Accommodation and travel
Birmingham is right in the centre of the UK and well connected by road, rail and air. Once you arrive, getting around Birmingham and the region is easy thanks to the fantastic network of public transport, including buses, trams and trains. Cycling is also a popular option, and there’s plenty to see on foot.
01 Getting to the conference
Birmingham is well connected by train from across the UK. The main station is Birmingham New Street, but the area is also served by smaller local stations. It takes just 1 hour 20 minutes by train from London, and most of the rest of the UK can reach Birmingham in under four hours. Birmingham New Street is around 10 minutes’ walk from our conference venues. There are also plenty of taxis outside the station.
Coaches are a popular mode of travel within the UK and Europe. Birmingham coach station is just 10 minutes’ walk from the conference venues. The main providers are National Express or Megabus.
Birmingham has an international airport serving over 400 global and UK destinations. The airport has its own train station – Birmingham International – and from there it is just 10 minutes to central Birmingham. You can also use taxi services or Ubers from either the airport or main station.
Once you’ve arrived in Birmingham, the city centre is easy to explore on foot. There are also 144 miles of traffic-free cycle routes to explore around Birmingham, with 1,500 bikes for hire as part of the West Midlands Cycle Scheme. If you’d rather take public transport, there is a tram, known as the West Midlands Metro, or get to your location fast with Ubers and taxis available in all parts of the city.
Find out more about getting to Birmingham and getting around, including accessibility in the city, on the Visit Birmingham website.
02 Visas
If you’re coming to the BISA conference from outside the UK, you might need a visa. Check if this applies to you at www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
Once you have been accepted to present on the conference programme, and you have registered and paid to attend, we can provide you with a letter to confirm this. You will make your request for a visa letter as part of the registration process. We aren’t legally allowed to provide general letters of invite to the conference.
If you are applying for a standard visitor visa (please do not assume this is the correct visa for you – use the link at the top of this section to find out), current government guidance states that the earliest you can apply is three months before travel. Therefore, you will need to register and pay for the conference before obtaining your visa. We will issue a refund to any delegate who is turned down for a visa. Please send proof to office@bisa.ac.uk.
Requests for visa letters made after the 12 March 2024 deadline unfortunately cannot be accepted.
Please also ensure you follow the visa application instructions very closely.
03 Accommodation
With over 31,000 bed spaces in and around Birmingham, from luxury, budget, boutique and everything from international brands to individual properties, the range of accommodation on offer is diverse and caters for every requirement and budget.
We are working with West Midlands Growth Company who have provided a dedicated hotel booking page where you can book your accommodation at specially negotiated rates. Of course, you are also free to look for alternative places to stay.
We have been made aware of a phishing scam which has been targeting European conference participants. Please see our news story for more details.