Hello - Birmingham is a good city to explore.

The canal area off Broad street is nice by Brindley place - lots of nice pubs for a drink. The town centre will be open with the new Bullring shopping area open 11-5 Sunday.

From the NEC you can get onto a train at Birmingham international station - its 10 mins to Brum - you come into New street station bit grotty but leads to town. Dont catch the bus as it takes 30-40 mins!

Lots of places to eat in centre of town - what types of food do you like?

Might be worth getting taxi to the balti belt if you like balti/Indian food? This is several roads full of low priced, tasty places to eat, or there is chinatown in the centre of town.

Not sure about where to eat by the NEC? Its all hotel places...

Couple of useful websites:
http://www.birminghambites.com/exec/109327/18766/

http://www.beinbirmingham.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g186402-i386-Birmingham_West_Midlands_England.html

Any more questions do ask - im a Brummie but live 30 mins away now!

Alison

I thought the canal area was very nice. We went there during our HT meet weekend last year

Ali, what was the area with the big wheel and giant map called? Was that near the canal? There was a shop selling really nice prints.

Pippy

Thats Centenary square by the Rep theatre - the wheel is still there but the pics have gone im told? shame they were great those 'earth from the air' ones

Thanks very much alit and Pippy, I will let you know how we get on, next week

i'm still wondering how that person got on...

i'm a brummy and all i do is surf the net all day

Ha ha....I wondered if anyone would care!!!!

Well, we got totally disorientated coming out of New Street station (after trying to help a foreigner who'd missed his connection to Loughborough via Derby....such quaint English words to pronounce.... ) and walked past HUNDREDS of shops - the Pallasades mall - then came out by the bull statue. We were trying to get to the Symphony Hall and canal area, so headed right past Waterstones, down to an old church which looked promising but we soon ended up in the back of beyond past the Hippodrome and had to turn back.

Eventually came back to the shopping centre, and this time turned left at the bull statue, walked past HUNDREDS more shops in a pedestrian area (where we picked up some street maps in a tourist kiosk), and came to Victoria Square, Central Library etc. and past the "Wheel of Birmingham" to the Symphony Hall and Brindley Place area.

We had a nice lunch in a Chinese restaurant by the canal, and although it would be lovely to walk around this area on a nice day, (you can get barge trips in good weather) when we came out of the restaurant, it was snowing!!! and the canal was partly frozen so we scurried along to the Mailbox and back to New Street.

WARNING - not all trains stop at Birmingham International - the ticket collector and a guard both told us to get on a particular train...which as it set off there was a welcome announcement...this is the bla-bla to London Euston, stopping at Rugby, Watford Junction and London Euston. we had to be back at our hotel for a special dinner that evening.....but luckily Rugby was only 25 mins away...although we had to wait another 30 mins for a train and a 25 min ride back again.......

So Wing Chun, what is the best way out of New Street station if you're heading to the "old town" and not the shops???

And advice for anyone else....print off a street map before you go, there's one here
Click Here

I will add that everybody was very friendly, and we would have done better if we'd had more time.

(Sorry mods this link has stretched the page )

*Edit to shorten link - Glynis*

i'm glad u had a good time. living 500m from new street, i walk through it every day and have never heard such glamourous descriptions.

new street station is a nightmare for trains... they're always delayed and changing platforms at the last minute...
i always exit via new street (the shops) but i think u can also exit from the bus area opposite the ticket offices which takes you to a place just down the road from the church and the market area (south east of new street)

Hi, can anyone tell me if the NEC has a train station? The net gives me conflicting advice.

failing that, does anyone know a good inexpensive place to stay nearby or how we can get to the venue as the accommodation right by it is booked on the date we want?

Thankyou

Hi sandbee ... Birmingham International Station serves the NEC, I believe it is directly connected via covered walkways. You may find more info on the NEC site ... click here.

David

Where are you coming from. The train station is on the B'ham (New Street) - Euston line and most trains stop there, or it's just a short run out of Brum.

You need Birmingham International which serves both the NEC and the Airport. It's on the line between London/Northampton/Coventry and Birmingham New St. The "local line" comprises trains from Coventry & New St every half hour (more or less on the quarters) taking about 15 mins from city centre.. Plenty of long distance trains also stop at Birmingham International too.

