--- title: "Trains from London to Birmingham | EveryRail" description: "Direct trains take 1h17 at the fastest and about 1h30 from London Euston to Birmingham New Street. Chiltern Railways from Marylebone takes about 2 hours." image: "https://everyrail.com/api/route-image/london-to-birmingham/" --- [Home]()[Europe by train]()[United Kingdom]()London to Birmingham by train [Home]()[Europe by train]()[United Kingdom]()London to Birmingham by train **Share** - - [Share on WhatsApp]() - [Share on X]() - [Share on Facebook]() - [Share by email]() **On this page** - [About London to Birmingham by train]() - [Where to book]() - [Find places to stay in Birmingham]() - [Frequently asked questions]() - [More routes]() [Book now]() Last updated October 2026 # London to Birmingham by train Direct trains take 1h17 at the fastest and about 1h30 from London Euston to Birmingham New Street. Chiltern Railways from Marylebone takes about 2 hours. ![View of Birmingham, United Kingdom]() Origin [London]() Destination [Birmingham]() Country [United Kingdom]() [London]() to [Birmingham]() is a direct train journey of about 1 hour 30 minutes on Avanti West Coast from London Euston, with the fastest trains taking 1 hour 17 minutes. London Northwestern Railway also runs from Euston to Birmingham New Street, from 1 hour 53 minutes, and Chiltern Railways runs from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street in about 2 hours. Trains leave all day from all three, so you can pick the fastest or the cheapest. Which London station you leave from decides which ticket works. ## Three companies run direct trains to Birmingham Every train is direct. Avanti West Coast is the fast service. It leaves London Euston and arrives at Birmingham New Street in around 1 hour 30 minutes, and the quickest trains take 1 hour 17 minutes. London Northwestern Railway leaves Euston too, with 3 trains an hour that stop at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Rugby, Coventry and Birmingham International on the way. The fastest take 1 hour 53 minutes, and the others take longer. Check its fare against Avanti West Coast for your date. Chiltern Railways uses a different London station, Marylebone, and a different Birmingham station, Moor Street. There are two trains an hour for most of the day. The fastest take 1 hour 47 minutes and the average is about 2 hours 2 minutes. ## Leave from London Euston or London Marylebone Euston and Marylebone are separate stations, so check the name on your ticket and your booking before you travel. Euston is the terminal for both Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway. Marylebone is for Chiltern Railways only. Arrive at the station early enough to find the platform, which is shown on the departure boards shortly before the train leaves. Both stations are in central London. ## Choose the ticket by company and time There are three main types. Advance tickets are the cheapest. They are for one named train on one date, and you can buy them up to about 12 weeks ahead. Off-Peak tickets let you buy at any time and travel outside the busiest hours. Anytime tickets are valid on any permitted train at any time, and they cost the most. Some tickets name a train company you must use. A cheap ticket for one company does not work on another company's trains, and this is where visitors lose money. If your ticket shows Chiltern Railways, you cannot use it on a train from Euston. If it names Avanti West Coast or London Northwestern Railway, it will not work from Marylebone. Read the ticket details before you pay. Chiltern Railways Advance singles start from £6.40. For Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway, Advance fares are the lowest and rise as the train fills, so booking early is the best way to keep the price down. A Railcard takes a third off many fares, so buy one before you travel if you qualify. ## Seat reservations are not compulsory with a rail pass If you buy a ticket, you can pick your seat when you book with Avanti West Coast. With an Interrail or [Eurail Global Pass]() you do not have to reserve a seat on these trains. You only need an activated travel day and the journey added to your pass in the app. ## Interrail and Eurail Global Passes work on all three Interrail Global Passes (for people who live in Europe) and Eurail Global Passes (for people who live outside Europe) are valid on Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway and Chiltern Railways, and a pass holder can board without a reservation. A Global Pass covers only one outbound and one inbound journey in your country of residence, so someone who lives in the UK cannot use it for an ordinary trip inside Britain. ## Late-night trains change on 23 to 26 November 2026 Late-evening Avanti West Coast trains between London Euston and Wolverhampton are diverted from Monday 23 to Thursday 26 November 2026. Some skip Birmingham New Street, and buses replace the missing stops. Daytime trains are not affected. After 26 November the usual late trains run again. Check your date