Bus 48 in Birmingham links West Bromwich Bus Station and Driftwood Close. The route is 28.9 km long with 92 stops, and the official schedule from National Express West Midlands puts the full trip at about 90 minutes. On a weekday it runs 46 trips in one direction, and 25 on a weekend day.
Route at a glance
| Mode | Bus |
|---|---|
| Route number | 48 |
| City | Birmingham |
| Operator | National Express West Midlands |
| Start → end | West Bromwich Bus Station → Driftwood Close |
| End → start | Driftwood Close → West Bromwich Bus Station |
| Route length | 28.9 km / 29.6 km in the opposite direction |
| Number of stops | 92 / 98 in the opposite direction |
| Travel time | about 90 minutes |
| Trips per day | 46 on weekdays, 25 on weekends one way |
| Frequency | peak 20 · midday 15–25 · weekend 30–65 |
| First / last trip from «West Bromwich Bus Station» | 04:45 / 23:10 |
| First / last trip from «Driftwood Close» | 05:05 / 23:44 |
| Fare | 3.00 £ (fare in effect since 28 June 2026) |
| Updated | August 22, 2026 |
Route of Bus 48
Outbound: West Bromwich Bus Station → Driftwood Close
This direction has 92 stops and runs 28.9 km. The route passes Sandwell College, Wigorn Road, Cadnam Close, Meadow Brook Road. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Bromwich Bus Station | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Sandwell College | 0.8 km | |
| 3 | Boulton Road | 1.2 km | |
| 4 | Parliament Street | 1.5 km | |
| 5 | Grice Street | 1.9 km | |
| 6 | Hackett Drive | 2.2 km | |
| 7 | West End Avenue | 2.5 km | |
| 8 | Marshall Street | 2.7 km | |
| 9 | Holly Lane | 2.9 km | |
| 10 | Marion Road | 3.3 km | |
| 11 | Hugh Road | 3.6 km | |
| 12 | Victoria Road | 3.8 km | |
| 13 | Hayes Road | 4.1 km | |
| 14 | Thimblemill Road | 4.3 km | |
| 15 | Bristnall Hall Road | 4.7 km | |
| 16 | Eva Road | 4.9 km | |
| 17 | Hurst Road Community Hall | 5.3 km | |
| 18 | Abbey Road | 5.8 km | |
| 19 | Lenwade Road | 6.2 km | |
| 20 | Warley Water Tower | 6.3 km | |
| 21 | Beechwood Road | 6.9 km | |
| 22 | Galton Road | 7.2 km | |
| 23 | Long Hyde Road | 7.5 km | |
| 24 | Wigorn Road | 7.8 km | |
| 25 | St Mary’s Church | 8.0 km | |
| 26 | Sherwood Road | 8.2 km | |
| 27 | Hagley Road West | 8.5 km | |
| 28 | Knightlow Road | 8.9 km | |
| 29 | Gillhurst Road | 9.2 km | |
| 30 | Elm Tree Road | 9.4 km | |
| 31 | Court Oak Road | 9.8 km | |
| 32 | Serpentine Road | 10.2 km | |
| 33 | Greenfield Road | 10.4 km | |
| 34 | Harborne Junction | 10.8 km | |
| 35 | York Street | 11.0 km | |
| 36 | Blue Coat School | 11.4 km | |
| 37 | Barlows Road | 11.6 km | |
| 38 | Somerset Road | 12.1 km | |
| 39 | Farquhar Road | 12.4 km | |
| 40 | Blood & Transplant Centre | 12.6 km | |
| 41 | University Station | 13.0 km | |
| 42 | The Learning Hub | 13.7 km | |
| 43 | Windermere House | 13.9 km | |
| 44 | Poole Crescent | 14.2 km | |
| 45 | Langford Grove | 14.3 km | |
| 46 | Cadnam Close | 14.6 km | |
| 47 | Elford Road | 14.8 km | |
| 48 | Wheats Avenue | 15.1 km | |
| 49 | Weymoor Road | 15.4 km | |
| 50 | Wentworth Way | 15.9 km | |
| 51 | Stonebrook Way | 16.3 km | |
| 52 | Napton Grove | 16.7 km | |
| 53 | Brinklow Road | 17.0 km | |
| 54 | Bottetourt Road | 17.4 km | |
| 55 | Jervoise Road | 17.7 km | |
| 56 | Barcheston Road | 17.9 km | |
| 57 | Millennium Medical Centre | 18.1 km | |
| 58 | Princethorpe Road | 18.4 km | |
| 59 | Gregory Avenue | 18.6 km | |
| 60 | Castlecroft | 19.0 km | |
