Travel safely - Get the latest travel advice and booking info here

Trains from London to Birmingham

from £6.40

Save 61% on average when you buy in advance†

Book travel across Europe

Avanti West Coast
Chiltern Railways

The best prices from hundreds of train and coach companies

Go contactless with digital tickets on your phone

Travel to thousands of destinations in 45 countries

London to Birmingham by train

It takes an average of 2h 1m to travel from London to Birmingham by train, over a distance of around 101 miles (163 km). There are normally 277 trains per day travelling from London to Birmingham and tickets for this journey start from £6.40 when you book in advance.
Journey timeFrom 1h 20m
PriceFrom £6.40
Distance101 miles (163 km)
Frequency277 trains per day
First train04:34
Last train23:35
Departure stationLondon
Arrival stationBirmingham
ChangesDirect trains available
Train operatorsAvanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways

London to Birmingham train times

Check out the next trains departing from London to Birmingham for Tuesday 6th July 2021 using our handy timetable below, including platform and live travel information. You can view the full day timetable or search for a different date here.
DepartsArrivesDuration
14:43 16:06 1h 23m, direct
14:59 16:25 1h 26m, direct
15:10 16:56 1h 46m, direct
15:15 17:23 2h 8m, direct
15:37 17:34 1h 57m, direct
15:43 17:06 1h 23m, direct
15:59 17:25 1h 26m, direct
16:10 17:54 1h 44m, direct
16:15 18:23 2h 8m, direct
16:37 18:35 1h 58m, direct

London to Birmingham train times information

Trains to Birmingham depart from London Euston or London Marylebone every ten minutes on average. The journey takes one and a half to two hours, although some indirect routes do take longer. Trains terminate at either Snow Hill or New Street station in Birmingham. Services are run by Avanti West Coast (formerly Virgin Trains), Chiltern Railways and West Midlands Railway.

Avanti West Coast (formerly Virgin Trains) offers frequent direct services between London and Birmingham. While onboard, you'll have access to Avanti's free WiFi, luggage racks and comfortable seats.

Chiltern Railways offers quiet zones and provides catering services on most trips between Banbury and Birmingham Moor Street.

Find out more information about how to buy cheap train tickets to Birmingham.

Journey details

Want to know more about your journey from London to Birmingham? We've compiled some of the most frequently asked questions by our customers to help you plan your journey.

How long does the train from London to Birmingham take?

The average journey time by train between London and Birmingham is 2 hours and 1 minute, with around 277 trains per day. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays, so use our Journey Planner on this page to search for a specific travel date.

What's the fastest journey time between London and Birmingham by train?

The fastest journey time by train from London to Birmingham is 1 hour and 20 minutes.

How much does the train from London to Birmingham cost?

Train ticket prices from London to Birmingham can start from as little as £6.40 when you book in advance. The cost of tickets can vary depending on the time of day, route and class you book and are usually more expensive if you book on the day.

Is there a direct train from London to Birmingham?

Yes, it is possible to travel from London to Birmingham without having to change trains. There are 277 direct trains from London to Birmingham each day. Though there may be fewer direct services available depending on your exact departure date.

What time does the first train from London to Birmingham leave?

The first train from London to Birmingham leaves at 04:34. Times and services may vary during weekends and holidays.

What time does the last train from London to Birmingham leave?

The last train from London to Birmingham leaves at 23:35. Trains that depart in the early morning hours or very late evening may be sleeper services, time and services may also vary during weekends and holidays.

What's the distance between London and Birmingham by train?

Trains travelling from London to Birmingham cover a distance of around 101 miles (163 km) during the journey.

Looking for more information?

If you’re looking for the return train journey, check out trains from Birmingham to London. If you’re looking for other options, you can also catch the bus from London to Birmingham.

Cheap train tickets from London to Birmingham

Train tickets from London to Birmingham start at £6.40‡ one way for a Standard Class ticket if you book in advance. As most UK train companies increase their prices as the departure date approaches, we’ll help you find the cheapest tickets, and even tell you when the prices are likely to increase with Price Prediction.

