Bus 998 in Birmingham links Old Square and Hardwick Road. The route is 16.2 km long with 45 stops, and the official schedule from National Express West Midlands puts the full trip at about 41 minutes. On a weekday it runs 31 trips in one direction, and 15 on a weekend day.
Route at a glance
| Mode | Bus |
|---|---|
| Route number | 998 |
| City | Birmingham |
| Operator | National Express West Midlands |
| Start → end | Old Square → Hardwick Road |
| End → start | Hardwick Road → Old Square |
| Route length | 16.2 km / 16.4 km in the opposite direction |
| Number of stops | 45 / 41 in the opposite direction |
| Travel time | about 41 minutes |
| Trips per day | 31 on weekdays, 15 on weekends one way |
| Frequency | peak 30–35 · midday 30 · weekend 55–67 |
| First / last trip from «Old Square» | 06:53 / 23:32 |
| First / last trip from «Hardwick Road» | 05:53 / 23:25 |
| Fare | 3.00 £ (fare in effect since 28 June 2026) |
| Updated | August 22, 2026 |
Route of Bus 998
Outbound: Old Square → Hardwick Road
This direction has 45 stops and runs 16.2 km. The route passes Ryder Street, Thornbridge Avenue, Oaks Medical Centre, Queslett Road. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Square | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Ryder Street | 0.4 km | |
| 3 | Lower Tower Street | 1.3 km | |
| 4 | Milton Street | 2.0 km | |
| 5 | Perry Barr Rail Station | 4.4 km | |
| 6 | Wellhead Lane | 4.8 km | |
| 7 | Holford Drive | 5.1 km | |
| 8 | Nash Square | 5.4 km | |
| 9 | Perry Park | 5.8 km | |
| 10 | Cranleigh Place | 6.1 km | |
| 11 | Perry Locks | 6.3 km | |
| 12 | Thornbridge Avenue | 6.8 km | |
| 13 | Burnham Road | 7.0 km | |
| 14 | Drakes Drum | 7.4 km | |
| 15 | Scarsdale Road | 7.6 km | |
| 16 | Malthouse Lane | 7.8 km | |
| 17 | Glenmead Road | 8.0 km | |
| 18 | Darleydale Avenue | 8.4 km | |
| 19 | The Kingfisher | 8.6 km | |
| 20 | Milnes Walker Court | 8.8 km | |
| 21 | Felstone Road | 9.0 km | |
| 22 | Oaks Medical Centre | 9.3 km | |
| 23 | Winster Grove | 9.4 km | |
| 24 | Randwick Grove | 9.6 km | |
| 25 | Priestfield Close | 9.7 km | |
| 26 | Brackenfield Road | 10.2 km | |
| 27 | Moreton Avenue | 10.4 km | |
| 28 | Morland Road | 10.9 km | |
| 29 | Pheasey Church | 11.2 km | |
| 30 | Collingwood Centre | 11.4 km | |
| 31 | Eastlake Close | 11.6 km | |
| 32 | Queslett Road | 11.8 km | |
| 33 | Lindens Drive | 12.8 km | |
| 34 | The Queslett | 13.3 km | |
| 35 | Lindens Primary School | 13.7 km | |
| 36 | Brabham Crescent | 13.8 km | |
| 37 | Moss Way | 14.1 km | |
| 38 | Hillside Drive | 14.3 km | |
| 39 | Bankside Crescent | 14.5 km | |
| 40 | Blackwood Drive | 14.7 km | |
| 41 | Bridlewood | 14.9 km | |
| 42 | Manor Road | 15.2 km | |
| 43 | The Milestone | 15.5 km | |
| 44 | Foley Court | 15.9 km | |
| 45 | Hardwick Road | 16.2 km | Terminus |
Inbound: Hardwick Road → Old Square
This direction has 41 stops and runs 16.4 km. The route passes Grange Drive, Lindens Primary School, Randwick Grove, Burnham Road. Below is the full list with the distance from the first stop.
| No. | Stop | From start | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hardwick Road | 0.0 km | Terminus |
| 2 | Grange Drive | 0.2 km | |
| 3 | Foley Court | 0.5 km | |
| 4 | The Milestone | 0.8 km | |
| 5 | Beacon Court | 1.2 km | |
| 6 | Bridlewood | 1.6 km | |
| 7 | Bankside Crescent | 1.8 km | |
| 8 | Hillside Drive | 2.0 km | |
| 9 | Moss Way | 2.2 km | |
| 10 | Brabham Crescent | 2.5 km | |
| 11 | Lindens Primary School | 2.8 km | |
| 12 | The Queslett | 3.1 km | |
| 13 | Lindens Drive | 3.6 km | |
| 14 | Eastlake Close | 4.8 km | |
| 15 | Pheasey Church | 5.1 km | |
| 16 | Morland Road | 5.5 km | |
| 17 | Moreton Avenue | 5.9 km | |
| 18 | Brackenfield Road | 6.3 km | |
| 19 | Priestfield Close | 6.6 km | |
| 20 | Randwick Grove | 6.9 km | |
| 21 | Oaks Medical Centre | 7.2 km | |
| 22 | Felstone Road | 7.4 km | |
| 23 | Milnes Walker Court | 7.6 km | |
| 24 | The Kingfisher | 7.9 km | |
| 25 | Darleydale Avenue | 8.1 km | |
| 26 | Glenmead Road | 8.5 km | |
| 27 | Scarsdale Road | 8.8 km | |
| 28 | Drakes Drum | 9.2 km | |
| 29 | Burnham Road | 9.4 km | |
| 30 | Thornbridge Avenue | 9.8 km | |
| 31 | Perry Locks | 10.2 km | |
| 32 | Cranleigh Place | 10.4 km | |
| 33 | Perry Park | 10.6 km | |
| 34 | Nash Square | 11.1 km | |
| 35 | Holford Drive | 11.4 km | |
| 36 | Wellhead Lane | 11.8 km | |
| 37 | Bragg Road | 12.3 km | |
| 38 | Milton Street | 14.4 km | |
| 39 | Lower Tower Street | 15.1 km | |
| 40 | Dalton Street | 16.1 km | |
| 41 | Old Square | 16.4 km | Terminus |
Schedule and frequency
According to the official schedule from National Express West Midlands, the route runs 31 trips in one direction on a weekday, and 15 on a weekend day.
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| From «Old Square» | 06:53 — 23:32 | 09:30 — 23:32 |
| From «Hardwick Road» | 05:53 — 23:25 | 09:27 — 23:25 |
Frequency calculated from the departure table: in the morning peak buses run every 30–35 minutes, most often every 30; midday every 30 minutes; in the afternoon peak every 30; on weekends every 55–67 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 998 cost?
3.00 £ for a single ride — fare in effect since 28 June 2026.
When do the first and last trips run?
From Old Square the first is at 06:53 and the last at 23:32. From Hardwick Road they are 05:53 and 23:25.
How long does the trip from Old Square to Hardwick Road take?
About 41 minutes end to end — the median of full trips in the official schedule.
How many stops does the route have?
45 outbound and 41 inbound according to the official GTFS feed. The two lists do not match exactly.
Does bus 998 run on weekends?
Yes. On weekends and holidays there are 15 trips in one direction, running from Old Square between 09:30 and 23:32.
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)).