Walking to Austin Court from Grand Central
Getting the tram to Austin Court from Grand Central
Directions
You can download a PDF location map of Austin Court.
By train
New St Station
Leave the platform at the North (Wolverhampton or Bristol) end and take the stairs to the "Way out to Victoria Square". When outside, cross the road (Navigation St) and continue directly ahead up Pinfold Street. At the top of the hill, the Council House with its clock tower ("Big Brum") can be seen.
As you enter Victoria Square, on your left is the Town Hall (modelled on a Grecian Temple). Follow the signposts for Paradise Forum, Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena. Continue straight on and the Town Hall is ahead on the opposite side of Chamberlain Square and the Council House.
Follow the ramp around the edge of the arena and just to the right-hand side of the Town Hall, a signpost to Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena points to the entrance to Paradise Forum.
Walk through the Mall and exit over the footbridge into Centenary Square, passing the Hall of Memory on your left and the Birmingham Library on your right.
Continue towards the ICC and Birmingham Repertory Theatre, turn right in front of the International Convention Centre to meet Cambridge St. Turn left, follow the road until you reach IET Birmingham: Austin Court on your left. Allow 15 - 20 minutes to walk this route.
Snow Hill Station
(Chiltern Railways, some Centro services from Hereford, and Metro service from Wolverhampton). Ascend into Colmore Row and turn right. At the end of Colmore Row, across Victoria Square, is the Town Hall (modelled on a Grecian Temple).
Turn right at the Council House; follow the ramp around the edge of the arena, a signpost to Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena points to the entrance to Paradise Forum.
Walk through the Mall and exit over the footbridge into Centenary Square, passing the Hall of Memory on your left and the Birmingham Library on your right.
Continue towards the ICC and Birmingham Repertory Theatre, turn right in front of the International Convention Centre to meet Cambridge St. Turn left, follow the road until you reach IET Birmingham: Austin Court on your left.
By road
- From the South-West (M5), leave the motorway at Junction 3, follow the A456 towards the city centre
- From the South (M40), South-East (M6) East (M69), or North-East (M42) follow the M6 to Junction 6, then the A38(M) towards the city centre
- From the North-West (M6) or West (M54) follow the M6 either to Junction 7, then the A34 towards Birmingham city centre or to Junction 6, then the A38(M) towards the city centre
By far the easiest, although not the most direct route, is to follow one of the main radial routes towards the city centre.
On reaching the Middle Ring Road (A4540), follow this to the junction with the A457 Dudley Road. Spring Hill Library, a Victorian Gothic Terracotta building, is on one corner. Turn towards the City Centre, also signed Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena.
Take the first available right (at traffic lights) into Summer Hill St, at the next roundabout carry straight on up the hill (King Edward's Road).
The National Indoor Arena and its car parks are on your right. At the top of the hill, the rear wall of IET Birmingham: Austin Court should be visible on the right across the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal.
Clean Air Zone
Birmingham is on a journey to cleaner air! The Clean Air Zone came into effect June 2021, in a bid to improve air quality. No vehicle is banned, but those which don't have clean enough engines will have to pay a daily charge (£8) if they travel within the area. Paying only applies to non-compliant vehicles - diesels manufactured before 2015 and petrol cars made before 2006.
You can use this simple online vehicle checker to see if yours is affected by the change.
Parking
There is very limited parking at IET Birmingham: Austin Court, which is available to use on a first come, first served basis. There is also an EV charging point that can charge two electric cars.
Further charging points are available throughout Birmingham.
If the car park is full, the nearest parking is at the National Indoor Arena. It is Pay-and-Display.
There is limited street parking (meters) in side streets opposite the NIA, also on the south side of Broad St (A456).
Other car parks are just past the Birmingham Rep between Cambridge St and Broad Street, and at the end of Cambridge St at the junction of Summer Row (A457), the entrance is in Brindley Drive.
As well as being further away, these are generally more expensive than the NIA car park.
By Tram
The tram journey time is approximately five minutes from Grand Central station. The tram will depart from the Grand Central Midland metro stop, where you head towards the Library stop. You will need to get off at the International Convention Centre, Library Midland metro stop before walking around 5-minutes to IET Birmingham: Austin Court. For timings and maps, you can plan your journey directly through the West Midlands Metro site.
By bus
Leave the bus in the City Centre. Ask for directions to the "Town Hall". A signpost to Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena points to the entrance to Paradise Forum.
Walk through the Mall and exit over the footbridge into Centenary Square, passing the Hall of Memory on your left. Continue towards the ICC and Birmingham Repertory Theatre, also passing the new Birmingham Library, turn right in front of the International Convention Centre to meet Cambridge St. Turn left, follow the road until you reach Austin Court on your left. Allow 15-20 minutes to walk this route.
(If your bus enters the City via Broad St, get off at "Symphony Hall", then walk past the front entrance (leaving the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on your right), to meet Cambridge St. Turn left, follow the road until you reach IET Birmingham: Austin Court on your left.