Book in advance

Look out for Advance tickets – they usually come out up to 12 weeks before the departure date and can be cheaper than buying on the day. If you’re here a tad early, sign up for our Advance ticket alert today to get notified when your tickets are released.

Consider a Season Ticket

If you catch this train more than 3 times per week, you could save money with a Season Ticket. With annual, monthly and weekly options available, find out if a season ticket for London to Birmingham is right for you.

Use your Railcard

National Railcards offer a 1/3 off eligible train tickets in the UK and can be a great investment if you travel a few times or more in a year. Find out how you can save with a National Railcard here.

Split your tickets

Download our app to find split tickets — courtesy of SplitSave, our handy feature which 'splits' your train tickets where possible to find you a better deal. Learn more about the clever tech behind split tickets, and how to spot SplitSave discounts in our app.

For more money-saving tips on UK and European train travel, read our cheap train tickets guide.

‡Advance adult single fare. Excludes booking fee. Prices seen by Trainline customers in the last 30 days. Availability limited.

Our tips and tricks

We love helping our customers find inspiration for their next train journey. We also believe about taking those journeys and sharing our experiences with you, so you can sit back, relax and get the most out of your trip.

A fast, comfortable and easy journey to Birmingham

Review by Freddie Larkins

I arrived at Euston via the underground station. At the time of writing (August 2019) you needed to exit the underground into the piazza and enter back into the train station. The piazza is undergoing redevelopment work and they’re looking to turn it into a hub of restaurants and shops.

Entering Euston, you’re faced with a gigantic departures board suspended from the ceiling. People tend to gather underneath – it gets rather crowded at peak times – but it wasn’t too busy at mid-morning on a Friday. The platform entrances line the wall behind the board, numbering 1-16 from right to left as you face it. There are various fast food outlets nestled between the platform entrances; the first floor of the station houses sit-down restaurants.

Unlike most of my train journeys, I’d left myself plenty of time before the scheduled departure. I headed to the ticket machines (located at the back left of the station as you face the departures board) to print off my ticket. There are plenty of machines so I wasn’t left queuing for my ticket. I grabbed a bottle of water from WHSmiths and a coffee from a small doughnut shop tucked away opposite platform 1 - Dum Dum Donutterie. I was dismayed to later find out that ‘donutterie’ is not a real word.

Boarding the train

Having entered my seating preferences while booking through Trainline, I had reserved a window seat in coach B. This was right at the front of the train so it took a couple of minutes to walk to my carriage. The famous "Pendolino" logo adorned the side of the train, set among the red and white characteristic of Avanti West Coast (formerly Virgin Trains).

The service on board

Being in Standard Class, I didn’t benefit from the service available to First Class passengers. However, I did have a peek into the First Class carriage for the purposes of this review and looked rather nice! Seats are arranged in a 2x1 format (as opposed to 2x2 in Standard), every seat has a reading light and hot drinks are served in proper china.

Standard Class was perfectly comfortable, however. My seat had a fold-out table and plug socket, and I had the option of using "The Shop" in carriage C to buy a drink or snack. A meal deal is £5.50, or a piece of cake with a hot drink is £3.50. The free-on-board WiFi was serviceable – cutting out in places but otherwise reliable. Streaming services are blocked on the WiFi but Avanti West Coast (formerly Virgin Trains) do offer their own free-on-board streaming portal, "Avanti Media". You’ll have to download the Avanti Media App to use it.

The journey

But for a handful of pleasant stretches of countryside, the journey isn’t particularly scenic. But it is super quick. I arrived into Birmingham New Street in just under an hour and a half, a few minutes after the scheduled arrival time. The Avanti West Coast (formerly Virgin Trains) service is significantly faster than the London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street route, which usually takes over two hours. While Avanti West Coast (formerly Virgin Trains) tickets are more expensive, my Super Off-Peak ticket combined with a 16-25 Railcard got me a very good deal indeed!

Freddie's Top Tip:

Make sure you secure a table seat on the window side if you want to guarantee yourself a plug socket.

Continue reading
†Average savings on fares booked prior to day of travel vs full price fares on day of travel in the UK. Subject to availability. Excludes coach.

Europe’s leading train and coach app

We help customers across Europe make more than 172,000 smarter journeys every day.

Get a link