Reading sits in the Thames valley in Berkshire at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Kennet, with visible remains of Reading Abbey beside the pleasant green of Forbury Gardens. It grew from a medieval market town into a Victorian manufacturing centre - famous for Huntley & Palmers biscuits - so the town mixes industrial heritage with riverside parks and walkable town-centre streets.
Today Reading is a major commercial and technology hub in the Thames Valley, with business parks such as Green Park and Thames Valley Park, a research-led campus at the University of Reading and a lively summer music scene around the Reading Festival. The town is ethnically diverse, offers strong retail and leisure provision, and serves as a key rail junction with fast links into London, so it functions as both a commuter base and a self-contained regional centre.
Postcode districts covering Reading
RG1, RG2, RG4, RG5, RG6, RG7, RG8, RG10, RG19, RG27, RG30, RG31, RG41
Most populated places nearby
- Slough 16.9 miles
- Oxford 24 miles
- High Wycombe 16 miles
- Basingstoke 13.7 miles
- Woking 19.8 miles
- Bracknell 10.1 miles
- Guildford 22.7 miles
- Maidenhead 12 miles
- Aldershot 17 miles
- Farnborough 14.2 miles
- Staines-upon-Thames 20.8 miles
- Wokingham 6.7 miles
Neighbouring places
- Coley Ward 0.1 miles
- Abbey Ward 0.6 miles
- Katesgrove Ward 0.6 miles
- Thames Ward 1 mile
- Battle Ward 1.1 miles
- Redlands Ward 1.2 miles
- Southcote Ward 1.3 miles
- Norcot Ward 1.5 miles
- Church Ward 1.5 miles
- Whitley Ward 1.6 miles
- Park Ward 1.8 miles
- Caversham Heights Ward 2.1 miles
Example postcodes in Reading
RG2 0FL, RG30 3PN, RG31 5JB, RG30 3JH, RG2 8HG, RG1 6LQ, RG30 4RT, RG1 2QU, RG30 4AU … See all
Transport links
- London Heathrow Airport 22.7 miles
- Southampton Airport 38 miles
- Reading West Railway Station 0.6 miles
- Reading Railway Station 0.9 miles
Hotels in Reading Ad
- Voco Reading 4
- The Market House
- Pentahotel Reading 4
- Hilton Reading Hotel 4
- The Great House, Sonning, Berkshire 4
- Holiday Inn Reading South M4 Jct11 4
- Malmaison Reading 4
- The Roseate Reading 5
- Novotel Reading Centre 4
- Ibis Reading Centre 3
Schools in Reading
- Aldryngton Primary School Primary
- Alfred Sutton Primary School Primary
- All Saints C of E Aided Infant School Primary
- All Saints Junior School Primary
- Battle Primary Academy Primary
- Birch Copse Primary School Primary
- Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School Secondary
- Brookfields School Special
- Calcot Infant School and Nursery Primary
- Calcot Junior School Primary
- Christ The King Catholic Primary School Primary
- Churchend Primary Academy Primary
- Civitas Academy Primary
- Coley Primary School Primary
- Crosfields School Independent - all ages
- Denefield School Secondary
- Downsway Primary School Primary
- E P Collier Primary School Primary
- Earley St Peter's C of E Primary School Primary
- … See all
Local points of interest
- University of Reading University 1.7 miles
- Madejski Stadium Stadium 1.7 miles
- Sulhampstead House Estate 4.2 miles
- Crowsley Park Estate 5 miles
- Mortimer House Estate 6 miles
- Mortimer Lodge Estate 6.3 miles
- Aldermaston Court Estate 8.5 miles
- Medmenham Abbey Historic site 9.3 miles
- Swyncombe House Estate 10.5 miles
- The Vyne Historic site 10.8 miles
- Ascot Racecourse Recreation 13.3 miles
- Milestones Museum 13.7 miles