From there is is a series of tunnels (and numerous escalators) to various halls of the NEC and the Arena all under cover. Can be a reasonable walk to some of the more far-flung halls so wear comfy shoes! Certainly saves forking out for parking which is now £7.

Thank you all for your replies, so am I right in thinking that we could stay in the centre of B'ham and be able to catch a train to B'ham International which is within walking distance of the NEC? in what area should we be looking for accommodation close to the station (New St?)

Do the trains return into the city and are they likely to be running after an evening show? Also, do these tunnels have lighting and are they relatively safe?

Thanks muchly

Yes the last train to New Street leaves around 11.30pm and they are fairly frequent up til then. Paths are pretty well lit and should be fairly busy if something's on at NEC so i'd say reasonably safe.

Try http://www.nitenite.com for somewhere to stay. It's a new hotel and though rooms are small they're well finished. Rooms are £49.95 a night but they're doing some at £39.95 as an opening offer if you pre-pay.

If you like a Travel Inn type hotel, their Broad Street or Brindley Place ones are within walking distance of New Street station.

(P.S. when we visited Birmingham we found it hard to find the right exit from the station....so download a street map first. There was a thread on Birmingham but I know some of the old threads have gone).

There are 2 premier travel inns and a travelodge on Broad street 10-15 mins walk from New st, the Ibis is 5 mins away but heard a few negative reports? there is a campenille but in rougher area just out of town, so would avoid. The Nite nite sounds good!

Its 10-15 mins from New Street to NEC then all covered walkways.

Loads of places to eat in Brum - China town nr new street, balti belt (5 mins by taxi) good Spanish/Italian/veggie places too....

The trains run later if there is a concert on, or theres a longer route of 900 bus - runs later still. NEC to Birmingham. Trains always crowded after a concert - so safer

Its your typical city at night - i walked thru town 11pm the other week and thru a park area it was fine, busy and well lit.

Black cabs are available from New street to Broad street hotels (Broad street is full of loud bars but lots of security)

The premier travel inns are in quiter location than the travelodge (can be noisy there)

Alison

Hi All

We are going to a Ruby wedding celebration in March - staying for two nights. Can anyone recommend accommodation - preferably in the Northfield area We don't want to spend a fortune but obviously want somewhere clean and comfortable

Any suggestion will be gratefully received

Hello

Not aware of hotels in Northfield itself but there are several Travelodges in Birmingham including one here at Maypole a few miles from Northfield well about 2 miles away with free parking. Basic clean and comfy accomodation!

https://www.travelodge.co.uk/find_a_hotel/hotel.php?hotel_id=316&check_from=saver_search

They have special offers on like £26 and £15 rooms if you book in advance, normal price about £50. If you get the saver rates its well worth it.

Breccy is £7.50 and not worth it in my view better to find a cafe, or Sainsburys do a breccy by the Maypole one!

Hi Alit

Many thanks for your reply - will have a look at Travelodge site

hiya. Sorry to hijack this post.. Wondering if anyone can help me with a similar query - accomodation in Birmingham; I'm struggling (been going in circles on the net!)

Hubbie and I are going to Crufts and will have a mini-holiday (cadbury world, aquarium etc) at the same time.

I won't have a car so I'm after somewhere which is close to a tube/train/bus (or however people in Birmingham without cars get around!) so I can get to the NEC Centre, Bull Ring shops, Aquarium, etc - and back to the Airport to get home! I would also like somewhere with a few pubs or restraunts in walking distance where I can get dinner!! I'm not after nightclubs, since I am very boring when it comes to that kinda stuff!

I don't know if I would be best in a hotel in the city centre or in a B&B - last time I was at Crufts (a few years back) I stayed in a street which was FULL of B&Bs, but can't remember anything more useful that that! Or is that Broad Street I was reading about above?

I will be eternally grateful, and you will save my sanity (whats left) and my dial up bill!!

Oh, and can anyone point me in the direction of a cinema? Guernsey's only cinema is a dump so it'll be good to go somewhere decent!!

Thanks!