Using Birmingham New Street

[EbbwJunction1]

I'll be staying in the Birmingham area in a couple of week's time, and during then I'll be in and out of New Street quite a lot.

Has anyone got any tips about the easiest way(s) to navigate the new layout, please? I think that there was a plan on here somewhere a while ago, but I can't find it now - can someone give me a link to it, please?

If it helps, I'll be travelling to Coventry and Rugby, but other places may also be destinations.

Thank you.

 

[deltic]

Plan can be found here

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/birmingham-new-street-station-map.pdf

 

[Blindtraveler]

The very best advice I can give you is Dont, but if you must then try follow those who look like regular users as they may well know quickest routes, my mate did this recently and found it far more valuable than the map

 

[DarloRich]

it isn't a maze or some kind of torture chamber! The platforms are numbered and there are several access points per platform. It is exactly the same as any other station in the UK. I find it really simple:

• get off train
• go up stairs/lift/escalator
• find next numbered platform
• descend stairs/lift/escalator
• board train

Now leaving the station by the right door IS hard

 

[Bletchleyite]

it isn't a maze or some kind of torture chamber! The platforms are numbered and there are several access points per platform. It is exactly the same as any other station in the UK. I find it really simple

I quite like the new station, personally. But I never hated the old one *that* much.

Only useful piece of information is that at one end you can change between all platforms without passing a barrier, but at the other end you have to pass a barrier between high and low numbers. This isn't a problem, but it can save time to pick the right end. I forget which it is - the map upthread will tell you and there is some signage.

 

[DarloRich]

I quite like the new station, personally. But I never hated the old one *that* much.

Only useful piece of information is that at one end you can change between all platforms without passing a barrier, but at the other end you have to pass a barrier between high and low numbers. This isn't a problem, but it can save time to pick the right end. I forget which it is - the map upthread will tell you and there is some signage.

it is an awful lot better than the previous incarnation! I find it quite nice and with, say, 30 minutes to change trains quite a pleasant environment. Awaiting the barrage of its a shopping centre type comments...............

 

[sprinterguy]

I quite like the new station, personally. But I never hated the old one *that* much.

Only useful piece of information is that at one end you can change between all platforms without passing a barrier, but at the other end you have to pass a barrier between high and low numbers. This isn't a problem, but it can save time to pick the right end. I forget which it is - the map upthread will tell you and there is some signage.

It's the 'B' (or west) end that has one continuous dispersal bridge, and the 'A' (or east) end which is split into two separate gated areas.

 

[edwin_m]

I think the difficulties are mainly around changing trains (having to go through two sets of barriers) not so much about getting in and out of the station. If you let us know there area you will be going to and from outside the station then someone will provide tips on the best entrance to use.

 

[Bletchleyite]

it is an awful lot better than the previous incarnation! I find it quite nice and with, say, 30 minutes to change trains quite a pleasant environment. Awaiting the barrage of its a shopping centre type comments...............

It sort of is a shopping centre, but it's a quite pleasant and architecturally impressive one.

 

[DarloRich]

It sort of is a shopping centre, but it's a quite pleasant and architecturally impressive one.

indeed - it is really two buildings squashed together within what isn't a vast above ground footprint.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Changing at the A end is, in my opinion, one of the worst bits of station design in the entire country.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Despite the recent improvements, New Street remains a horrible station to use because of its very narrow platforms and its penchant for last-minute platform changes. It's very easy to miss your train if you are not particularly mobile and/or have heavy luggage. Sometimes it's easier to change at Wolverhampton (e.g. if travelling from Crewe to Southampton) but you then run the risk of not getting a seat due to overcrowding.

 

[AlterEgo]

Despite the recent improvements, New Street remains a horrible station to use because of its very narrow platforms and its penchant for last-minute platform changes. It's very easy to miss your train if you are not particularly mobile and/or have heavy luggage. Sometimes it's easier to change at Wolverhampton (e.g. if travelling from Crewe to Southampton) but you then run the risk of not getting a seat due to overcrowding.

Indeed. It was this, and not the actual station hall itself that made the old one so unpleasant to use. £800m later and the station environment is lovely, but the inherent problems remain.

 

[TrainfanBen]

Tip 1: I find it safer and often quicker to take the lift up to concourse level. The stairs are dangerous especially during peak hours (In my opinion at least). The platforms get crowded easily too at peak times.

Tip 2: The exit onto Smallbrook Queensway is often quieter/lesser used. Useful if its busy and you feel claustrophobic and want to get out quickly and direction isn't of importance.
It can actually be a quicker route round to the Bull ring and Moor Street rather than using the Stephen Street exit.

Tip 3: The are nearby shops that sell food/drink at normal retail prices without the transport hub kind of markup.

Tip 4: Don't pay attention to the colour of the waiting areas. Its a useless system* given that, if memory serves, all the seating is battleship grey. Go by platform number.

Tip 5: The Western bridge others have referred to has a useful exit towards Hill Street and has no barriers , if like me you don't want to risk losing your ticket. It is staffed so there's no escaping ticketless :razz:

Hope this helps.
*So useless to the extent I'm sure people will question that it actually exists and be confused about what I refer to.

