Birmingham, 6 August 2025 – National Express West Midlands has announced the launch of
a brand-new half-hourly 17A bus service connecting Birmingham city centre with Birmingham Airport, via Small Heath, Yardley, and Tile Cross.
Commencing Saturday 3rd August, the 17A will provide frequent journeys every 30 minutes, enhancing connectivity between central and east Birmingham and major regional transport hubs including the airport and the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).
The move follows the success of the extended 97A route introduced in July 2024, which has already recorded over 100,000 passenger journeys.
Mat Hidson, Area Network Manager for National Express West Midlands, said:
“Following on from the successful introduction of our 97A service, we continue to work in partnership with Birmingham Airport to improve sustainable transport options for those travelling to and from the airport and the NEC for holidays and events, and for the many colleagues who work at both major sites.
“The launch of the new frequent 17A service will provide improved connections for passengers across central and east Birmingham, offering a convenient and cost-effective alternative to driving by helping them save on expensive fuel, airport drop-off or parking costs, as well as helping to reduce traffic and drive down harmful emissions on our region’s roads.”
Birmingham Airport is working with public transport providers, including National Express West Midlands, to support its Airport Surface Access Strategy and wider sustainability goals by reducing carbon emissions and reliance on private vehicles.
Nikki Bains, Head of Planning, Transport & Strategy at Birmingham Airport, said:
“We are delighted to welcome another sustainable travel option to and from the airport. In line with the objectives of our Airport Surface Access Strategy, we continue to increase our sustainable modal split targets and look forward to exploring additional routes in the near future.”
In addition to the new 17A, National Express will also extend some of its existing 17 route journeys between Birmingham and Tile Cross to serve Chelmsley Wood every 30 minutes. Combined, routes 17 and 17A will now offer a service every 10 minutes between Birmingham and Tile Cross.
With single fares starting at £3, passengers can take advantage of the operator’s “Tap and Cap” system, using contactless payment to automatically cap fares for the best value, no matter how many journeys are made in a day.