Landmarks
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
The UK's largest zoo set across 600 acres of Bedfordshire parkland with drive-through animal enclosures.
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Road trip route · United Kingdom
London to Birmingham drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 2 hr 28 min
- Distance
- 118 mi
- Fuel (est.)
- £20
- Tolls (est.)
- None
The London to Birmingham drive
The drive from London to Birmingham covers 118 miles (190 km) and takes about 2 hr 28 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
Most of it is one road: the M1 carries 64% of the distance. You pass Luton, Milton Keynes and Coventry on the way.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 159 m near Coventry.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around £20 one-way with no significant motorway tolls on the way. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 118 miles this is longer than 20% of the 144 routes covered here, short enough to fold into a bigger itinerary without losing a day.
The road, mile by mile
Towns within a few miles of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartLondon
- 32 miLuton41 min in
- 52 miMilton Keynes1 h 5 min in
- 96 miCoventry2 h 1 min in
- 118 miBirmingham
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- M176 mi · 64%
- M632 mi · 27%
Best stops between London and Birmingham
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Landmarks
Santa Pod Raceway
Europe's premier drag racing venue in Northamptonshire, hosting iconic events like the FIA European Finals and Flame & Thunder.
Racetracks
Silverstone Circuit
The home of British motorsport, hosting the first ever F1 World Championship race in 1950
Museums
Coventry Transport Museum
Houses the world's largest publicly owned collection of British road transport, including land speed record holders.
Landmarks
Thorpe Park
Thrill-focused theme park near London catering to older children and adults with intense roller coasters.
Museums
British Motor Museum
Home to the world's largest collection of historic British cars with over 400 vehicles at the Gaydon Heritage Centre.
Landmarks
Aston Martin Visitor Experience (Gaydon)
Guided tours of Aston Martin's state-of-the-art manufacturing facility where DB11 and Vantage models are hand-built.
Racetracks
Mallory Park
Compact lakeside circuit at Kirkby Mallory known as the 'friendly circuit', racing since 1956. Its Gerard's Bend is one of the longest, fastest corners in British motorsport.
Filming Locations
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - Making of Harry Potter
The Leavesden studios where all eight films were shot; the tour preserves the original Great Hall, Diagon Alley and Hogwarts Express sets.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
United Kingdom
- Motorway
- 112 km/h · 48 in town
- Tolls
- Individual tolled crossings (Dart Charge, M6 Toll)
- Drives on
- the left
Low-emission zones: London ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in United Kingdom
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Snake Pass + Peak District
Cobblestone villages, Bronte-novel moors, and the moodiest 14 miles of road in England
104 km · 2h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
Atlantic Highway A39: North Cornwall
Cornish surf beaches, smuggler's coves, and the Westcountry pasty trail
139 km · 2.5h driving · 7 stops · 4 days
Causeway Coastal Route
Belfast to Derry along Northern Ireland's cliff-edge coast, via Game of Thrones country
200 km · 3.3h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
NC500: North Coast 500
Scotland's answer to Route 66: 516 miles of mountains, single-track roads, and empty beaches
755 km · 11.4h driving · 9 stops · 7 days
London to Birmingham FAQs
How long is the drive from London to Birmingham?
Driving from London to Birmingham takes about 2 hr 28 min nonstop, covering 118 miles (190 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from London to Birmingham?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly £20 one-way. There are no significant motorway tolls on this route. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from London to Birmingham in one day?
Yes, at about 2 hr 28 min of driving, London to Birmingham is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from London to Birmingham?
The fastest route uses the M1 (about 76 mi), the M6 (about 32 mi). It passes Luton, Milton Keynes, Coventry.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 57 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between London and Birmingham?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Santa Pod Raceway, Silverstone Circuit: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from London & Birmingham
Birmingham → BristolBirmingham → CardiffBirmingham → EdinburghBirmingham → GlasgowBirmingham → YorkLondon → AberdeenLondon → AmsterdamLondon → BarcelonaLondon → BathLondon → Brighton
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free United Kingdom road trip planner, browse every destination we cover, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in United Kingdom guide.