Great Birmingham Run 2025: Potential travel chaos as trains and trams set to arrive past start time
Visiting runners in this year's Great Birmingham Run may have difficulty entering the city as trams and trains are set to arrive well past the start time.
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Runners and spectators are expected to pound the grounds of Birmingham in the return of this year's AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run 2025.
While many runners are hoping to put their best feet forward for the endurance event, those travelling to the run by tram or train might hit a rocky start.
With many trains and trams still operating on Sunday running times on the day, most services are set to arrive either just before, or well after the first wave of the run begins at 8.30am - meaning that many may end up sprinting for the start line instead of the finish line.
From Wolverhampton, the first train to arrive at Birmingham New Street on the day arrives at 8.21am, meaning that runners would have only minutes to race to Birmingham's Centenary Square, almost 11 minutes away (walking).
According to the travel West Midlands Railway travel app, trams would arrive at 8.37am, meaning that those in the 'orange wave' (8.30am start time) would miss their run.
Express & Star editor Mark Drew is among those who are taking part in the Great Birmingham Run on Sunday.
He said: "I am down to start in the run's green wave, which starts at 8.46, but the first train from Wolverhampton doesn't arrive at New Street until just before the race starts.
"And the first Midland Metro tram doesn't even leave Wolverhampton until 8am, getting into Birmingham after the race has started.
From the alternative Walsall Train Station, the first train to leave the station is at 9.31am, with the first train from Sandwell and Dudley also arriving at 8.21am.
"It does seem crazy that I am now having to drive into Birmingham and find somewhere to park on a day when many city centre streets are closed for the run.
"With more than 15,000 runners, plus family and friends, there are bound to be many in the same boat as me. I had presumed that public transport was the best option, but it is clear that it isn't an option at all.
"I have done the Great North Run in the past in Newcastle and used the Metro with no problem. But it seems impossible to put on some early services for this big event in Birmingham."
With the mass influx of visitors and the rolling roadblocks taking place in Birmingham on Sunday, many are choosing to utilise public transport instead, however, this leaves early wave runners only able to use the bus services instead.
The Great Birmingham Run has been approached for comment.
