Looks like I’m being sent to a client near there for maybe a month or three. I’m coming from Cardiff, but I’m thinking the M42 is going to be a disaster during rush hour.. how to make this as easy as possible?

Trains are between 2.5 and 3 hours, with a half hour ride at my end; also might be possible to drive via Warwick and then the A46 or some other option…

M42 and M6 the other way is nasty around there at any time of day I’m afraid. The A46 can be better but it can just as easily be hell.

The only answer is to do the journey early, hit the M42 by 7pm, 7:30am at a push very latest and you may be fine, any later and you’re stuffed I’m afraid.

What about coming home in the other direction? Would leaving at 3pm help?

The soon-to-be mother in law lives off that motorway junction so it’s a journey I’ve done from Cardiff on many a Friday night.

There’s no better option than to sit on the motorways really – A46 cuts out the bits of the M5 most likely to clog up, but doesn’t spare you the busiest bit of the M42.

If someone else is paying, I’d be tempted by the train. At least you can get some work done then.

What about coming home in the other direction? Would leaving at 3pm help?

3pm departure should be fine, though if there’s a big event at the NEC that can scupper it. If you’re through J4 M5/J1 M42 by 4pm you’ve got a fighting chance.

My limited impression of New Street is that despite all the nice new bits it would still be awful if you were taking your bike from one platform to another to get to International. A rat bike at both ends if distances are feasible. Three hours on a train or two and a half hours on the motorway?

New Street isn’t mega bike friendly but it’s no worse that most other stations, you’ll have to negotiate stairs or lifts but it’s not that bad. I think if it were me and it wasn’t every day, I’d get the train as it should be less stressful even if it’s not quicker.

A46 cuts out the bits of the M5 most likely to clog up, but doesn’t spare you the busiest bit of the M42.

It does for me – I can go to Warwick and then up the A452 to the office.

I can go to Warwick and then up the A452 to the office.

Bear in mind that is almost all single carriage way through little towns. I work near Warwick and it’s the route I’d use to get to the NEC but it can be a tad tiresome being stuck behind something slow. It can also snarl up at Kenilworth and Balsall Common.

Fly? Aer Lingus fly Cardiff to Brum

It was ok coming home last Wednesday, Google thought it was generally freeer than the M42.

Fly?

I can’t. I’ve flapped as hard as I can and nothing happens. It’s just not feasible.

Spent a month doing that end of the summer, running up from droitwich to the m6 junction. It’s not actually that bad – as long as you aim to hit the m42 before 7.30 you should be ok. Other way try and get past the m40 junction before 4/4.30.

Granted when I say should be ok, it’s still a slog and the standard of driving on that stretch is sodding appalling.