London to Birmingham by train

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.