Birmingham Number 11 Bus Celebrates 100 Years

Birmingham's Number 11 bus route celebrates 100 years of service on April 26

Birmingham Number 11 Bus Marks 100 Years

One of Europe's longest bus routes reaches a major milestone this month. Birmingham's Number 11 bus route celebrates its 100th anniversary on Sunday, April 26, marking a century of continuous service around the city's outer circle. The 27-mile route serves up to 36,000 journeys daily across eight major suburbs.

A Century of Connecting Communities

The Number 11 has operated since 1926, becoming one of Birmingham's most essential transport links, transit officials said. The route connects residents to 233 schools, colleges, and universities, along with six hospitals including Queen Elizabeth and City Hospital. It also serves 19 retail centers and over 260 bus stops throughout its circular path. The service operates in two directions: the 11C clockwise and 11A anti-clockwise, passing through Kings Heath, Acocks Green, Yardley, Erdington, Perry Barr, Bearwood, Harborne, and Cotteridge.

Route Details and Daily Operations

A complete circuit on the Number 11 takes up to three hours, making it one of the longest single bus routes in Europe. Current fares are £3 for a single adult ticket and £5.20 for a day ticket with unlimited travel. The route is managed by National Express West Midlands, though plans are underway for all Birmingham buses to be franchised under Transport for West Midlands. Officials didn't provide a specific timeline for when the franchising transition will occur.

Centenary Celebrations Planned

Special centenary celebrations are planned at the Wythall Transport Museum over the late May bank holiday weekend, featuring trips on different buses through the ages of the route. The anniversary events will showcase the route's evolution from its 1926 origins to modern service. Additional celebration details will be released closer to the May bank holiday weekend, officials said.

Impact on Daily Riders

The Number 11 remains a vital link for thousands of Birmingham residents who rely on the route for work, education, and healthcare access. Riders can track real-time bus arrivals and plan trips along the Number 11 and other Birmingham routes using Moovit. The centenary milestone highlights the route's enduring importance to the city's transport network and the communities it's served for a full century.