| 61 | Ruckley Road | 19.2 km | |
| 62 | Quarry Road | 19.5 km | |
| 63 | Marston Road | 19.7 km | |
| 64 | Inglemere Grove | 20.1 km | |
| 65 | Shenley Academy | 20.3 km | |
| 66 | Shenley Gardens | 20.8 km | |
| 67 | Almond Close | 21.0 km | |
| 68 | Meadow Brook Road | 21.3 km | |
| 69 | Nigel Avenue | 21.5 km | |
| 70 | Bristol Road | 22.0 km | |
| 71 | Telephone Exchange | 22.3 km | |
| 72 | Beech House | 22.5 km | |
| 73 | Norman Road | 23.1 km | |
| 74 | Woodland Road | 23.4 km | |
| 75 | Northfield Rail Station | 23.4 km | |
| 76 | West Heath Road | 23.6 km | |
| 77 | Coleys Lane | 23.9 km | |
| 78 | Purslow Grove | 24.1 km | |
| 79 | Adstone Grove | 24.2 km | |
| 80 | Moorpark Road | 24.4 km | |
| 81 | Clunbury Road | 24.8 km | |
| 82 | Fairfax Road | 25.1 km | |
| 83 | Clee Road | 25.3 km | |
| 84 | West Heath Island | 25.5 km | |
| 85 | Rednal Road | 25.9 km | |
| 86 | Sir Hiltons Road | 26.1 km | |
| 87 | Man on the Moon | 26.3 km | |
| 88 | Wast Hill Playing Fields | 26.8 km | |
| 89 | Longdales Road | 27.8 km | |
| 90 | Hawkesley Square | 28.2 km | |
| 91 | Bridges Walk | 28.6 km | |
| 92 | Driftwood Close | 28.9 km | Terminus |
Inbound: Driftwood Close → West Bromwich Bus Station
This direction has 98 stops and runs 29.6 km. The route passes Bridges Walk, Bell Lane, Wheats Avenue, Poplar Road. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Driftwood Close | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Bridges Walk | 0.3 km | |
| 3 | Hawkesley Square | 0.6 km | |
| 4 | Longdales Road | 1.0 km | |
| 5 | Longdales Road | 1.5 km | |
| 6 | Wast Hill Playing Fields | 2.0 km | |
| 7 | Man on the Moon | 2.5 km | |
| 8 | Sir Hiltons Road | 2.8 km | |
| 9 | The Grove | 3.1 km | |
| 10 | West Heath Island | 3.4 km | |
| 11 | Clee Road | 3.6 km | |
| 12 | Fairfax Road | 3.9 km | |
| 13 | Clunbury Road | 4.2 km | |
| 14 | Moorpark Road | 4.6 km | |
| 15 | Adstone Grove | 4.7 km | |
| 16 | Purslow Grove | 4.8 km | |
| 17 | Coleys Lane | 4.9 km | |
| 18 | West Heath Road | 5.3 km | |
| 19 | Station Road | 5.5 km | |
| 20 | Woodland Road | 5.6 km | |
| 21 | Norman Road | 5.9 km | |
| 22 | Innage Road | 6.2 km | |
| 23 | Beech House | 6.4 km | |
| 24 | Northfield Leisure Centre | 7.2 km | |
| 25 | Lockwood Road | 7.5 km | |
| 26 | Bell Lane | 7.6 km | |
| 27 | Saxon Wood Close | 7.9 km | |
| 28 | Nigel Avenue | 8.2 km | |
| 29 | Meadow Brook Road | 8.4 km | |
| 30 | Almond Close | 8.7 km | |
| 31 | Shenley Gardens | 9.0 km | |
| 32 | Shenley Academy | 9.3 km | |
| 33 | Fulbrook Grove | 9.7 km | |
| 34 | Marston Road | 10.0 km | |
| 35 | Quarry Road | 10.2 km | |
| 36 | Ruckley Road | 10.5 km | |
| 37 | Gregory Avenue | 10.7 km | |
| 38 | Princethorpe Road | 10.9 km | |
| 39 | Weoley Castle Post Office | 11.1 km | |
| 40 | Weoley Castle Library | 11.4 km | |
| 41 | Barcheston Road | 11.7 km | |
| 42 | Jervoise Road | 11.8 km | |
| 43 | Bottetourt Road | 12.0 km | |
| 44 | Brinklow Road | 12.4 km | |
| 45 | Napton Grove | 12.7 km | |
| 46 | Middle Acre Road | 13.2 km | |
| 47 | Hollister Drive | 13.6 km | |
| 48 | Wentworth Way | 14.0 km | |
| 49 | Northfield Road | 14.5 km | |
| 50 | Wheats Avenue | 14.7 km | |
| 51 | Elford Road | 15.0 km | |
| 52 | Cadnam Close | 15.2 km | |
| 53 | Langford Grove | 15.5 km | |
| 54 | Hilldrop Grove | 15.8 km | |
| 55 | Metchley Hall | 16.1 km | |
| 56 | Windermere House | 16.2 km | |
| 57 | The Learning Hub | 16.4 km | |
