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Visiting the University

About the University of Reading

walking through campus with bike

Walking or cycling

Our campuses in the Reading area are within easy walking and cycling distance from  local train stations. 

Our Whiteknights campus is approximately two miles and around 40 minutes on foot from Reading Station. Please allow a further 10 minutes to reach a specific building or site once on campus.

How to find us by train

Reading train station is a mainline train station and is easily accessible from most other places in the UK.

There are direct rail links from many major cities, including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Cardiff, Bristol, and Exeter, as well as a number of routes through London.

Travelling from London

If you are travelling from or via London, the quickest route to take is from London Paddington station.

Trains from London Paddington to Reading run approximately every 15-20 minutes throughout the day and the average journey time is around 30 minutes.

Find out more at the National Rail website.

Campus Bus stop

How to find us by bus

Getting to Whiteknights campus from the centre of Reading is easy.

The 21 and 21a buses run from Reading train station in the town centre to our Whiteknights campus at regular intervals, 24 hours a day.

Once you arrive at the train station, you can walk or cycle to either campus. If you choose to take a taxi or bus, the bus stops and taxi rank can be found outside the station. A taxi will cost you approximately £8 and a single bus journey will cost you £2.00 (a day ticket is £4.00. You purchase your ticket on the bus and will need either the exact change or a contactless bank card).

The buses that run from the train station to the University are as follows:

To Whiteknights campus (Shinfield Road)

Number 21*

To Whiteknights campus (Earley Gate)

Numbers 17 (frequent) or 9

To London Road campus

Number 21

View central Reading bus stop and route maps on the Reading Buses website.

*Please note: the number 21 stops on campus (Whiteknights House and Pepper Lane entrance).

Further information about travelling to the University by bus from the surrounding area is available from Reading Buses website.

To Greenlands campus

Get directions to our Greenlands campus in Google Maps.

Find out how

How to find us by car

The Whiteknights and London Road campuses in Reading are approximately 1.5 miles from the M4 motorway. Our Greenlands campus is close to Henley.

Whiteknights campus

Sat nav postcode for Shinfield Road and Pepper Lane entrances: RG6 6UR

Sat nav postcode for the Earley Gate entrance: RG6 7BE

London road campus

Sat nav postcode: RG1 5AQ

Greenlands campus

Sat nav postcode: RG9 3AU

For further information about how to reach the Greenlands campus visit the Henley Business School website.

Parking

Visitors to our campuses on Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm should be aware that parking needs to be prearranged and that a parking permit must be displayed. Please contact the member of staff or department you are visiting and ask them to arrange a visitor's parking permit.

Permits or prearranged parking are not required outside of these times.

For further information please email reception@reading.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)118 378 7307

See postcodes for your Sat nav and parking info

Maps

Download maps of our campuses:

  • Whiteknights campus (PDF - 2.69MB)
  • London Road campus (PDF - 1.13MB)
  • Greenlands campus (PDF - 394KB)

Last updated: July 2018.

Cedars

Cedars Hotel

There is a hotel on-site at Whiteknights for people visiting the campus throughout the year. Find out more.

Stay@Reading

Most students move out of their accommodation during the summer, so we have rooms available for guests. 

We offer single occupancy en-suite, standard washbasin and premium rooms at affordable rates.

We don't operate quite like a hotel so you will need to bring your own bed linen, towels and crockery but we do offer quality, affordable accommodation at the heart of campus with great transport links.

Find out more about Stay@Reading

How to find us from the airport

Reading is well connected to both London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.

London Heathrow

RailAir offers a direct coach service that runs between Heathrow Airport and Reading town centre. Coaches offer free Wi-Fi and at-seat USB charging, and operate frequently: up to every 20 minutes on weekdays, and every 30 minutes at weekends.

For more information, please visit the RailAir website.

London Gatwick

A direct train service runs between Gatwick airport and Reading station. Trains run once an hour, during the day. and take about 75 minutes. For more information please visit the National Rail website.

Guidance for visitors

Whiteknights is the private property of the University of Reading. It has never been a park, but a public right of way runs from Earley Gate to Shinfield Road. The University reserves the right to prohibit pedestrian access to other areas as necessary, and to prohibit cycle access. Visitors must adhere to University rules and regulations which are in operation throughout the University’s privately owned land at Whiteknights and elsewhere.

Our general rules and regulations are as follows:

  • Please keep to the paths and do not disturb wildlife or pick flowers.
  • Do not leave any litter or light fires.
  • Please keep away from buildings and research areas.
  • Roller-skating, skate-boarding and kite-flying are not allowed.
  • The lake is not suitable for water sports and activities.
  • Shooting, archery, golf or other projectile sports are not allowed.
  • Please listen to any additional advice given by the University staff.
  • Access may be restricted or permission withdrawn at any time.

Dog-walkers please:

  • keep dogs on leads at all times and away from sports pitches 
  • take dog fouling away for disposal.

Cyclists, please be courteous to others and give way to pedestrians.

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Subjects A-C

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