Travelling to Reading
From London Heathrow
The RailAir Bus picks up passengers from stands 1 and 2 at the Central Bus Station, and stand 10 at the Terminal 5 Bus and Coach Station. After you have collected your luggage and passed customs, follow the directions, outlined below, from your terminal to the Central Bus Station.
Tickets can be purchased from the counter in the Central Bus Station, and from the National Express Sales Desk at Terminal 5. A single ticket costs £14, and return tickets are also available. Coaches run every 20 minutes, and take one hour.
For latest prices and timetables, see the RailAir website.
Directions from Terminals 1-4 to the Central Bus Station, and to the Terminal 5 Bus and Coach Station are listed below:
- Terminal 1 – From International arrivals follow the sign for Underground and Central Bus Station. From UK and Ireland follow signs for Underground and Terminals 2 and 3, which direct you towards the lifts (then follow signs for Underground and Central Bus Station.) Use the lifts to reach the basement level.
- Terminal 2 – Leave the building through the doorway immediately in front of the exit from customs and follow signs for Underground and buses, which direct you towards the below-surface travelator. Alternatively, you may prefer to use the street-level access by exiting the terminal building through the revolving doors on the ground floor.
- Terminal 3 – Follow signs for Underground and Central Bus Station, taking the ramp or stairs to access the below-surface subway link.
- Terminal 4 – Use the FREE Heathrow Express shuttle service. Travel in the carriages at the rear of the train and alight at Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Follow signs for Terminals 2 and 3 but as soon as you see signs for buses and underground follow these instead.
- Terminal 5 – Follow signs for Local Buses upon exiting arrivals. If you do not already have a ticket, these can be purchased from the National Express Sales Desk which is located inside the Terminal builing (turn left out of arrivals) opposite Costa Coffee. You will find stand 10 by exiting the terminal building opposite the National Express Sales desk.
London Gatwick (LGW)
Direct trains run to Reading from Gatwick Airport every hour and take about 1hr 15 minutes. A single ticket costs around £15 and can be purchased at the station in Gatwick airport.
For more information, go to the University of Reading website.