Popular Airport | Ostend Bruges Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 1 hour 10 min |
Approximate Travel Distance | 376 Km |
The city of Birmingham is located in West Midlands, England, at the basin of the Severn and Trent rivers. It is the one of the biggest cities in the country and the second most populated city in the country, after London. Those who want to travel to Birmingham fly into Birmingham Airport. The city contains five main areas that are intertwined. The first zone covers the area known as New Street, which is the innermost part of the city and considered the city center.
When it comes to urban transportation most of the city is accessible by bicycle or on foot. Network West Midlands is the executive body responsible for the public transportation network in the city. This institution encourages citizens and visitors to use bicycles to get around in the city. Buses provide transportation to most parts of Birmingham as well. Many of these bus lines are run by National Express West Midlands. There are also Diamond Buses that operate throughout the city. If you are planning on riding multiple buses throughout the day we would recommend buying a day ticket, also referred to as a daysaver, because it is more economical than buying a single trip ticket.
Single fare or daysaver tickets for National Express West Midlands buses can be purchased on board from the driver but you must have the exact fare, the driver cannot give you change. Therefore we recommend that you have the exact fare ready before getting on the bus. You can also purchase different ticket options with longer validity from the Pavilion Shopping Centre, which is located in close proximity to the Moor Street Station.
There are many public transportation alternatives in the city that provide transportation to the airport. Most of these options provide transportation to the airport from the city center or from the main train station. Birmingham Airport is located about 10 km from the city center.
Train
The airport is accessible by train via the Birmingham International Station. The Air-Rail Link connects the Birmingham International Station with Birmingham Airport. The train from New Street Station to Birmingham International Station can take between 10 and 20 minutes. Trains on this route run every 5 to 10 minutes. These trains operate from 6:15 am to 11:15 pm. Trains are usually more expensive when compared to buses. The rail service is provided by London Midland and it has an extensive network throughout Birmingham. You can find maps detailing the train routes in tourist information offices located in various parts of the city.
The fare for the train can vary depending on the region you will be traveling to. There are 3 main train stations in Birmingham. New Street Station is considered the main station and is located in the city center. There are four different train lines that run throughout the city. The yellow line runs between Wolverhampton and Northampton, the green line runs between Hereford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa, the red line runs between Redditch and Lichfield Trent Valley, and the blue line runs between Rugeley Trent Valley and Walsall.
There are also longer lines that provide transportation to neighboring cities. The majority of the train lines intersect at certain points so passengers can easily transfer between lines. The Air-Rail Link is a people mover that provides transportation between Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport.
The Air-Rail Link operates from 5:15 am to 2 am and runs every 2 minutes. The Air-Rail Link takes no more than 2 minutes to get to the airport.
Bus
One of the buses that operates between the city center and the airport is bus number 900. This bus runs every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night and on Sundays. Another bus that provides transportation between the city center and the airport is bus number 97. This bus departs from the same location as bus number 900 but it goes along a longer route.
One advantage that bus number 97 has is that it operates 24 hours a day. Bus 97 runs every hour on the hour. Bus number 966 provides transportation to the airport from Solihull and Erdington. This bus runs every 30 minutes during the day and every hour, on the hour, at nights and on Sundays.
There is no central bus station in the city, instead buses depart from various parts of the city. The majority of the buses pass through Bull Street, Colmore Row, Moor Street, and Priory Queensway. Buses generally operate from 5 am to midnight.
There are two routes that buses follow, the Inner Circle, which runs through the city center and the Outer Circle, which avoids entering the city center and runs along the outskirts of the city center.
There are also bus services that provide transportation between the suburbs, hospitals, and shopping centers. However these services run less frequently at night and on Sundays.
There are also coach services that operate throughout the city and to the airport. These services depart from Birmingham’s Digbeth Coach Station and the fare is approximately the same as city buses. These coach services also operate at night.
Tram
The tram line in the city is known as the Midland Metro. So the word ‘metro’ is used to describe the light rail/tram line in Birmingham. However, the airport is not accessible by tram.
There is only one tram line that operates throughout the city. This line operates between Snow Hill Station, Wolverhampton, Jewellery Quarter, West Bornwich, Wednesbury and Bilston. The tram operates from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm on weekdays and on Saturdays. On Sundays the tram operates from 8 am to 11 pm.
Taxi
There are many taxi stops located throughout the city but the easiest place to find a cab is in the city center. However keep in mind that it can be hard to find an empty taxi during peak hours or on Saturdays. Taxi fares in Birmingham are quite high.
Ferry
Ferry boats in the Gas Street Basin offer public transportation services and sightseeing tours for tourists. However the airport is not accessible by ferry.
Rental Car
There are various rental car offices located throughout the city and Birmingham Airport works with seven different international car rental companies. Alternatively, you can book your vehicle in advance before your flight by making a reservation with one of these companies online.
Airport Information
Birmingham Airport has a passenger terminal that contains various services you can enjoy while waiting for your flight. Passengers can go shopping at well-known stores such as Accessorize, Hugo Boss, Victoria’s Secret, and JD Sports or buy luxurious products at affordable prices at the World Duty Free shop.
