Do late trains, traffic jams and long journey times come to mind when you think about commuting? It’s not all doom and gloom when you're a commuter to Brum.
Birmingham Grand Central is a great station (and it’s official)
After its renovation in 2015, Birmingham New Street Station became a modern and environmentally friendly station with more shops and restaurants than you can shake a huge stick at. The selection of shops is practical for busy students too, with places where you can pick up a cheap lunch, grab a birthday card or meet friends before you head home.
It's also officially the best train station outside of London and the third-best in the country with a 92 per cent approval rating! (BBC News, 2018)
Our city centre is very, well, central!
Birmingham is laid out in a way that means you’re never too far away from where you need to be in town and the new (ever-growing) tram links throughout the city are making it even easier to get around greater Birmingham at just one pound for a short hop! Here are a few calculations just in case you don’t believe us, using Birmingham New Street Station as a starting point.
- BCU City Centre campus – 15 minute walk
- BCU City South campus – 12 minute bus
- Birmingham Bullring – one minute walk
- Digbeth (creative quarter) – five minute walk
- Chinese quarter – five minute walk
- Broadstreet (Symphony Hall/Brindley Place) – 15 minute walk
- Jewellery Quarter – 15 minute tram.
Not only does this mean you’re never at a loss for entertainment between lectures, but it also means you’re able to run errands, socialise and attend events while you're in the city.
You get the best of both worlds
As a commuter, you can enjoy the buzz of the city centre but also head home to enjoy some peace and quiet once you've had enough.
Commuting to uni in a city centre means you all of a sudden have easy access to facilities like cheap gyms and shops. Plus, you'll be able to experience new foods, cultures and activities by spending some time in the city after uni.