Bus

Local routes 61, 63, 41, 48, 76, X21, X22, 19, 20, 20A directly serve campus, linking the university to the City Centre, local train stations and neighbourhoods, and the circular 11A and 11C routes run nearby. National Express is the main service provider. All services can be found on a good journey planner.

University staff benefit from discounted bus passes with National Express West Midlands. The best discount is on the rolling monthly ticket for all buses in the region, which costs £44.25 per month. Other discounted passes are available too, including passes that are also valid on the West Midlands metro and regional rail services.

You can order these passes by creating an account in this portal.

Once in, you can follow the steps to select the ticket, make the payment, and load it on to your app or your Swift card.

Please refer to this step by step guidance as you make your booking. If you need further support with this process, you can book a bus pass support session or email sustainabletravel@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

What is the deal?

The University of Birmingham have been working with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) to promote the recently launched West Midlands Bus Scheme to UoB students.

The offer will get you a free 4-Week Regional nBus ticket, which allows you to travel on any bus in the West Midlands bus network.

How do I claim the ticket?

You can sign up to the scheme at the Sustainable Travel stand at the Welcome Fair in the Aston Webb Great Hall on 21, 22, and 23 September.

You will then receive an email with a voucher code and instructions on how to redeem the voucher code and claim the bus ticket. Those eligible for the Bus Scheme will be sent a Swift travelcard so please plan to claim the ticket before you wish to travel.

What happens after the travel pass ends?

And the offer doesn’t end there! If you use the free ticket, you will also be provided a follow-on 25% discount for another 4-Week Regional nBus ticket and then a third 4-Week ticket, again at a 25% discount.

Details on this follow-up offer will be emailed to you once you have redeemed your original free nBus ticket.

This offer is thanks to TfWM, who are working with the Department for Transport, local authorities, and local bus operators to get the region moving.

UoB students benefit from discounted bus passes with National Express West Midlands. There are two types of discounted tickets available:

• Exclusive UoB student 4-Week ticket. This ticket enables 28 days of travel on all buses in the West Midlands at a 20% discount to the standard student price.
• Exclusive UoB monthly direct debit ticket. This ticket enables travel on all buses in the West Midlands for a minimum of 9 months. Payments are taken automatically from you and will end when you ask National Express to cancel the ticket. The ticket is offered at 20% discount to the standard student price.

You can order these passes by creating an account on this portal. Please note the exclusive UoB discount is ONLY available via this portal. If you buy through any other way, for example on the NX mTicket app, you will get the standard student rate.

Once in, you can follow the steps to select the ticket, make the payment, and choose to carry it on an app or a Swift travelcard.

If you need further support with this process, you can email sustainabletravel@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Which ticket is right for me?

If you are unsure choose the 4-Week ticket. The ticket will expire after 28 days, and you can order a new one via the portal when you next need to travel.

The direct debit is recommended for students who know they will be travelling by bus regularly in Birmingham for at least 9 months, for example postgraduate students and some commuter students.

As of 8 April 2024, National Express have discontinued the Birmingham University Hop fare that permitted University of Birmingham staff and students to travel between Selly Oak, the main campus and the city centre for a reduced fare of £1.50. 

From that date UoB bus users must travel with an alternative valid ticket.

NX Bus’s mTicket app is a practical way to buy single tickets, passes and excellent-value group tickets. You can also make contactless payments on their buses.

A good map and journey planner are useful companions when out and about on public transport.