University Train Station

The tiny but most useful train station in Birmingham!
Since I have moved to the city centre this train station has been a god send its only two mins from work and it makes my journey to and from work only 6 mins both ways!, can’t complain about that can you.
The train station is used by hospital staff and students alike and with 3 million plus people using the station it’s safe to say it’s well used. It has a higher footfall than snow hill station and that number is only going to increase with the increase of students coming to Birmingham.
I do feel it would benefit from a few things
1. More ticket machines — I have a monthly train pass so thankfully I don’t have to wait for a ticket it the morning but many people do and in these winter months I feel for them waiting in the cold for the two ticket machines in the morning. One machine extra would be welcome but two would be amazing.
2. A bigger entrance — has I said before 3 million people use this station every year and the entrance isn’t big enough at peak times with people coming into the station and people leaving and then people waiting for tickets the entrance becomes abit of a bottle neck but saying that the staff do an amazing job trying to keep it flowing
And the last suggestion would be bring back the coffee shop I think it would do a booming trade now especially with the rise in footfall through the station.

I’m very grateful for this station, as a student at UOB. The only station (in Europe?) to be right on campus at a Uni.
It’s also awfully useful for those in need of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which is a five minute walk away.
It has two platforms so as long as you know which direction you want to go, your train will always be on the same platform– very useful for those aware of the infuriating platform alterations you experience at bigger stations such as New Street. Unlike the smaller stations on it’s route however, the station does have ticket barriers (seemingly randomly open and closed) so probably not worth the risk of not buying a ticket skimpy students!
There aren’t enough ticket machines to keep up with the high demand of people traffic, even out of peak times. I would recommend queueing at the physical ticket office as long as it’s open (which it is most of the daytime) as less people seem to do this, so the queue moves faster. There isn’t anything like a little shop or even a cash machine so get what you need before travelling. (Card payments are fine.)

The ‘University Train Station’, named that due to the fact that it’s the only dedicated University train station in the entire country, is just one of the many advantages the University of Birmingham has over other competing institutions. As a station, it’s extremely basic. Two platforms for trains going either toward or away from New Street, the station did have a small shop, but in recent months this has been closed and replaced with some redevelopment. The basics continue with the service, with just two ticket machines and a small ticket office, meaning that, in peak times, there can be huge queues to get tickets. I would recommend buying them earlier if you know you will be travelling at peak times. The station is an extremely convenient way to get into town directly from campus, and for those living away from the main student areas, provides an easy way to get to University. It also provides a convenient stop for those wishing to visit the QE hospital nearby.

I use this station frequently when venturing from the University campus into the city centre. I find it is often completely packed with like-​minded students who are also trekking into town. I would definitely recommend purchasing a ticket beforehand as the queues are often very long. The staff that work at this station always seem quite friendly, but they also look a little unnerving as I suppose they are always on the lookout for people trying to get through the gates without a ticket! One of the downsides to this station is that during rush hour it becomes a bit crazy and it is a battle trying to get onto a train. A lot of school children, students and commuters from the QE hospital catch this train and I have had to wait for another train before as it has been quite busy. They do come every 10 minutes or so though and therefore, it is never too much of a wait. It is generally a busy little station with only two platforms.

I am a great user of public transport and a proud owner of a rail and bus pass which I use to travel to work (with mixed results, depending on how the 636 bus is running) — whilst the High Street is served by a multitude of buses, most of which go from Colmore Row in the city centre — the area nearest the new hospital and University (particularly the University) is best approached by rail. It’s a short walk to campus and the train journey in either direction is pretty, taking in canals and the Dairy Milk purpleness of Bournville Station. One word of warning though, during the first few months of term, especially during welcome and fresher’s weeks, queues at the station are massive and sometimes stretch onto the road. Also it’s worth baring in mind that the route to the hospital is a circuitous one so best not attempted on crutches.