| 58 | The Barberry | 16.6 km | |
| 59 | University Station | 17.1 km | |
| 60 | Blood & Transplant Centre | 17.5 km | |
| 61 | Farquhar Road | 17.7 km | |
| 62 | Somerset Road | 18.0 km | |
| 63 | Barlows Road | 18.4 km | |
| 64 | Grays Road | 18.8 km | |
| 65 | York Street | 19.1 km | |
| 66 | Harborne Junction | 19.4 km | |
| 67 | Greenfield Road | 19.6 km | |
| 68 | War Lane | 19.9 km | |
| 69 | Court Oak Road | 20.3 km | |
| 70 | Elm Tree Road | 20.7 km | |
| 71 | Gillhurst Road | 20.9 km | |
| 72 | Knightlow Road | 21.2 km | |
| 73 | Hagley Road West | 21.6 km | |
| 74 | Poplar Road | 21.8 km | |
| 75 | Sherwood Road | 22.0 km | |
| 76 | St Mary’s Church | 22.2 km | |
| 77 | Wigorn Road | 22.4 km | |
| 78 | Long Hyde Road | 22.7 km | |
| 79 | Galton Road | 23.0 km | |
| 80 | Beechwood Road | 23.3 km | |
| 81 | Warley Water Tower | 23.8 km | |
| 82 | Lenwade Road | 23.9 km | |
| 83 | Pheasant Road | 24.5 km | |
| 84 | Hurst Road Community Hall | 24.8 km | |
| 85 | Eva Road | 25.3 km | |
| 86 | Bristnall Hall Road | 25.5 km | |
| 87 | Thimblemill Road | 25.8 km | |
| 88 | Hayes Road | 26.0 km | |
| 89 | Victoria Road | 26.4 km | |
| 90 | Marion Road | 26.8 km | |
| 91 | Holly Lane | 27.2 km | |
| 92 | Marshall Street | 27.4 km | |
| 93 | West End Avenue | 27.6 km | |
| 94 | Hackett Drive | 27.9 km | |
| 95 | Grice Street | 28.3 km | |
| 96 | Parliament Street | 28.6 km | |
| 97 | Boulton Road | 28.9 km | |
| 98 | West Bromwich Bus Station | 29.6 km | Terminus |
Schedule and frequency
According to the official schedule from National Express West Midlands, the route runs 46 trips in one direction on a weekday, and 25 on a weekend day.
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| From «West Bromwich Bus Station» | 04:45 — 23:10 | 08:00 — 23:10 |
| From «Driftwood Close» | 05:05 — 23:44 | 08:33 — 23:44 |
Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 20 minutes; midday every 15–25 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 20–30; on weekends every 30–65 minutes.
Fare and payment
A single ride costs 3.00 £ — fare in effect since 28 June 2026. The same fare applies to National Express buses in Birmingham.
A single journey on a National Express bus costs £3.00 and is valid on one bus for one journey only — it gives no transfer. A multi-operator nBus day ticket costs £5.50 and works on every operator in the scheme.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ride on bus 48 cost?
3.00 £ for a single ride — fare in effect since 28 June 2026.
When do the first and last trips run?
From West Bromwich Bus Station the first is at 04:45 and the last at 23:10. From Driftwood Close they are 05:05 and 23:44.
How long does the trip from West Bromwich Bus Station to Driftwood Close take?
About 90 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.
How many stops does the route have?
92 outbound and 98 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.
Does bus 48 run on weekends?
Yes. On weekends and holidays there are 25 trips in one direction, running from West Bromwich Bus Station between 08:00 and 23:10.
Every route number with its termini, operating hours and travel time is collected in the Birmingham buses overview.
Data current as of August 22, 2026. Schedule and termini — National Express West Midlands. Fares — National Express West Midlands. Stop list, schedule and route geometry come from the official GTFS feed (Bus Open Data Service (BODS)).