before you book a late departure. ## Arriving at Birmingham New Street or Moor Street New Street sits below the Grand Central shopping centre in the middle of the city, and the Bullring shopping centre is about a minute's walk away. A taxi rank is on Navigation Street, next to Thousand Trades Square. Moor Street is opposite Selfridges and about five minutes on foot from New Street, so you can reach the centre without any transport. Chiltern Railways sells a Birmingham PlusBus day ticket, which covers the city's buses and tram. ## Where to book ### Train tickets - Omio Omio connects you with over 1,000 transport providers - trains, buses, flights, and more - to simplify your travel planning. [Check times & prices]() ### Train service - [Avanti West Coast]() Avanti West Coast runs London Euston to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() - [Chiltern Railways]() Chiltern Railways runs London Marylebone to Birmingham, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Aylesbury, with Advance, Off-Peak and Anytime fares. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() - [London Northwestern Railway]() London Northwestern Railway connects London Euston with Birmingham, Liverpool, Northampton and Crewe. Bikes travel free; e-scooters are banned. [Official website]() [Check times & prices]() ## Find places to stay in Birmingham [![Bright bedroom with white bedding and a breakfast tray on the bed]()**Browse stays in Birmingham**Hotels and apartments via Booking.com]() ## Frequently asked questions ### How long does the train from London to Birmingham take? Avanti West Coast takes about 1 hour 30 minutes from London Euston, and the fastest trains take 1 hour 17 minutes. London Northwestern Railway takes from 1 hour 53 minutes, and Chiltern Railways takes about 2 hours. ### Is there a direct train from London to Birmingham? Yes. Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway run direct from London Euston to Birmingham New Street. Chiltern Railways runs direct from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street. ### Which station do I leave from in London? It depends on the company. Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway leave from London Euston, and Chiltern Railways leaves from London Marylebone. ### How much is a train ticket from London to Birmingham? Advance tickets are the cheapest, and Chiltern Railways Advance singles start from £6.40. Off-Peak and Anytime tickets cost more, and prices rise as the train fills. ### Do I need to reserve a seat for the train to Birmingham? No. With a rail pass you only need an activated travel day and the journey added in the app. With a normal ticket you can pick a seat when you book with Avanti West Coast. ### Does my Interrail or Eurail pass work from London to Birmingham? Yes. Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway and Chiltern Railways all accept Interrail passes, and a reservation is not compulsory. A Global Pass covers only one outbound and one inbound journey in your country of residence, so a UK resident cannot use it for an ordinary trip inside Britain. ## More routes [![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Amsterdam to London by trainDirect Eurostar trains take about 4 hours 10 minutes from Amsterdam to London, with around 3 daily departures and fares from about €57 / £52.]()[![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Barcelona to London by trainNo direct train. TGV INOUI Barcelona Sants to Paris Gare de Lyon (about 6h46), RER D to Gare du Nord, then Eurostar (2h17) to London St Pancras.]()[![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Birmingham to London by trainDirect trains from Birmingham New Street to London Euston take about 1h30, fastest 1h17. Chiltern Railways from Moor Street to Marylebone takes about 2 hours.]()[![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Brighton to London by trainDirect trains take about 1 hour from Brighton to London, to Victoria, London Bridge or St Pancras. Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express. No reservations.]()[![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Brussels to London by trainDirect Eurostar trains link Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel-Zuid and London St Pancras in about two hours; fares start at £39 on selected departures.]()[![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Budapest to London by trainBudapest to London by train is not direct: connect via Paris or Brussels, then take Eurostar to London St Pancras. Fastest trips take around 17 hours.]()[![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Coventry to London by trainDirect trains from Coventry to London Euston take about 1 hour on Avanti West Coast and about 1h20 to 1h30 on London Northwestern Railway. Fares from £9.]()[![Tower Bridge in London at dusk]()Crewe to London by trainDirect trains from Crewe to London Euston take 1h37 on the fastest Avanti West Coast services and around 2h10 on slower ones. 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