It may seem a little strange to review a bus route, but this is my most used bus route in…read moreBirmingham. This route runs from the Bullring to Moseley and Kings Heath (and beyond, but I don't travel "beyond") and is incredibly regular. Travel West Midlands fares have increased somewhat since I first moved to Birmingham, but a single is now £2.20 or a daysaver (unlimited bus services) £4.20. The service runs as often as every 6 minutes (and is hardly ever empty in my experience) and actually runs for 24 hours. After 11pm or midnight, it reduces to every 1 hour. You can check the timetable online, via their app or at the stop itself (it has a electronic display which lets you know when the bus is due). To get from the Bullring to Moseley, it takes around 10 - 12 minutes (Kings Heath, around 15). The buses have always been pretty clean when I've used them. As this is a popular route, they tend to update the fleet fairly regularly and keep them all in top order. I've never had a problem with the bus breaking down mid-route (a sight which is fairly familiar on the Birmingham network). Again, I don't use the buses very often - but I will always catch the number 50 when I'm planning on having an evening out in Moseley or Kings Heath. With it's late service, it's reliable and an easy (and cheaper) way to get around.

The 50 is a legend in Birmingham…read more I don't mean the type of legend you describe your mate as when he manages to drink 12 pints and a double curry without being hospitalised. It is the "Most Regular" bus service in Europe which when you are standing waiting for one in horrible traffic seems unlikely. But during the day there is pretty much one at the Birmingham City Centre terminus by Selfridges almost non-stop. It's a legend because of the people and they are amazing. There might be someone preaching one minute someone singing another, You get spoken to by the public no matter how much you want them to leave you alone. 2014 saw it become a 24 hour service with hourly busses in the night. It hadn't had a proper night service in years, if ever. Tip: Don't sit by anyone :-)

Today at roughly 11:30-11:40 I was at my bus stop in kings heath and the bus driver clearly saw me…read moreand decided to drive right past me when I had places to be and there was no sign to say the bus stop was suspended so he should have stopped and I thought it was extremely rude and it made extremely late to my destination where I was meant to be there at 1 and I got there at 1:40 ! Whoever this was needs to be sacked!

This bus route has to be one of the most annoying journeys that you can make on public transport…read more In terms of distance, to be honest it does cover a fair few stops, and the whole journey from start to finish takes a couple of hours, in both directions. If you need to get around within Birmingham's outer circle, sooner or later you'll come across one of the buses en-route. I find it annoying because if you have to use the service on your way to work during rush hour, or returning in the evening, then the bus resembles what I can only describe as a cattle market. Generally full of rubbish, no seats and some of the standing areas even smell of urine. Considering the amount of people who make use of this service, Travel West Midlands should put more of an effort in keeping this service clean and well maintained. Although a regular and reliable service, you'll not stay a fan for long if they don't tidy up their act.

If you don't fancy catching the train, then you have the option of getting on a coach. Birmingham…read moreCoach Station is just a five-minute walk from the City Centre and is easily accessible by car and public transport. I have been here whenever I have travelled to Leicester and London. The coaches are regularly on time and I have not had any issues with this place. If you are waiting for your coach, you can always grab a coffee at Starbucks or you can even go to WHS Smith to buy a newspaper/magazine or even some sweets. The one downer is the fact you have to pay to use the toilets. I just find that ridiculous. But there is a toilet on the coach if that is any consolation. From here you can get on coaches that will take you to cities across England, Scotland and Wales. National Express, Ulsterbus and Eurolines are the three operators that operate at this coach station. And I have also found it is a lot cheaper to travel by coach than train. It is not that expensive to travel by coach. The staff here are very friendly and they will answer any questions/queries you have. An excellent station in my view and one I will continue to visit.

The sign that greets you says 'a hundred thousand welcomes'* and on the other side of the coach…read morestation is probably my favourite bit of public art EVER - a big graffiti style mural that reads 'welcome to Digbeth bab'. This is in marked contrast to the welcome you used to receive at Birmingham Coach Station which generally consisted of stumbling around in a dimly lit car-park, narrowly missing being run over by a bus, hassled for money by men who smelt a bit funny and stepping over the pools of vomit outside the Dubliner. I've known loads of people who when they've heard I'm from Birmingham get a funny look in their eye simply because of their experiences of arriving by coach. Anyway it's all changed - the old building was torn down in 2007 and the new building officially reopened in 2009 by (bizarrely) Fabio Capello. It's a different beast all together - the space is light and airy and the signs actually make sense. You can hear the announcements. The toilets are okay. And there's a Starbucks. * In Irish this is "C'ead Mile Failte" so the sign is obviously a nod to the Irish history of the region. Step into any of the pubs round Digbeth and you're likely to see these words over the bar.

The bus is never ontime I'm sick of it I can get all across the west midlands ontime but when I…read morehave to get the 17 I'm stood waiting and waiting omg how hard is it there suppost to run every 6 minuets in the morning something needs to be done you do a 12 hour night shift get ajohnstones bus from reddich ontime then your stood in birmingham till you eventually give in and jump on the x1 aaarrrgghh!!!

