Travel

Birmingham is the heart of the West Midlands, the UK’s second-largest city, with excellent travel connections.

The University of Birmingham’s leafy campus is located in Edgbaston, just two miles south-east of the city centre.

Conference Venue:

Teaching and Learning Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT

The Teaching and Learning Centre is marked R32 in the red zone on the campus map, and is a short walk from our University Train Station.

More information on location, including What3Words here.

Sustainable travel

The organising committee are committed to reducing the environmental impact of the conference wherever possible. Please help us by considering your method of travel carefully.

Travelling by rail from central Birmingham or Birmingham International airport to the University is simple. If you’re travelling from Western Europe, Eurostar connects a number of European cities to London St Pancras, with direct trains from London Euston to Birmingham New Street.

If you’re not able to complete your journey without travelling by road, please consider car sharing with other attendees.

Cycle

West Midlands cycle hire - Cycle hire is now available across the West Midlands and bikes are available 24/7 with docking stations at major bus, metro, train stations and town centres.

The main campus is the hub of a network of safe cycling routes stretching many kilometres, often completely free of traffic. This map indicates where you can find them. Local knowledge is key; refer to Low-Traffic Routes to Campus for the best sources of information on the routes out there.

For journeys connecting other locations, get a detailed plan with instructions, maps and photos from the Cycle Streets route planner.

Walking

Why not try combining walking with another mode of travel. The University benefits from good pedestrian links with the surrounding area and clear internal routes and footpaths to allow people to find their way around the large campus easily and safely. The canal towpath which has been recently resurfaced provides good links to Birmingham City Centre and Selly Oak as well as further afield.

Birmingham City Council also provide FREE walking (& cycling) maps of Birmingham.

Almost all of the canal towpaths in Birmingham have been resurfaced as part of the Birmingham Cycle Revolution project but are also great for walking. The canal can be accessed at University Station, Somerset Road and The Vale and is a very pleasant route to walk in to the city centre well used by walkers, joggers and cyclists. Click here for a video showing the route from Tennis Courts residence to town via the Somerset Road access point.

Rail

Birmingham New Street is a hub for travel from across the country, and links directly with University via a high-frequency service that takes only six minutes. This train usually leaves Birmingham New Street from Platform 12, with a final destination of Bromsgrove or Redditch.

The centre of the main campus is a five-minute walk from University station.

Timetables and service updates are available from the National Rail website.

Bus

Frequent bus services run from the city centre. Numbers X61, 63, X64 and 886 travel to the University’s Edgbaston campus, with the most convenient campus stops located on the X64 route. Number 98 serves the Medical School and Queen Elizabeth Hospital. You can catch most of these buses directly outside Birmingham New Street station, on Smallbrook Queensway.

Maps can be found throughout the city centre indicating bus stop locations, and bus stops will display route information and times. Pay for your ticket on the bus with cash, or using a contactless card. The journey takes around 20 minutes, depending on traffic.

Online bus timetables are available on the National Express West Midlands website.

Car

Approaching from the north west or south east along the M6

Leave at Junction 6, signposted Birmingham Central, to join the A38(M).
At the end of the motorway, keep to the right, go over a flyover, then through some underpasses to join the A38 Bristol Road. The University is on your right.

Approaching from the M42 north

Leave at Junction 8 to join the M6 northbound and follow the instructions above.

Approaching from the south-west

Leave the M5 at Junction 4, signposted Birmingham SW, to join the A38.
The University is approximately eight miles from the motorway.

Approaching from the M40

You’ll find it easiest to turn south on the M42 and leave at Junction 1, heading north on the A38 Bristol Road. The University is approximately eight miles from the motorway.

Air

Birmingham International Airport has its own convenient train station, Birmingham International, which operates a high-frequency service into Birmingham New Street in under 15 minutes. Change here, and follow the directions above to University station.

Taxi

There are taxi ranks at New Street Station and throughout the city centre. The journey to the University takes around 10 minutes, depending on traffic. If you hail a cab, you’ll need to pay the driver in cash.