Car Hire Birmingham International Airport

If your first port of call after picking up your rental vehicle is Birmingham city centre, then you needn’t worry. An easy 20-minute drive west on the M6 or A45 will take you right into the heart of the city.

Parts of Birmingham are pedestrianised and the centre of the city has a one-way traffic system. As with any large urban area, peak traffic times can mean busy roads and longer journey times.

The A4540 is Birmingham's major ring road and provides a route in and out of the city. It’s only a couple of kilometres long and does sometimes experience traffic issues, but it’s invaluable for navigating the city and surrounding sights, like the majestic Warwick Castle and charming Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of the great William Shakespeare.

Britain's most famous motorway junction can be found in Birmingham. Gravelly Hill Interchange is better known in the United Kingdom as 'Spaghetti Junction' due to its somewhat complex layout.

If your plan is to travel further afield, you’ll find that Birmingham’s central location means it links up well with the rest of the country. Spaghetti Junction aside, the road network in and around Birmingham is quite easy to negotiate. 

The M1 and M40 motorways will take you out of Birmingham and south towards London. Take the M1 north and you can make your way to neighbouring Midlands cities like Leicester and Nottingham, or even further afield to the Yorkshire cities of York and Leeds.

The M6 takes you northwest out of the city, with Liverpool and Manchester around a two-hour drive away. Just be aware that this route operates as a toll road between junctions T6 and T7, so have some change ready for the £6 fee. There is a non-toll alternative, however – just follow the signs.

Birmingham has evolved into a diverse, exciting city. Art, culture, heritage, nightlife and fashion all collide here, meaning there are now more reasons to visit ‘The City of a Thousand Trades’ than ever before.

Choc-full of fun

Cadbury World is as close as you’ll get to experiencing Willy Wonka’s world of pure imagination. The chocolate factory in the pretty village of Bournville has been in operation since 1879.

A 15-minute drive south from the centre of Birmingham on the A38 will bring you here and you’ll soon see why it attracts more than half a million visitors every year.

This fun and fascinating self-guided exhibition tour isn’t just for kids, either, it’s a delicious day out for chocolate lovers of all ages.

Split into 14 zones, there’s plenty to interact with, from animatronics and demonstrations to stage shows and a multi-sensory cinema, as well as countless interactive displays and activities.

You also get the chance to taste some of its world-famous chocolate.

Experience the world of the Peaky Blinders

The Black Country Living Museum is one of the UK’s leading open air museums. A celebration of the area’s status as a driving force of the Industrial Revolution, there are 26 acres to explore.

You’ll quickly find yourself becoming immersed in a century of history. With actors in full period dress and character wandering the brilliantly recreated streets, it really is like going back in time.

The BBC’s gritty historical crime drama Peaky Blinders became a worldwide smash hit after hitting Netflix. All four series were filmed at the Black Country Living Museum and you can walk around many of the filming locations of the stylish gangster show and find out more about the real life Peaky Blinders that inspired it.

Experience the world of the Peak District

Hiring a car at Birmingham Airport allows you to drive in and around Birmingham with ease. But it also gives you the freedom to explore deeper into the heart of the English countryside.

Travel 110 km north of Birmingham and you’ll discover the gorgeous Peak District. The UK’s first specially-designated national park is found in the county of Derbyshire and takes around 90 minutes by car.

You can cruise around the wider area of the Peaks, enjoying the pretty local villages and busy market towns. Then park up and explore the caverns, rivers, dales, moors, historic country houses, springs and caverns that are dotted across the rugged landscape. A cable car ride gives you a bird’s-eye view of the stunning scenery.

Wherever you’re looking to explore, car hire from Birmingham Airport gives you the freedom and convenience to get where you want to go.