Airport
Birmingham International Airport
IATA Code: BHXLocation: The airport is situated eight miles (12km) south east of Birmingham.
Time: GMT (GMT +1 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).
Contacts: Tel: (0)8707 335 511.
Transfer between terminals: The two terminals are within easy walking distance of each other.
Transfer to the city: Taxis are available from outside passenger terminals and cost around £18 to the city. Buses to the city centre and surrounds can be caught opposite Terminal 2 at the Bus and Coach Terminus. Bus 900 travels to the city centre from stand K. Trains run from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street Station and vice versa during the day but are less frequent in the evenings and on weekends.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and National. All car hire booking desks are located in the Millennium Link Building, a short walk from both Terminals 1 and 2 the International Terminal.
Facilities: There are banks, bureaux de change, shops, restaurants, business lounges, baby changing facilities and a tourist information desk in the terminal. Disabled facilities are good; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking: The airport's 'drop and go' area is adjacent to the departures terminal and costs £1 per ten minutes. Garages 1, 2 and 3 are best for short- and medium-stay parking. They are located beside the terminal building and charges are £3.50 per hour or £20 per day. The long-stay parking garages are located next to the second roundabout along Airport Way, a ten-minute walk from the terminal. There are regular shuttle-buses between the long stay parking lots and the terminal. Long-stay parking is free for the first 15 minutes, £3.50 per hour, and then £21 for the first 48 hours.
Departure tax: None.
Website: www.bhx.com
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Birmingham
Birthplace of the industrial revolution, Birmingham is shaking off its dreary manufacturing reputation to reveal a cosmopolitan world city. Situated in the geographical heart of England, the UK's second largest metropolis is a mixed bag of cultures, dotted with a colourful array of continental eateries, modern shopping arcades, sweeping plazas and vibrant markets.
Much of the area now covered by Birmingham's metropolis was originally the northern corner of the ancient Forest of Arden. Birmingham came to life in the mid 1800s as a major manufacturing town owing to the large deposits of exploitable coal and iron nearby. Despite heavy bomb damage during World War II's 'Birmingham Blitz', much industrial heritage is still present in Britain's 'canal city', which has more waterways than amorous Venice. Built over 200 years ago, the canals, which once bore the raw materials that would spawn the industrial revolution, are now principally used for pleasure and provide a moody backdrop to the historic buildings, restaurants and pubs that site alongside, most notably at charming Brindley Place and the Gas Street Basin.
Churning out the likes of JRR Tolkien, Robert Plant, Black Sabbath and The Streets, the Brummies have done their fair share of creative contribution. An impressive live music scene now illuminates the evenings and an exhaustive listing of events can be found in the free fortnightly publication, The Fly.A rich bounty of cuisine and culture make up the world renowned Balti Triangle and the curvaceous Selfridges store with its mottled futuristic 'skin' is not to be missed at the Bullring centre, a commercial hub that has been in use since the Middle Ages. For a breath of fresh air, head to one of Birmingham's five Green Flag status parks and enjoy the shade of the city's dense oak tree cover.