 

[DarloRich]

Indeed. It was this, and not the actual station hall itself that made the old one so unpleasant to use. £800m later and the station environment is lovely, but the inherent problems remain.

and how, exactly, do you make the changes you want to see without reducing capacity and without any land take? The idea, of course, is that you remain in the spacious concourse area drinking tea until the last minute before descending to your platform.

And no what was most unpleasant about New Street was that it was a dark, dank, dingy, horrible cave.

 

[90019]

Changing at the A end is, in my opinion, one of the worst bits of station design in the entire country.

Having recently had a short connection to get from 11a to 5a and having not been there for years, I totally agree.
It's rather counterintuitive, with seemingly random glass partitions and no obvious route between sets of barriers.

 

[59CosG95]

Having recently had a short connection to get from 11a to 5a and having not been there for years, I totally agree.
It's rather counterintuitive, with seemingly random glass partitions and no obvious route between sets of barriers.

If I could redesign that end, I'd provide a subway under the platforms. That way, the egress from the east end can be maintained.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

There's already a subway at the west end isn't there? I don't think it's used these days (certainly not for passengers) however. I have to agree though, the A end situation is ridiculous. I also note the 'take a ticket' system in the booking office seems to have discontinued and replaced by a standard queue.

 

[moggie]

Tip 5: The Western bridge others have referred to has a useful exit towards Hill Street and has no barriers , if like me you don't want to risk losing your ticket. It is staffed so there's no escaping ticketless :razz:

Barriers there now just like the rest of the station. Manning intermittent - just like the rest of the station so likely to be wide open. I believe there's still no entrance at this point.

There will at some point in future (no predictions here) also be an exit onto Hill St off P12 West End and the B end f/bridge. I might even get a chance to use it before I depart this mortal coil.

 

[basfordlad]

I always use the navigation Street exit. It's so much easier and quieter

 

[Mugby]

It's the 'B' (or west) end that has one continuous dispersal bridge, and the 'A' (or east) end which is split into two separate gated areas.

That's the worst part of the whole revamp. The 'B' end is easy to use but why does the 'A' end have to be separated into Red, Blue and Yellow lounges?

 

[TrainfanBen]

Barriers there now just like the rest of the station. Manning intermittent - just like the rest of the station so likely to be wide open. I believe there's still no entrance at this point.

There will at some point in future (no predictions here) also be an exit onto Hill St off P12 West End and the B end f/bridge. I might even get a chance to use it before I depart this mortal coil.

Thanks for the clarification, its been a while since I've been through there.

That's the worst part of the whole revamp. The 'B' end is easy to use but why does the 'A' end have to be separated into Red, Blue and Yellow lounges?

I don't understand it either, although I suppose it has a safety benefit, having people seperated out into different waiting areas. Although, as I alluded to before, the colour coding system is useless.

 

[edwin_m]

I guess it aims to have people waiting in the lounge nearest to their platform so they have least far to walk when the train is called. How this fits with the frequent platform changes may be a different question.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I guess it aims to have people waiting in the lounge nearest to their platform so they have least far to walk when the train is called.

Yeah, that. And to disperse them a bit.

It's a good idea, it's just not well implemented. If the seat covers were the "lounge" colour it would work.

 

[sprinterguy]

That's the worst part of the whole revamp. The 'B' end is easy to use but why does the 'A' end have to be separated into Red, Blue and Yellow lounges?

To permit access to the Smallsbrook Queensway entrance/exit from the central concourse while still allowing access to all the 'A' end platforms. It sort of recreates the old Queens Drive which used to divide the LNWR and Midland portions of the station before the 1960s rebuild.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It's a good idea, it's just not well implemented. If the seat covers were the "lounge" colour it would work.

Yes, if they're going to colour code the "lounges" then they need to make them a bit easier to identify with things like colour-coordinated seating.

 

[boxy321]

Hi all. Once and for all, yesterday I discovered what it is with the daft Red/Yellow/Blue lounges at New St.

See my picture attached.

Each 'lounge' requires going through a barrier to get in or out of. The bits not covered in a shade are open to everyone. Up is north towards the metro stop/main shopping and up/left is towards Broad St.

Moor St. station is 10 or so minutes to the right and the Gay Quarter/Soho/theatres are down.

One of the most confusing things is arising from 6a after say, coming from Coventry/Euston direction: You appear in the top end of the yellow zone and get stuck behind the glass panels (along the top edge of the map). Looking at the map, simply head for the small black arrows to find the best way to reach your exit.

 

[boxy321]

If there's copyright issues with the above; serves 'em right for not doing a simple in/out map in the first place!

 

[Upton]

I was there on Sunday and had to change platforms. The main problem for me was having to fight my way through the line of excess fare passengers which were blocking my access to platform 8.

 

[BanburyBlue]

Must admit I'm still very confused by the new layout. Mist will probably clear once I've been there a few times.

 

[jrh2254]

I must also admit that having been a few times I am just totally confused by the layout. With the old layout there was one way in to a central corridor and platforms went logically from 1 to 12. Access was from either side of the long corridor, which i found so simple! You could also use the subway to get from platform 12 to 1 simply and quickly. The only benefit from the new layout for me is that its much lighter and not so dark and dingy. However if I had a choice I would put up with the old dark and dingy to get back the ease and speed of the old! I expect the commercial aspects of all the new shops had a part to play in the thinking!