London to Birmingham by train

[Laddy Muck]

Have looked on line and I'm utterly confused. There seem to be 3 stations in Brum-Land and I have seen references to 2 departing London stations: Euston and Marylebone. Can anyone please tell me the simplest way to get to Brum-Land by train from ED? Thank you so much.

[nashoi]

Just put your destination into google maps and get door to door instructions for public transport.

[Jeremy]

I would think Euston's slightly easier to get to from ED than Marylebone, so I'd go for that. Although check which station has more frequent brum-bound departures in case of delays/cancellations.

Doesn't really matter which of the three Birmingham stations you end up at, they're all close by.

[red devil]

I've always gone Euston to B'ham New St. If you haven't got a lot of luggage, just pop onto the 63 bus to Kings X then a short stroll up to Euston...

[BrandNewGuy]

If you don't mind taking half an hour longer, the trains from Marylebone are much cheaper than those from Euston ? try London Midland. Less hassly station to leave from too. And as has been said, all three stations in Brum are very central. I normally go Marylebone to Moor St. Never paid more than ?15 return.

[JohnL]

Always Euston to New Street for me too.

Marylebone might be the slow train :)

[BrandNewGuy]

It's only the difference between an hour and a half and two hours. Not worth the price difference IMO, but then I think HS2 is daft as well...

[Laddy Muck]

Thank you SO much, everyone. Your helpful responses are so much easier than deciphering on the net. :))

[Siduhe]

I do this trip once a month for work - Euston to New Street for me too. Optimum time to book tickets in terms of pricing (although this is for weekday travel, so may not apply off peak) seems to be 3-4 weeks beforehand - any closer than that and prices shoot up.

[Lowlander]

It's only 1h38 from Marylebone as opposed to 1h22 from Euston (and much cheaper with arguably more comfortable trains)

[Blah Blah]

Also check out www.megatrain.com for cheap tickets. They definitely do Euston to Birmingham by both train and coach. A coach costs as little as a fiver each way.

[maxxi]

Only just seen this thread LM but I travelled up to Brum with London Midland on Thursday - ?6 e/w for a stopper (2 hrs rather than 1h22 but I was in no hurry) had a pretty good curry Friday at Pushkar on Broad Street too :)

ETA - it was an advance ticket bought online a couple of days before leaving and collected from the ticket machines at ED station.

[Laddy Muck]

Oh jolly dee...more tips! Thank you SO much everybody...I really appreciate the options (and all the extra little details too) :)) (tu)

[MrBen]

Ashamed to say I've never been to Birmingham. Is it worth visiting in its own right?

[Pickle]

I was there yesterday playing in a concert - it didn't inspire me to go back. I can see there's been a lot of regeneration (I was at Carrs Lane church, quite near the Bullring), but it looks to be a city full of derelict buildings and empty shops.

[Jeremy]

MrBen - no.

There's a nice-ish old bit around the cathedral. Other than that, it's not great. Despite lots of regeneration (i.e. new-but-bland shopping centre, offices, apartments), feels a little bit down-at-heel and depressing.

[BrandNewGuy]

The high-profile city centre 'regeneration' is dull and unoriginal, but there's a lot of good stuff happening in the arts and creative industries. Places like the Custard Factory and the Eastside regeneration have attracted lots of small businesses in design, textiles, music, visual arts and more. Cheap rents, lots of space, a supportive council and all those things places like Shoreditch and Peckham used to have before the money moved in.

Brum's art gallery is excellent and well worth a visit ? as is the jewellery quarter, Aston Hall and a number of other fine civic buildings.

Brummies have got used to others doing the city down ever since Jane Austen's Mrs Elton said: "One has no great hopes of Birmingham. I always say there is something direful in the sound."

[JohnL]

Pickle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I was there yesterday playing in a concert - it

> didn't inspire me to go back. I can see there's

> been a lot of regeneration (I was at Carrs Lane

> church, quite near the Bullring), but it looks to

> be a city full of derelict buildings and empty

> shops.

Canal area used to be OK - haven't been for a few years

but Broad street was dying then.

[Lowlander]

Oh another tip - do check the prices from ED station to Birmingham.

Often it's an extra ?1.50 or so more than from Euston/Marylebone which includes the train to London Bridge and tube so about half the price of using contactless/PAYG. Works with most train companies.