Park and ride sites serving Birmingham
We sell park and ride from four locations: Green Oaks, APL, Mackadown Lane in Garretts Green, Bickenhill Parkway, and the NEC West Car Park.
| Car park | 8 days, full price | 8 days | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Oaks Park & Ride | £64.00 | £44.80 | £5.60 |
| APL Park & Ride | £89.60 | £62.72 | £7.84 |
| APH Self Park | £120.99 | £84.69 | £10.59 |
| APH Drop & Go | £120.99 | £84.69 | £10.59 |
| Airparks Drop & Go | £120.99 | £84.69 | £10.59 |
| Airparks Short Run | £144.99 | £101.49 | £12.69 |
| APH Short Run | £144.99 | £101.49 | £12.69 |
| APH Express | £156.99 | £109.89 | £13.74 |
Sample eight-day prices. The search at the top shows yours.
Transfer times and frequency
Transfers range from about three minutes at the NEC to about 14 from Garretts Green.
| Product | Transfer | Frequency or hours |
|---|---|---|
| APH Express | About 3 min | On demand, 24/7 |
| APH Short Run | About 5 min | 24/7 |
| Airparks Short Run | About 5 min | Every 10–15 min |
| APL Park & Ride | About 10 min | On demand, 24/7 |
| Airparks Drop & Go | About 14 min | Every 25 min |
| APH Self Park | About 14 min | Every 25 min |
| APH Drop & Go | About 14 min | Every 30 min |
| Green Oaks Park & Ride | In your confirmation | 04:00–23:59 |
Green Oaks' transfer time is not published; it comes with your booking confirmation.
Whether you keep your keys
Five of the eight products take your keys; three let you keep them.
You keep your keys at APH Self Park, APH Express and APH Short Run, and Airparks says the same of its Short Run. Green Oaks, APL, and both Drop & Go products hold them. Key-drop sites can pack cars more tightly, which helps keep prices down.
Vehicle size limits
Most off-airport sites take standard cars only.
The Airparks and APH sites accept vehicles under 2.1 metres that fit a 2m by 5m bay, with no minibuses, motorhomes, caravans, lorries or trailers. APL lists a 2-metre limit. For anything larger, the airport's Car Park 5 has no height restriction.
Two sites shared by APH and Airparks
Mackadown Lane and Bickenhill Parkway are Airparks sites, and APH sells products from both.
That is why APH Drop & Go and Airparks Drop & Go cost the same on our sample prices, as do the two Short Run products. Compare them on the Airparks Birmingham and APH Birmingham pages.
Building the transfer into your timings
Allow for check-in, the wait and the ride, not just the ride.
From Garretts Green, 30 to 40 minutes from arrival to check-in is realistic. From the NEC sites, 15 to 20. Read your confirmation for any airport fee due on the day. Green Oaks resellers say airport access fees are extra.
The airport's own buses
Car Parks 4 and 5 have free airport buses, and you keep your keys.
Both run a free shuttle every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. Car Park 7's courtesy bus runs up to four times an hour. For many drivers, Car Park 5 is the simplest alternative to off-airport parking.
Accessibility
Airparks says its Drop & Go buses lower, have ramps and carry a wheelchair space.
APH Short Run asks Blue Badge holders to contact the car park at least 24 hours ahead to reserve a space near the bus pick-up. The airport's Car Park 4 shuttle is accessible, and Car Park 5 has 30 Blue Badge bays.
Arriving at an off-airport site
Allow time for check-in as well as the bus.
At the key-drop sites, you park in an arrival bay, check in at reception and hand over your keys. At Short Run, staff check you in at the barrier and give you a receipt. Keep the ticket or receipt safe: you show it to the bus driver on the way back, and at the Garretts Green site you scan it at the exit barrier.
Getting back to the car
Each operator has its own return routine.
Bus Stop A outside the terminal, show your ticket.
Call the number in your confirmation.
Staff return the car; APH has a key dispenser.
Car Parks 4 and 5 stops at the terminal.
Park and ride with a family
Shorter buses and 24-hour service matter most with children.
APH Express and the Short Run products cut the bus to a few minutes, and run round the clock. The Garretts Green sites take longer but cost less. With young children and lots of luggage, the saving from the cheapest site may not be worth the extra time; weigh both.
Overstays and grace periods
Off-airport operators set their own overstay rules.
APH says Drop & Go allows a discretionary grace period until midnight, then £20 a day. Short Run applies a similar midnight grace, per resellers. Amend the booking before you fly home when your return date changes.
Waiting for the bus
Most buses run every 10 to 30 minutes, so be ready for a wait.
Keep a warm layer in your hand luggage, and have the ticket or receipt ready for the driver. On-demand services such as APL and APH Express reduce the wait on the way back; the Garretts Green buses run to a timetable.
Park and ride or an official car park
The airport's own Car Parks 4 and 5 compete closely with the off-airport sites.
Car Park 5 costs about the same as the Garretts Green products on our sample prices, lets you keep your keys, and has a free bus every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, or a walk. For many drivers it is the easiest choice. The off-airport sites win on price at the budget end and on transfer time at the NEC. We set out prices and transfer details on our Birmingham long stay parking page.
Which park and ride suits you
Choose by price, keys and hours.
| You want | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest price, daytime flight | Green Oaks Park & Ride |
| Low price, 24 hours | APL Park & Ride |
| Keep your keys, short bus | APH Express or APH Short Run |
| Keep your keys, lowest APH price | APH Self Park |
Our view on park and ride
Choose Green Oaks or APL for price, APH Express or Short Run for speed, and Car Park 5 to keep things simple.
Birmingham's off-airport options cover a wide range. At the budget end, Green Oaks and APL cost the least but hold your keys, and Green Oaks does not run overnight. In the middle, the Garretts Green sites offer Drop & Go and Self Park with a longer bus. Near the NEC, APH Express and the Short Run products cut the transfer to a few minutes and let you keep your keys. Our code takes up to 30% off all of them.
Booking tips
Book early and check the operating hours against your flights.
The cheapest sites fill first in school holidays. Bookings made with us can be cancelled free within 24 hours of booking. The Birmingham parking discount codes page sets out what the code saves at each car park we compare.
Park and ride at Birmingham: questions answered
Green Oaks, on our sample prices.
APH Express at the NEC, about three minutes, then APH and Airparks Short Run at about five.
APH Self Park, APH Express and the Short Run products. Green Oaks, APL and the Drop & Go products hold your keys.
APL, APH Short Run and APH Express, per their listings, plus the airport's own buses from Car Parks 4 and 5.
Airparks says its Drop & Go buses lower, have ramps and carry a wheelchair space.
Ready to book? The search at the top compares every Birmingham car park we sell. Cancel free within 24 hours of booking. Pre-booking here costs up to 80% less than the drive-up rate.