Birmingham - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the current population of the city, not the metropolitan area?
A: 976,000 approx

Q: When is the best time to visit the city and why?
A: Birmingham is a great city to visit all year round with a large variety of events in all seasons. In the Summer visitors might be surprised by the amount of parks in the city – more than any other city in Britain – and can enjoy the city’s waterways (with more canals than Venice). Autumn sees the city buzzing with a huge Arts Festival whilst Birmingham is lit up in the Winter with the Frankfurt Market and many other unique attractions.

Tourist information office address and contact details

A treasure chest of information and inspiration awaits you at Birmingham’s Tourism Centres, where our friendly, informative and multilingual staff are waiting to help. Accessing our centres is easy. Either call in person or telephone: +44 (0) 121 202 5099 (Information), +44 (0) 121 202 5000 (Tickets) and +44 (0) 121 202 5050 (Short Breaks).

The above numbers are staffed from 9:30am to 6:00pm Monday to Saturday and from 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Alternatively you can write to us by clicking on the relevant email address below.

Q: What is the city famous for?
A: Acknowledged as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham was known as the ‘city of a thousand trades’ due to the proliferation and industry of its various inventors, trades and craftspeople.

In recent times Birmingham has been reborn. Raved about in the world’s media, the cities regeneration has made Birmingham a premier European destination. One of the reasons for this is its retail offer, hugely increased with the opening of Bullring in September 2003 which includes the iconic Selfridges - described by The New York Times as a “world-class architectural showplace…substituting Birmingham’s old symbols of sooty foundries and lumpen, Eastern-bloc-style apartment towers with the alluring sight of a curvy undulating structure with a glittering surface of 15,000 reflective aluminium discs on a sheer cobalt blue skin”

Getting around

Taxis
Q: Where do you hail them, is there a central taxi telephone number or website?
A: Black cabs can be hailed in the street or reached at one of the many taxi ranks in the city centre, the main ones situated at New Street Station, Stephenson Street and Digbeth Coach Station.
They can also be booked by calling TOA Taxis on +44 (0)121 427 8888. Visit www.toa-taxis.co.uk. for further information.

Q: How much do they cost (flat rate, cost per km)?
A: Sample fares can be found at: www.toa-taxis.co.uk.

Q: Is a tip expected, if so how much?
A: As with most cities in Britain, a tip is not expected but is much appreciated! 10% would suffice.

Q: Are there any safety tips to bear in mind?
A: It's advisable to pre-book for journeys of a longer distance or at particularly busy hours. Private hire cars should always be pre-booked and an estimate of the fare secured beforehand.

Public Transport
Q: What is the best/most efficient way of getting around?
A: The city centre is small enough to get around by walking but for further distances, the bus network is very efficient

Q: What does the public transport network consist of?
A: There are substantial train, bus and metro systems on offer, full details of which can be accessed via: www.centro.org.uk/wwwroot/HomePage.asp. or by calling +44(0)121 200 2700.

Getting to our many attractions and venues by bus is easy. Centro provides online timetables, fares including day tickets and passes, ticket purchase, and route planning. Alternatively call 0121 200 2700 or visit Centro’s information points. Increasing numbers of buses provide facilities such as low floors, creating easier access for wheelchair users and push chairs.

For safety sake, buses cannot be hailed to be stopped; passengers wishing to board or leave a bus, should do so at an official bus stop. Remember that you need to give the exact fare to the driver as you board.

Q: Are day/week passes available?
A: Details on the wide range of passes available can be accessed by visiting www.centro.org.uk/wwwroot/HomePage.asp. or by calling +44(0)121 200 2700.

Trains
Birmingham’s eight local rail lines provide fast travel to all attractions, venues, cities and towns. A new addition to public transport in the region is Midland Metro, a state-of-the-art light rail system that provides a fast link between Snow Hill Station in Birmingham city centre and Wolverhampton.

Planning and booking your train or metro journey couldn't be easier. Centro provides online timetables, fares including day tickets and passes, ticket purchase and route planning and can be accessed by visiting www.centro.org.uk or calling +44(0)121 200 2700.