How to get from Reading to London by train, bus or flight.
The best way to travel from Reading to London is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
Distance | 36 miles (58 km) | |
Available travel modes | Bus | |
Fastest mode | Bus • $18 (€16) • 1 h 51 min | |
Popular travel companies | Megabus |
Take a bus to travel 36 miles (58 km) between Reading and London. Megabus is the main travel company operating this route. Travelers can even take a direct bus from Reading to London.
Getting into London from Reading is fast and easy, with a wide choice of buses and trains available every day of the week. Catching the train is easily the fastest route into the English capital, taking less than half an hour at any time of day and taking travelers in the UK to the heart of London. However, if you need to travel in the middle of the night, a bus connection via Heathrow may be more suitable. Buses are also a great option for anyone who needs to catch an international flight.
Return trips from London to Reading are also available.
Buses from Reading to London are both convenient and affordable. National Express runs a daily bus service (called RailAir) which runs from the center of Reading to London Victoria Coach Station via the arrivals terminals at Heathrow. This service runs through the night, with breakfast departures that would suit day trippers and commuters alike. Expect the bus journey to take around 2 hours 15 minutes, although this may be longer during rush hour.
Trains from Reading to London are the easiest and fastest way to travel between the two cities. First Great Western can run as many as 10 direct trains every hour from Reading to London Paddington, which takes just 27 minutes to make the trip without any changes along the way. Whatever time of day you need to travel, there should be train departures available. They all run into Paddington, which is well connected to the rest of London via the Circle, Hammersmith & City, District and Bakerloo lines, as well as local bus services.
You can travel by train or bus for as low as $6 (€5). When you search for schedules and tickets, Omio will show you the best route.
South Western Railway is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, providing services in the south and south-west of England. It operates a variety of train types, including high-speed trains, local stopping services, and suburban commuter trains. It also offers a range of ticket types, including Advance, Off-Peak, and Super Off-Peak tickets. Onboard facilities include free Wi-Fi, power sockets, and a range of food and drink options. The most popular routes for South Western Railway include London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour, London Waterloo to Weymouth, and London Waterloo to Bournemouth.
National Express is the UK’s leading long-distance travel company operating over 550 travel per day and serving over 900 destinations across the UK. National Express also operates travel services to all major UK airports, such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Bristol, 24 hours a day. All National Express travel have air conditioning and provide free WiFi access along with onboard entertainment. Most travel come with seat belts and power outlets at every seat, so you can charge your phone or laptop during a long journey. For your travel to London from Reading, you can select from three ticket fares: Restricted Fare, Standard Fare, and Fully Flexible Fare.
You can travel from Reading to London by bus.
The fastest way to travel from Reading to London is by bus with an average journey time of 1 h 51 min.
The distance from Reading to London is approximately 36 miles (58 km).
These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Reading to London:
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Yes, there is a direct route available from Reading to London:
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to London as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets between Reading and London.
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