Items left on trains are held by the operator that ran your service — West Midlands Railway, CrossCountry or Avanti West Coast — so contact them and quote your route, date and time. Birmingham New Street is the main hub, with Moor Street and Snow Hill nearby. Items left on the West Midlands Metro are handled by the tram operator.
Lost property in Birmingham
Lost something in Birmingham? Here’s how to get it back.
A quick guide to where lost property goes in Birmingham — on the trains, buses and Metro, and around the city — plus a calmer way to report a lost or found item and arrange a safe return.
Where lost property goes in Birmingham
In most cases, lost property is held by whoever runs the place or service where you lost it — so it’s worth knowing who to contact first:
On buses, lost property is held at the operator's depot for the route you were on (National Express West Midlands runs most of the network). For a licensed taxi or private hire, contact the operator or the firm you booked with — keep the receipt or booking reference if you have it.
For the Bullring, a Broad Street bar, a gym, a university or a venue, ask their reception or duty manager. Valuables and documents found in a public place can be reported to West Midlands Police; hand-ins are usually kept for a set period.
Report it on Pinglo — and let the city help
Official lost property offices only work if someone hands your item in. Pinglo adds a second route: a live, local feed where anyone who spots your item can tell you straight away — and a safer way to hand things back.
1
Post your lost item with a clear description, rough area and time — keeping proof details private so the public post never gives everything away.
2
Get a ping the moment someone nearby spots it or posts a matching found item.
3
Start a private chat and use claim checks, so both sides can be sure it’s the right match before sharing anything.
4
Arrange a safe return with public-meetup guidance, and confirm the handover in the app.
Where things go missing in Birmingham
Phones, keys, wallets, bags, laptops, headphones, documents and jewellery tend to go astray around New Street and Grand Central, in the Bullring and along Broad Street on a night out, on campus at the University of Birmingham, Aston and BCU, at the NEC, Utilita Arena and Resorts World, and on the Metro and cross-city trains. Pinglo works for any of them, anywhere across the West Midlands.
Questions people ask
How do I report something lost on a Birmingham train or bus?
Lost property is held by whoever runs the service. Items left on trains are kept by the operator that ran your service (such as West Midlands Railway, CrossCountry or Avanti West Coast) — Birmingham New Street is the main hub to check — while items left on buses are held at the operator's depot for your route. Alongside that, post the item on Pinglo so anyone who spots it nearby can let you know instantly.
Is Pinglo free to use in Birmingham?
Yes. Pinglo is free to download on iPhone and free to use in any browser at pingloapp.com/app. You can report a lost item, post a found item, and arrange a safe return at no cost.
I found something in Birmingham — what should I do?
Hand valuables and documents to the venue, transport operator or police where possible. You can also post the item on Pinglo as a found report so the owner can find it, start a claim, and prove it is theirs before you arrange a safe handover in a public place.
Can a Birmingham venue, campus or workplace run its own lost and found?
Yes. Universities, venues, stations and workplaces can run a private Pinglo community with their own safety feed, hand-in points and member chat. See Partners.