Black Country stations: Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the stations situated?

Willenhall station is conveniently located within a 1-minute walk of the town centre.

Darlaston station is built on the industrial site of a former nut and bolt factory. The station is 1 mile from Junction 10 of the M6.

Where will the service run to and from?

West Midlands Railway will be running this service.

The stations are on the existing Shrewsbury – Wolverhampton - Birmingham New Street line via Tame Bridge Parkway and the train will make additional stops at Willenhall and Darlaston.

When will the stations open?

Network Rail and West Midlands Trains have started essential safety testing at the stations as well as beginning to get existing drivers familiar with the new route. It is expected that this work, which got underway in December, will take about three months.

What is the average journey time?

To Wolverhampton:

From Willenhall, average journey time is around 8 minutes
From Darlaston, average journey time is around 11 minutes

To Birmingham City Centre:

From Darlaston, average journey time is around 22 minutes
From Willenhall, average journey time is around 25 minutes

Will the stations have a ticket office?

The stations will be unstaffed, therefore train tickets to all destinations will be available from self-service ticket machines, train operator websites and apps. Your safety is very important so CCTV will be monitoring all Ticket Vending Machine transactions.

What parking facilities will be available?

Willenhall station has 33 parking spaces.

Darlaston station has 300 spaces including a number of spaces for Blue Badge holders as well as space for motorcycles.

The car parks will be managed by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and are free of charge at point of opening.

Will the car parks offer EV charging points?

Yes, EV charging points will be available at both stations, including accessible bays at Darlaston station.

What security measures are in place in the car parks?

At Willenhall and Darlaston station car parks, live monitored CCTV cameras have been designed to give as much coverage of the car park as possible, with particular focus on entry and exit points, and disabled, Electric Vehicle, Motorcycle and cycle parking.

Each Emergency Help Point is covered by CCTV so the operative has a visual and audio of the person accessing the help point.

Will cycle storage be available?

Yes, sheltered bike storage facilities will be available at the new stations for cyclists. These facilities are covered by CCTV for additional passenger safety and security.

An unlimited number of folding bikes can be taken on the train.

For further information on bicycles, please visit the West Midlands Railway website.

How early or late will the services run?

The first departures will be between 6:45am and 7:15am Monday to Friday and continue until between 10:30pm and 11:00pm. No Sunday service is available.

For more information, please visit the West Midlands Railway website.

Are the new stations accessible?

All the stations have step free access with wide bridges and lifts to connect to both platforms.

Please visit the West Midlands Railway website for more information.

Will I be able to use my Older Person's Pass or Disabled Person’s Pass?

Yes, passes are accepted from 9:30am to 11:59pm.

Can I use my Swift pass or nNetwork ticket?

Yes, passes and tickets will be accepted. These stations are in nNetwork Zone 5.

Please user our Ticket Finder to find the best option for you.