Both Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market and Christmas in Cathedral Square Craft Market return today (running from Thursday, November 5 to Thursday, December 24, 2026). With hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to enjoy the Christmas celebrations, expect the city to get a whole lot busier.
It’s estimated that around 4.5 million passengers used Birmingham New Street during last year’s Christmas market period, making it one of the busiest times of the year at the station, while staff at Birmingham Moor Street and Birmingham Snow Hill both experienced increased footfall.
Birmingham’s stations expect another huge increase in passengers this year, with additional measures in place. At Birmingham New Street, queuing systems may be introduced when necessary to safely manage people accessing platforms and boarding trains, particularly during busy evenings and weekends.
They are also reminding passengers travelling by train of these three golden rules:
- Plan your journey and check before you travel at National Rail
- Know your last few trains home and don’t rely on the final service, as trains will be particularly busy
- Show festive spirit by respecting railway staff and fellow passengers
Anyone visiting the markets on Christmas Eve should also note that no trains will serve Birmingham New Street between Thursday, December 24 and Monday, December 28. You may need to use replacement buses, travel via a different route, or change at another station, with alternative arrangements now available.
Network Rail is working closely with Birmingham City Council, British Transport Police and train operators—West Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway, Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Transport for Wales, and CrossCountry—to coordinate passenger information and crowd management throughout.
“Christmas is always a fantastic time in Birmingham and we’re looking forward to welcoming people travelling into the city to enjoy everything it has to offer,” said Patrick Power, head of stations and passenger experience for Network Rail Central route.
“The railway will be busy, particularly at weekends and in the evenings, so our advice is simple: plan ahead, know which trains you can catch home and please be patient with our colleagues and other passengers.
“Teams will be on hand at Birmingham New Street, Moor Street, and Snow Hill throughout the festive period to provide information, help people with their journeys and keep everyone moving safely.”
