎ Travel by Train

Birmingham New Street railway station is the largest hub in the centre of England with direct services from London, Scotland, Wales, Manchester and Bristol. Central Birmingham is also serviced by Snow Hill Station and Moor Street. All the Birmingham Light Festival installations are within walking distance of these stations. Find out more information about West Midlands Railway here.

⏺︎ Travel by Bus

Birmingham is well served by several national and regional coach and bus services. If you're traveling to the city from further afield and arriving at Birmingham Bus & Coach Station (formerly known as Digbeth Coach Station), we recommend using a local connecting service to reach some of the Birmingham Light Festival installations. Buses that run from outside the coach station that will get you closer into the city centre include 2, 3, 4A, 4, 5, 6, 97 and the 97A.

Get Bus Timetables for your service by searching the route number.

If you’re not sure of your route, you can:

With tickets from £2, use the Ticket Finder to find the best option for you. You can also buy bus tickets:

⏺︎ Travel by Park & Ride

There are over 9,000 car parking spaces across the West Midlands that are at train stations and tram stops.

Park at a tram stop

There are 5 park and ride sites along the West Midlands Metro tram line. These have free parking. You can find parking at these stops:

  • The Hawthorns

  • Wednesbury Parkway

  • Black Lake

  • Bradley Lane

  • Priestfield

Park at a train station

Parking at most train stations outside Birmingham City Centre is free. Birmingham City Centre train stations include Birmingham New Street, Snowhill Station and Moor Street, each has paid car parking available. Outside of the city centre, you have to pay at Bromsgrove, Longbridge and Sutton Coldfield. You can check parking charges or reserve a spot here.

⏺︎ Travel By Metro

The tram service is called the West Midlands Metro.
You can use the ticket finder to find the right tram ticket for you. You can buy tickets:

Tram stops are in four ticket zones. The zones you can travel between are based on your ticket.

There are trams every 12 to 15 minutes every day of the week. More trams are added during peak times.

View the tram timetable to find out where the tram stops. You can also plan your journey if you’re not sure of your route.

All tram stops have step-free access and are monitored by CCTV. Some tram stops have free car parking.

⏺︎ Travel by Bike or Scooter

Explore Birmingham effortlessly during the festival with eco-friendly e-bikes and e-scooters! These electric bikes make travel convenient and sustainable. Simply download the Beryl Cycle Hire app or visit WM Cycle Hire for more information.

There are ample bike racks across the city centre next to festival sites. We kindly ask that you don't cycle through large crowds but instead dismount and walk through.

⏺︎ Travel by Car

Set at the heart of the UK motorway network, Birmingham is linked by the M5, M6, M40 and M42, while the A34 and A38 further add to your options and the M1 is less than 30 minutes away. There are 25,000 city centre parking spaces within easy reach.

As of June 2021, Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone is in effect where some cars will be liable to pay a charge for entering Birmingham city centre. You can find out more about the CAZ here.

You can find further information on parking and how to find a car park here.

⏺︎ Access

The Blue Badge scheme is for drivers or passengers with severe mobility problems. It aims to provide greater access to parking spaces. Find a disabled parking here.