Birmingham to Spartanburg train

Birmingham may not be the capital of Alabama, but it does hold the crown as both the cultural and entertainment capital of the Cotton State. The second-most populous city, Birmingham was founded during the Reconstruction Period, which followed the American Civil War.

Quietly going about its business as an industrial powerhouse, producing much of America's iron and steel, Birmingham didn't enter the world's consciousness until the Civil Rights Movement one hundred years later. It’s one of the 8 iconic cities on our Martin Luther King, Jr. road trip, as it’s the city where Dr. King wrote his famous “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” When visiting, be sure to stop at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to learn more about the city’s civil rights history.

Today known as America's 'Magic City,' new life has been blown into downtown Birmingham in recent years. Its streets have been cleaned up, allowing the city's historical gems such as the Alabama Theater to shine once more both by day and by night.

The Birmingham Museum of Art contains the most extensive collection of artworks in the southeastern United States. It's connected to the nightlife districts of Five Points South, Lakeview, and Uptown by a series of charming tree-lined public squares. Close by Five Points South also lies Red Mountain's Vulcan Park, home to the world's largest cast-iron statue. It was made for the St. Louis World Fair of 1904.

Birmingham is an important regional hub linking the Deep South, the Appalachian Mountains, and Piedmont. Travelers can easily reach other noteworthy destinations in the U.S., including Dallas, Phoenix, and Montgomery, thanks to the hundreds of bus and train routes to and from Birmingham.

Spartanburg is a northern South Carolina city in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Also called The Hub City, it is a major railroad intersection that makes commuting easy. Spartanburg is located close to sandy beaches, high mountains, and the Eastern seaboard, which is ideal for nature lovers. Since it's close to the beach, you can enjoy water activities. Spartanburg offers history in the Spartanburg Regional History Museum, which displays textiles and artifacts, while the Croft State Park is best for fishing enthusiasts. Explore ponds and woodland paths, and go butterfly-watching at the Hatcher Garden.

In the Spartanburg downtown cultural district, you can visit performance venues, galleries, and the Spartanburg Art Museum with an impressive art collection. The city is also home to a vibrant food scene, as some of the best diners in the world like Cribbs Kitchen and Mon Amie. Spartanburg also features craft breweries and wine bars, with the exciting Spartanburg International Festival held every year.

You can easily get to Spartanburg by bus, with routes offered Tornado Bus and Wanda Coach. There are also train routes to Spartanburg provided by Amtrak and Amtrak Crescent.