Cheap bus tickets from Chicago to Birmingham
Find and compare the best ground travel options in one place.
Millions of travelers trust Wanderu every year to get:
Lowest Prices
We find the cheapest bus & train tickets, so you can wander for less.
Best Travel Options
We partner with 500+ carriers to bring you the most bus & train options.
Quick & Easy Booking
Book trips quickly with a simple, hassle-free checkout – online & on our app.
Fast Customer Support
We don’t monkey around. We respond within minutes to help you out.
See what travelers are saying about Wanderu:
Is it better to travel by bus or train from Chicago to Birmingham?
There are usually 1 daily train trips available from Chicago to Birmingham.
Bus | Train | |
---|---|---|
Avg. Price | Avg. Price$177.57 | Avg. Price$356.83 |
Daily Trips | Daily Trips9 | Daily Trips1 |
Duration | Duration19h 51m | Duration1d 18h 19m |
Bus from Chicago to Birmingham: Journey Information
There are 9 intercity buses per day from Chicago to Birmingham. Traveling by bus from Chicago to Birmingham usually takes around 19 hours and 30 minutes, but the fastest Greyhound bus can make the trip in 15 hours and 15 minutes.
Distance | 579 mi (932 km) |
Shortest duration | 15h 15m |
Cheapest price | $75.97 |
Most frequent service | Greyhound |
Bus lines | 2 |
How much is a bus ticket from Chicago to Birmingham?
Bus tickets for a trip from Chicago to Birmingham cost $144.52 on average. Bus tickets on this route can be a bit expensive due to the length of the trip. But even with a higher price tag, taking the bus is often more affordable than flying to Birmingham. If you book your trip ahead of time using Wanderu, you can easily find bus tickets at or below this price.
Average bus ticket prices from Chicago to Birmingham by travel date
Bus tickets from Chicago to Birmingham are expected to cost between $103 and $227 over the next four weeks. If you're planning a trip to Birmingham within the next week, you can find the cheapest bus tickets starting from $128. Don't wait too long to book your ticket, as prices tend to rise as the travel date approaches.
Monthly avg. prices
Prices as travel date approaches
Most bus companies charge higher ticket prices closer to the date of travel, so it’s a good idea to buy your bus tickets as early as possible. To find the cheapest bus tickets, book your trip at least 6 days in advance. This way, you can save up to $59.67 on your bus ticket compared to booking last-minute.
What bus companies travel from Chicago to Birmingham?
There are two bus lines that have daily service from Chicago to Birmingham that you can compare and book on Wanderu. Of these two carriers, Greyhound usually offers more choice, with 9 scheduled trips per day.
Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
---|---|---|---|
FlixBus US | 1 | 19h 9m | $170.94 |
Greyhound | 9 | 19h 31m | $168.71 |
FlixBus US is the American branch of German bus company FlixBus, known for providing sustainable, affordable, and modern bus travel. The company offers cheap bus tickets to popular urban destinations throughout the United States. FlixBus US buses include many amenities, including comfortable seats, free WiFi, power outlets at every seat, and an online portal for free entertainment. On average, FlixBus US operates 1 trips per day from Chicago to Birmingham, and the average ticket for this route costs only .
Greyhound is the largest nationwide bus carrier in the United States, offering cheap, safe and reliable service across the country. Greyhound has become a household name, serving over 16 million passengers per year with daily trips to over 2,400 destinations. Greyhound performs about 9 bus trips from Chicago to Birmingham every day, with the average journey taking around 19 hours and 31 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to Birmingham usually start from $76.
Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from Chicago to Birmingham
The bus takes an average of 19 hours and 30 minutes to cover the 579 miles from Chicago to Birmingham. However, the fastest bus only takes 15 hours and 15 minutes. It’s definitely on the longer side, so plan to get comfortable for a long road trip. Keep in mind that your actual bus may arrive earlier or later than scheduled, depending on whether there is more or less traffic than usual.
Tuesday is usually the day of the week when buses are busiest. If you are planning to travel on a Tuesday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.
On the other hand, Thursday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you’re looking for a little extra space, a Thursday ticket is the way to go.
The first bus leaves at 5:00am and the last bus leaves at 10:00pm. To see the times for all buses from Chicago to Birmingham, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
There are 9 scheduled buses that travel from Chicago to Birmingham every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. Unfortunately, none of them are direct connections, so no matter which bus you take, you will have to transfer buses at least once during your journey.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Chicago to Birmingham; ticket prices start at $209.00.
City Information
Chicago
Known for its innovative architecture, cultural contributions to jazz and house music, and of course that irresistible deep-dish pizza, the many sights and experiences in Chicago make it one of the best urban vacation destinations for millennials and a top destination in Illinois.
You can't beat the views of the city and Lake Michigan from the SkyDeck in the Willis Tower; at over 1,300 feet, this is the highest observation deck in the U.S. Snap that classic selfie with the Bean in Millennium Park, then wander the many museums in nearby Grant Park. Navy Pier is a popular tourist hotspot for its parks, restaurants, and attractions right on Lake Michigan, and baseball fans will find paradise in Wrigleyville, home to the Chicago Cubs' Wrigley Field and sports bars galore.
Chicago's enormous parks offer plentiful opportunities for outdoor activities in gorgeous urban settings. Many companies offer kayak rentals or boat tours on the Chicago River, with special tours running on Saint Patrick's Day, when the entire river is dyed green. When you’re ready to buy some souvenirs from your epic trip, hit the big brand stores on the Magnificent Mile, or shop local in neighborhoods like Andersonville and Wicker Park. And don't miss the chance to laugh until you cry at The Second City comedy theater, famous for launching the careers of comedians like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert.
Chicago is one of the biggest transportation hubs in the Midwest, and provides easy access to nearby destinations ideal for day trips, as well as international travel from two airports. Thanks to plenty of bus and train stations throughout the city, getting to the Windy City is a breeze.
Birmingham
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
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.
Station Information
Where does the bus leave from in Chicago?
Image credit: Jeramey Jannene
Link to image attributionMain departure station: Bus Station - 630 W Harrison St
Buses to Birmingham leave from 3 stations in Chicago.
All bus stations in Chicago:
Bus Station - 630 W Harrison St
Dan Ryan Bus Station
Chicago Train Station Bus Stop
Where does the bus arrive in Birmingham?
Main arrival station: MAX Central Station
All buses from Chicago arrive at one main station in Birmingham.
All bus stations in Birmingham:
MAX Central Station
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Birmingham to Chicago?
Search Bus TicketsPlan your next adventure
More buses from Chicago
Continue by bus from Birmingham
Check out these popular routes
Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel.
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best bus and train deals out there.
- Bus Tickets
- United States
- Alabama
- Birmingham
- Chicago to Birmingham