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Students outside halls at University of East Anglia (UEA)
University of East Anglia
Norwich
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Travel (UEA to Birmingham)

Anyone who travels UEA to Birmingham, or generally just longer uni journey, looking for suggestions.


Basically wondering
a. How often people come/go (i.e. start and end term dates, varies on coursework needing doing etc, how flexible do I need to be?)
b. Coach or train? Cheaper, how far in advance to book, which is more flexible, what passes to get etc)
c. Idk anything else? Thinking ATM I'll get the £30 3 year coach pass for a 3rd off of coach fare (which looks like £24 without card there and back for a few days into and before Christmas break but is also between like 6 and 8 hours)

Thanks for any advice
Reply 1
Take the train to Ely and change there. It’s 3 hours.
Students outside halls at University of East Anglia (UEA)
University of East Anglia
Norwich
Visit website
Original post by abieleanor
Anyone who travels UEA to Birmingham, or generally just longer uni journey, looking for suggestions.


Basically wondering
a. How often people come/go (i.e. start and end term dates, varies on coursework needing doing etc, how flexible do I need to be?)
b. Coach or train? Cheaper, how far in advance to book, which is more flexible, what passes to get etc)
c. Idk anything else? Thinking ATM I'll get the £30 3 year coach pass for a 3rd off of coach fare (which looks like £24 without card there and back for a few days into and before Christmas break but is also between like 6 and 8 hours)

Thanks for any advice



Hi @abieleanor,

Thanks for your questions. There are many ways to easily travel between UEA and Birmingham. To answer your questions:

a) The rate at which UEA students travel across the country (to go home or visit friends and family, for example) depends on many variables! It often depends on timetables, as some students have less contact hours than others, or live closer than others, meaning it is easier for them to travel more frequently. Some students, however, travel on the occasional weekend, and some only travel back during the Christmas or Easter breaks. It is completely individual and you can be as flexible as your course and workload allows you to be.

b) The cheapest and fastest option is the Megabus. This runs straight from UEA campus to Birmingham Brunel Street, takes around 4 hours, and is around £15 each way if you book last minute. If you book far in advance, however, is it only around £6 each way. This bus runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you have a NUS card, you also get 10% off!

The National Express also runs from UEA campus to Birmingham Coach Station, however, it has a changeover stop at London Victoria. With the coachcard (which you mentioned that you have considered purchasing), it is roughly the same price as the Megabus, but does take much longer due to the changeover (about 7 hours). The National Express does however run throughout the whole week and not just the weekends, lending itself to more flexible journey options.

You can also get the train from Norwich Station into London (just under 2 hours), take the tube from Liverpool Street to Euston, and go to Birmingham New Street from there (just under 1.5 hours). This also takes about 4 hours, but is slightly more expensive (however, if get yourself a railcard you save 1/3!) As a previous poster as mentioned, you could also get the train from Norwich to Ely, and then Ely to Birmingham. Travelling by train is a more flexible option as trains run frequently throughout the day, every day of the week.

c) To sum up, Megabus is probably your best option if you don’t need to travel mid-week. However, you could always book one way with the Megabus, and get the train back, for example.

If you have any other questions, please do let me know! :smile:

-Sian, UEA Official Rep
Most people stay at Uni the whole term apart from reading week (so Oct-Dec with a week for reading in November, then Jan-March, April-Jun) coach and train are actually about the same if you book far enough in advance, if you are thinking you will be going home ever few weeks, don;t do it because you'll miss out.
Reply 4
Original post by University of East Anglia
Hi @abieleanor,

Thanks for your questions. There are many ways to easily travel between UEA and Birmingham. To answer your questions:

a) The rate at which UEA students travel across the country (to go home or visit friends and family, for example) depends on many variables! It often depends on timetables, as some students have less contact hours than others, or live closer than others, meaning it is easier for them to travel more frequently. Some students, however, travel on the occasional weekend, and some only travel back during the Christmas or Easter breaks. It is completely individual and you can be as flexible as your course and workload allows you to be.

b) The cheapest and fastest option is the Megabus. This runs straight from UEA campus to Birmingham Brunel Street, takes around 4 hours, and is around £15 each way if you book last minute. If you book far in advance, however, is it only around £6 each way. This bus runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you have a NUS card, you also get 10% off!

The National Express also runs from UEA campus to Birmingham Coach Station, however, it has a changeover stop at London Victoria. With the coachcard (which you mentioned that you have considered purchasing), it is roughly the same price as the Megabus, but does take much longer due to the changeover (about 7 hours). The National Express does however run throughout the whole week and not just the weekends, lending itself to more flexible journey options.

You can also get the train from Norwich Station into London (just under 2 hours), take the tube from Liverpool Street to Euston, and go to Birmingham New Street from there (just under 1.5 hours). This also takes about 4 hours, but is slightly more expensive (however, if get yourself a railcard you save 1/3!) As a previous poster as mentioned, you could also get the train from Norwich to Ely, and then Ely to Birmingham. Travelling by train is a more flexible option as trains run frequently throughout the day, every day of the week.

c) To sum up, Megabus is probably your best option if you don’t need to travel mid-week. However, you could always book one way with the Megabus, and get the train back, for example.

If you have any other questions, please do let me know! :smile:

-Sian, UEA Official Rep


Thank you this is very informative 😁
Reply 5
Original post by SomeWelshGuy123
Most people stay at Uni the whole term apart from reading week (so Oct-Dec with a week for reading in November, then Jan-March, April-Jun) coach and train are actually about the same if you book far enough in advance, if you are thinking you will be going home ever few weeks, don;t do it because you'll miss out.


Thanks for the advice!
Phone happy cabs they offer a cab share and if anyone else is going same direction you can split cost :smile: contact number is 01603717273

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