Airports
 Birmingham International Airport (BHX) is one of the main airports in the UK, handling in excess of eight million passengers and receiving direct flights from many European and Middle Eastern destinations. There are two terminals at the airport: the Main (Terminal 1) and the Eurohub (Terminal 2).
The airport is well laid out and never excessively busy while facilities include ATMs, currency exchange and money changers. There is also a left luggage service in the Main Terminal as well as a medical centre, postal services, business facilities and baby changing rooms. Duty-free shopping is also available as well as regular UK high street shops and cafés, restaurants and bars.
 The airport is located opposite the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), just to the east of the city centre in Solihull, and transport options to Birmingham are good. A short monorail journey runs from the Main Terminal to Birmingham International Interchange train station every 10 minutes or so, from where frequent rail services run to Birmingham New Street Station in the city centre. Journey time is about 15 minutes and services run from early morning to late at night every day of the week.
In addition, bus service 900 runs direct to the city centre every 20 to 30 minutes—a 25-minute journey—while National Express buses run to destinations all over the country from the airport. Taxis offer the most convenient transport option for those with hotels booked, although prices are quite steep in relation to fares for public transport.
Public Transport
 Birmingham’s Centro metro system is linked with the city’s buses and although the metro is largely aimed at commuters running from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, tourists can easily see the Jewellery Quarter and the markets. Daily and weekly multi-ride tickets are available.
 Centro buses connect with the metro and tickets are thus interchangeable. Buses cover the city extensively and offer the cheapest transport option for those wanting to see more of the city and Midlands in general.
Birmingham Tour open-top sightseeing buses offer the best alternative for those wanting to see Birmingham’s main sights in a day. Buses run throughout the day on a continuous loop taking in landmarks, monuments and shopping areas and are flexible and valid for 24 hours.
 Birmingham has three main train stations making it easy to get to the airport and destinations farther afield. New Street is the city’s main rail station, with Snow Hill and Moor Street secondary stations. Tickets can be purchased at all stations.
 Birmingham has black cabs that are reliable and metered. They can be hailed on the street while taxi ranks are located at the Arcadian Centre, on Hurst street, at the airport, the International Interchange and outside shopping malls and prominent hotels. Black cabs operate 24 hours with extra charges for night-time journeys.
Birmingham also has water bus taxis that run regularly from Gas Street Basin and take in the main canals. Although more of a tourist attraction than an effective transport option, they can be convenient if they service where you want to go.
Although Birmingham isn’t particularly cyclist-friendly, more and more cycle paths are springing up in the city centre and many roads now have bike lanes. In addition, touring Birmingham’s large canal network by bike is pleasant while several parks also make for good bike riding.
 While parking can be tough and the profusion of one-way systems often confusing, having a hire car is a good idea for those who plan on having a better look at the Midlands. Rental cars can be pre-booked online and picked up at the airport or at hotels. If you plan on hiring a car, booking online is the best way to achieve this, where price and availability is always better than on-the-spot.
| 
