Travel to Reading

The Meet and Greet Team at Heathrow Airport

This section will give you guidance on what to do when you arrive in the UK and when you get to Reading itself. This includes:

When you arrive at the airport in the UK

Walk directly from the plane into the terminal building and follow signs for:

  • Arrivals
  • Passport Control
    You will need to show your:
    - Passport
    - Student Visa (if required)
    You may also need:
    - A letter from the University confirming admissions
    - Evidence of Financial Support

  • Baggage Reclaim
    -     Look for your flight number displayed above baggage carousel

  • Keep heading for Arrivals!

If you arrive at an airport, you pass through immigration control first (before collecting your luggage). There are usually two main queues: one for European Economic Area and Swiss nationals, and one for everyone else.

Make sure you join the correct queue. An Immigration Officer will look at your passport and check your Visa/Entry Clearance. You should also have your documents relating to your studies (letter from your university/college/school) and finances in your hand baggage.

Before leaving Immigration Control, check that the Immigration Officer has put a date stamp (if you had a Visa or Entry Clearance) in your passport; or (if you are a non-Visa national coming for a course of less than six months) check that you have been stamped in as a 'Student Visitor'.

After immigration control, you will be able to collect your luggage. At most airports baggage is unloaded on to one of a number of moving belts ('carousels') in the baggage collection area. Look for your flight number and the name of the place your flight departed from on the screens or above the carousels and wait for each item of your baggage to appear. If any item does not come through, find a representative of the airline you travelled on and fill in a lost baggage form.

When you have found all your luggage you must pass through Customs control. Join the queue for either the Green channel if you have nothing to declare, the Red channel if you have goods to declare, or the blue channel if you have arrived from an airport within the European Economic Area (EEA) where you have already cleared all your luggage through customs control.

Information about all UK airports can be found at the British Airport Authority's website which is British Airport Authority's website

Meet and Greet at Heathrow

Representatives of the University will be at Heathrow airport to meet you on arrival and help direct you to the Railair coaches:

On Friday 1st October, Saturday 2nd October and Sunday 3rd October 2010 - from 0700-2000

Our representatives will have University of Reading signs and will be based at Terminal 3 and the Central Bus Station.

If you arrive outside of the above times and experience difficulty in locating the Railair coach ask a member of airport staff for assistance.

How to get to Reading from Heathrow

You do not need to go to Central London

You should take the Railair coach to Reading. Coaches run frequently and the journey to Reading station takes about 1 hour. A single ticket costs £15 and should be purchased from the National Express ticket desk at Heathrow Central Bus Station (£14 if purchased in advance on line - www.railair.com).

Coaches leave from stands 7-15a at the Central Bus Station (except for Terminal 5).

Stops 7-15a are located within Central Bus Station and are sign posted. For further information please call 01189 579425.

Our information currently advises students that the coaches depart from stands 1 & 2.

  • Terminal 1 From International Arrivals, follow the sign for the Underground and Central Bus Station. Use the lift to reach the basement level.
  • Terminal 2 - Leave the building through the doorway immediately in front of the exit from the customs and follow signs for the Underground and buses, which direct you towards the below-surface travelator. Alternatively you can use the street-level access by exiting the terminal building through the revolving doors on the ground floor.
  • Terminal 3 - Follow signs for the 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 get off at station marked Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Follow signs for Terminals 2 and 3 but as soon as you see signs for the buses and underground follow these instead.
  • Terminal 5 - Follow signs for local buses upon leaving 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 building (turn left out of arrivals) opposite Costa Coffee. You will find stand 10 by exiting the terminal building opposite the National Express Sales Desk.

Full details of the RailAir services including maps.

How to get to Reading from other locations

From Gatwick

Trains run to Reading from Gatwick Airport every hour and take about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

From Birmingham and Oxford

Trains run to Reading from Birmingham and take about 1 hour 40 minutes, from Oxford it takes about 30 minutes

From Central London

Trains run frequently to Reading from Paddington Station and take about 30 minutes.

Further information on travel from other regional Airports can be found at www.baa.com

Problems and delays

If you are in difficulty or arrive late, for example if your flight is delayed, telephone (44) (0) 118 987 5123. Ask for the International Office.

The following websites may be helpful in planning your journey:

 

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