U.K. and Ireland - Heathrow to Birmingham. transportation options?

Am flying into Heathrow and will be staying in Birmingham..would really like
some info re transportation between 2 cities, distance, act. Ant info re Birmingham things to see,do, act would be great!
will have 2 1/2 days in London before flying home, what area would be easiest to see sights from?

Birmingham is rubbish. Haven't you asked this before ? I thought you had an answer.

From Heathrow to Birmingham get the underground (Piccadilly line) to Euston and pick up your choice of train. Virgin Trains are fast but expensive; London Midland are slow but cheap. There's also Chiltern Railways from Marylebone. Book online with www.redspottedhanky.com or your choice of train company. Most other third-party booking sites charge avoidable booking fees.

No idea about what one would see in Birmingham. Nearby you have the Cadbury factory in Bourneville.

There is no one good place to stay in London (and certainly without an idea of what sights you're planning to see it's futile trying to advise you) but you can travel around London very easily on the London Underground, so just book anything reasonably central in line with your budget.

You have a few options. The most direct is probably the National Express coach service number 210. Goes from the Central Bus Station at LHR to Digbeth Coach Station. From there you are on the outskirts of Birmingham and can get a bus/taxi to wherever you are staying. Coach journey is around two and a half hours.

Alternatively you could get the Heathrow Express train to Paddington, catch the underground to Euston Square, short walk to London Euston and catch a Virgin train to Birmingham New Street. May not be a great journey if you have a lot of luggage. The option above re getting the Piccadilly line to Euston also works.

There is a half way compromise between the above two. Catch the 724 Greenline coach from LHR Central Bus Station to Watford Junction, journey around one hour. Then from Watford Junction pick up the Virgin Train to Birmingham New Street. It's the same service that leaves from Euston but you catch it later and avoid having to go via Central London.

I suggest you decide on a route and book tickets in advance, leaving yourself some time for delays etc., as that will be cheaper than buying on the day. If you pick the third option book the Greenline coach ticket via tghe Easybus website and you'll get it for £1.50 instead of the £8 they'll charge you on the coach.

Have a good trip.

Alternatively take the Railair bus (http://www.railair.com/index.php) from Heathrow to Reading (daytime frequency every 20 minutes, or every 30 minutes at weekends), and then the train to Birmingham (daytime frequency generally every 30 minutes, less frequent on Sundays).

The Watford alternative only has one fast hourly (Virgin) service to Birmingham; slower (London Midland) trains may require a change at Northampton.

From Heathrow to Birmingham get the underground (Piccadilly line) to Euston and pick up your choice of train.
Though being picky, the Piccadilly Line doesn't go to Euston - you'd need to alight at King's Cross and take the Northern or Victoria line one stop.

(Thanks to a quirk of the system, from King's Cross, it's one stop north to Euston on the Northern line, but if you take the Victoria line, it's one stop south.)

If you really must go, I'd recommend hopping on the Paddington Express, and then a jaunt on the Grand Union Canal which links the two cities:

http://outlookonengland.com/Images/pottery%20976.jpg


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Union_Canal

I thought avoiding trips to Brum was what videoconferencing was invented for?

Though being picky, the Piccadilly Line doesn't go to Euston - you'd need to alight at King's Cross and take the Northern or Victoria line one stop.

(Thanks to a quirk of the system, from King's Cross, it's one stop north to Euston on the Northern line, but if you take the Victoria line, it's one stop south.)

That's true. Why did I think that? :|