I know the 17 bus route off by heart I've used it that much; and unfortunately, it's not a pleasant…read moreroute to know so well. It's one of the very very few buses that I can actually catch to town, and out of that few, it's the most reliable (and that's saying something, seriously!) If you need to get somewhere quickly, I honestly suggest planning your journey an hour in advance, because it's more than likely that this bus service will unpredictably be delayed severely. I don't think it has ever got me into town on time, and if it says '5mins' on the screen, don't build your hopes up, because it'll probably shoot up to a 10 minute wait, and the a 20, and who knows, maybe even a 30! The service is meant to be roughly every 8 minutes during the day, and then after 6pm, the bus turns up ever half an hour. I don't know who decided this schedule, but if they see the amount of people that use the single decker 17 everyday, they'd have a shock. And of course, as soon as the bus is full, it'll miss stops out, making pedestrians even angrier. But to be honest, you don't want to be squashed on this bus, which always gets gridlocked in Small Heath and Digbeth; Then you have to wait for them to swap bus drivers just before you get into the city! I'd avoid this bus route if you can afford to, it might be better to get a bus to Acocks Green and get the 37; there's tonnes of those, you'll be in the city centre before you know it!

The bus stops on Upper Bull Street don't have long left to live as they lie in the path of the soon…read moreto be started Metro Extension from Snow Hill down to New Street. For the moment though, they are a poor excuse for helping commuters get home. From Upper Bull Street, the buses head north out of the city centre. The main bus-stops to Sutton Coldfield are here, as are the ones for West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Tamworth. The Sutton bus-stops used to be covered by a massive awning protruding from the nearby buildings. However, a couple of years or so ago, some bright spark or sparks decided to remove this massive cover and replace it with a couple of tiny lean-to style bus shelters. Now when it's pouring down with rain or snow, everybody bar the few who can fit under this shelter get drenched. Clever, huh?! Hopefully once the Metro has redesigned the City Centre's layout, a more practical and traveller-friendly place will be found. I wouldn't bank on it though.

As one of the few people I know who can't drive, I have to spend a lot of time on public transport…read more You'd be hard pushed to spend any longer on public transport than if you ever travel the full-length of the 71 route from Sutton to Solihull. Having done this journey many many times, I can tell you that it's a comprehensive guide to every part of North-East Birmingham in between the two points: Castle Vale, Smiths Wood, Kingshurst, Chelmsley Wood, you name it. Once you've twisted and turned around numerous housing estates, the whole experience has lasted around 75 minutes; so make sure you go to the loo before you get on. Despite passing through some of Brum's less-salubrious areas the bus is, in my experience, safe. If you want to travel more quickly between the two points, then you'd be better off either going through the city centre, or changing at Erdington (using the 966). That said, the late night service is looked after by Pete's Travel and, because of the lack of traffic, this service flies between the two places.

Using public transport is a way of life for me at the moment. I've been using public transport for…read morequite a while now so most bus routes I've been on. The 71 is a pleasant bus service, I'd have to let you know though; if you are travelling from Solihull to Sutton Coldfield, you'll be on the bus for quite a while. You just about see every part of the north east part of Birmingham and trust me it's a fantastic site seeing journey. Especially, if you're like me and you want to get some great idyllic views of the city. The 71 is also usually one of those bus services where you won't get unpleasant people playing loud music ans generally making your journey uncomfortable and well.....boring really. All in all, you'll be on the bus from Solihull to Sutton for about an hour and 15 minutes; so you'll need to be prepared for this. Especially if you are travelling to work from one part of the city to another; you'll need to give yourself about 2 hours just in case there is traffic.

I was passing last weekend and notice people were leaving and entering this building…read more Well, because I am a nosey sort I went in. What I found was a wonder exhibition showcasing the history of Curzon Street Station. There is years of history behind those walls, each room had a display of photographs complete with information about part of Birmingham's past, the people involved in making Curzon St station tick at the time and plans for the future. If you can make it, go and have a look Try and leave a donation too .

Completed in 1839 Curzon Street Station is the oldest surviving railway terminus in the world that…read moreis still in its original location and is a grade 1 listed building. It rather dominates the landscape around Millennium Point and whilst it was a functioning station up until the 1960s, it has remained pretty much vacant in recent years. Thankfully unlike other buildings in the area - including a couple of old pubs - it looks in pretty good repair and is still currently owned by the Council. It's possible that with the advent of High Speed 2 that the station may be restored or incorporated in much the same, sympathetic way as Moor Street (which is just down the road). Either way this is a nice building to admire - perhaps as you navigate the (infinitely less attractive looking) road system nearby.

Chiltern's head office is actually based in Banbury, but they are well worth mentioning in a…read moreBirmingham context. They provide trains that run from Snow Hill and Moor Street to London Marylebone, with various stops at nice places like Banbury, Bicester and Harrow-on-the-Hill. I personally find travelling into Marylebone a far more relaxing experience than the New Street journey into Euston. The prices always strike me as more reasonable too, with an off-peak return fixed at £25.00. Chiltern Trains are in much better condition than the Virgin trains and they provide FREE WIFI on routes out of Moor Street, which is pretty awesome. I get quite gushy when talking about Chiltern, but I honestly think that their standard class beats Virgin First Class.

It's the free wifi that gets @chilternrailway the extra star. Not that it always works so not…read moreideal if you're 100% relying on it but certainly handy for emails. Chiltern have some shiny new trains which are clean and comfortable. Going from Moor St or Snow Hill (or both) adds to the convenience with the back entrance of Snow Hill being a mere 5 minute brisk walk from home for me. They also get you from Brum to London in 1 hour 39 minutes if you get on the right train! As with all train journeys, the further in advance you book, the less you pay too. Both stations have the glorious Centenary Lounge which is a bonus but there is often a refreshments trolly on board, which I 'm told they try and have on as many journeys as possible. Chiltern offer a great service too. I know trains don't run always (!) run on time on any network and it's not alway the fault of the train company but as long as they keep us informed, eh.