Cafes and restaurants located in the terminal include Deli Hub, which offers delicious dishes from Indian cuisine, Frankie & Benny’s, where you can enjoy classic American dishes, Pret a Manger, where you can find homemade, natural meals, Giraffe, which serves a variety of international cuisine, and Wetherspoon, which reflects traditional British culture.
There is a Burger King for those who prefer fast food, those who want luxurious restaurants and bars can head to All Bar One or Blanc et Noir, and those who want to spend time at a café can go to Caffé Nero and Costa.
Ostend is a Flanders settlement in Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Zandvoorde, Vuurtörenwijk, Stene and Mariakerke. A seaside city with a port on the banks of the English Channel, Ostend is Belgium’s closest point to England. There is a fast and direct ferry service between England and Ostend. Transportation is quite easy in Ostend, which usually opens its doors to tourists in summer.
Trams, buses and taxis are the main elements of urban transportation in Ostend. The proximity of the airport and railway station to the city center of Ostend makes it very easy to access the city from other Belgian cities and from major European countries such as England. Trains are the easiest means of transportation from other countries and cities to Ostend Airport and Ostend city center. Because it is both cheap and fast, it is possible to reach many points of Ostend area by using trains.
The train station is just 5 minute walking distance from Ostend Airport. The central point of Ostend is considered to be the major railway station that opened in 1910-1913. There is a tram line, taxi stands and bus stops nearby train station, which is also very close to Ostend Bruges Airport.
The catamaran terminal is located near the station and it is easy to get to the Dover canal from here. There are lockers in many places in the city where you can lock your baggage or your belongings by using coins. This helps you to visit many places of the city without having to carry your belongings.
There are bus services between Ostend Airport and Raversijde that last 18 minutes. These buses, number 6, are located at the exit of the airport terminal. Single ticket costs 3 euros currently. Bus ride between Ostend Airport and Ostend city center lasts 10 minutes.
Ostend tram, which is also known as Kusttram (coastal tram), takes its name from its route, passing through the coastal strip. Trams are the easiest means of public transportation in Ostend which is known as a port city. Kusttram is exactly for you if you want to take a nice tour of the city and also want to get anywhere you want cheaply. Single ticket costs 2 euros whereas 10 tickets pass costs 9 euros as of 2015.
There are also daily tickets for trams. If you are planning to stay longer than one day in Ostend, 10 tickets pass would be the best option for you. To reach the city center by tram from the airport, you only need to walk to the railway station, which is 5 minutes away from the airport. You will see the stop of the trams going to the city very close to the train station. Normally trams depart every 20 minutes, but the frequency increases during summer, when tourists are busy. If you use the tram line passing through the train station, you can reach the Flemish coast in a very short time.
Taxi prices in Ostend are a bit expensive, so using public transport in the city is more economical. From Oostende Airport you can go to the city center for about 10-15 euros by taxi. To take advantage of taxi services, you can visit www.mijintaxi.be or www.taxi-oostende.be. If a taxi driver at the airport asks more than 15-20 euros to take you to the city center, you should definitely go in the direction of the train station and check with the taxi drivers who are very close to the station.
It is possible to find car rental companies in Ostend Bruges Airport terminal and get information. If the offices of these companies at the airport are closed, you can also rent your car from any company in the city. Ostend has a developed urban transportation, as well as modern motorways and highways. Because the traffic in the city is not very intense and it is close to big European cities, most of the tourists prefer the option of car rental.
Bruges, which is very close to Brussels and located 33 kilometers east of Ostend Bruges Airport, is a small but charming and romantic city, which is famous for its houses, channels, phaetons, and a thousand varieties of Belgian chocolates. As a medieval city, Bruges was chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2002 and has been able to carry its dazzling architecture to daylight.
There are trains from Brussels to Bruges that depart every 20 minutes and last about 1 hour. This creates an opportunity for tourists visiting Brussels Airport to visit the city of Bruges. Just like in Ostend, Bruges’ central point is the train station. There are trains to this station from neighboring countries or from other cities in Belgium.
The easiest way to get to the city of Bruges from Ostend Airport is taking a train. You can also take advantage of bus number 6, taxi and car rental services to get there as soon as possible.
Taking a train is the easiest way to get to Bruges from Ostend Bruges Airport without a doubt. The train station, which is the most important point in Bruges, is a 5-minute walk from the city center. There are direct trains from Ostend train station, which is very short distance from the airport, to Bruges train station. Trains depart every one and half hours and last 15 minutes.
The ticket for the bus from the airport to Bruges city center can also be used for travelling within Bruges. You can buy these tickets as single-use (1.30 euros), daily, weekly or 10-use (9 euros). The most important clue is that one ticket can be used by more than one person.
It takes 23 minutes to go to the city center of Bruges from Ostend Bruges Airport by taxi. You would pay an average of 70-85 euros for this journey. If you bargain with the drivers, you can reduce this price.
Taxi stands are located 5 minutes away from the airport terminal exit. Or after landing, you can get detailed information by calling, Rony's Taxis bvba (+32 50 34 43 44), Taxi Georges (+32 475 57 60 15) or Taxi Abby Albert (+32 50 36 36 45).
There are two car rental companies at the Ostend Bruges Airport terminal: Avis and Easy Terra Car Rental. You can choose one of these two companies, rent your car and arrive in Bruges city center in 20-30 minutes.