How to travel from Birmingham to Thurso, United Kingdom

The distance between Birmingham and Thurso is around 878km (545 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the train which takes around 9h 15m.

4 routes found

We've found 4 different ways to get from Birmingham to Thurso by plane, train, bus and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out ThursoBirmingham if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
+
train
+
train
+

Plane and Train

Fly from Birmingham (BHX) to Edinburgh (EDI) then take the train to Inverness and then to Thurso.

  • Duration9h 15m
  • Flight time1h 10m
  • Typical cost
    £160($185)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2
3 x train
+

Train

Take the train to Edinburgh then Inverness and then to Thurso.

  • Duration11h 35m
  • Departsevery 20 mins
  • Typical cost
    £195($230)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
3
4 x bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station, Inverness Bus Station Stance 3 then Leirinmore Smoo Cave and then to Thurso Royal Bank of Scotland.

  • Duration15h 55m
  • Departsonce a week
  • Typical cost
    £59($70)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Thurso.

  • Duration9h 45m
  • Distance878km (545 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Birmingham and Thurso

There are several options for getting from Birmingham to Thurso by plane, train, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £59 ($70) and will take around 15h 55m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 9h 15m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £160 ($185).

The distance between Birmingham and Thurso is around 878km (545 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 688km (427 miles)

It takes around 9h 15m to get from Birmingham and Thurso by plane and train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 9h 45m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Birmingham to Thurso is to fly and then take the train which takes around 9h 15m and will set you back approx £160 ($185).

The cheapest way to travel between Birmingham and Thurso, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £59 ($70) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Birmingham and Thurso. It typically takes around 11h 35m and departs every 20 mins.

There are no direct train services that runs from Birmingham to Thurso. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Edinburgh and Inverness. These services run every 20 mins and will take a minimum of 11h 35m.

Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, First ScotRail Service and LNER run train services between Birmingham and Thurso. Trains depart every 20 mins and will take around 11h 35m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Birmingham and Thurso. It typically takes around 15h 55m and departs once a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Birmingham to Thurso. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Buchanan Bus Station, Inverness Bus Station Stance 3 and Leirinmore Smoo Cave. These services run once a week and will take a minimum of 15h 55m.

Megabus UK, Scottish Citylink and The Durness Bus run regular bus services between Birmingham and Thurso. Buses run once a week and take around 15h 55m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Birmingham to Thurso. We recommend that you fly from Birmingham (BHX) to Edinburgh (EDI) then take the train to Inverness and then to Thurso. instead which will take 9h 15m.

The closest major airport to Thurso is Kirkwall Airport (KOI) (KOI) which is approximately 54km (34 miles) from Thurso. Inverness Airport (INV) (INV) and Stornoway Airport (SYY) (SYY) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Birmingham and Thurso. The distance is around 878km (545 miles) by road and it will take around 9h 45m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Birmingham to Thurso is to fly and then take the train which takes, on average, 9h 15m and will usually cost around £160 ($185).

How do I get from Birmingham to Thurso

Compare travel optionsbetween Birmingham and Thurso

Transport options from Birmingham to Thurso
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Plane and Train
9h 15m
£160($185)
every 20 mins964km (599 miles)
Train
11h 35m
£195($230)
every 20 mins1,011km (628 miles)
Bus
15h 55m
£59($70)
once a week1,114km (692 miles)
Drive
9h 45m
£150($180)
on demand878km (545 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Birmingham and Thurso

Airlines

Bus companies

Train operators

Airports near Thurso

The following major airports near Thurso offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

KOI
Kirkwall Airport (KOI)
Domestic Airport
Distance
54km (34 miles) from Thurso
INV
Inverness Airport (INV)
International Airport
Distance
122km (76 miles) from Thurso
SYY
Stornoway Airport (SYY)
Domestic Airport
Distance
169km (105 miles) from Thurso