# Train times from Reading to London

Reading connects to 3 London terminals. The fastest route is Paddington in 23 minutes on a direct train.

- Fastest journey to London: 23 minutes to Paddington
- Direct service: Yes
- London terminals served: 3 (Paddington, Liverpool Street, Waterloo)
- Operator: Great Western Railway, Elizabeth line
- Source: Darwin Timetable Files (Rail Delivery Group), Open Government Licence v3.0
- Data reviewed: 2026-08-17

## Reading to each London terminal

| London terminal | Fastest | Fastest direct | Typical peak | Peak trains/hr | Operator |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Paddington | 23 min | same as fastest | 28 | 15.6 | Great Western Railway, Elizabeth line |
| Liverpool Street | 60 min | same as fastest | 63 | 4.0 | Greater Anglia, Elizabeth line |
| Waterloo | 80 min (change at Basingstoke) | 85 min | 88 | 2.0 | South Western Railway |

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does the train from Reading to London take?

The fastest train from Reading reaches London Paddington in 23 minutes. Reading connects to 3 London terminals: Paddington, Liverpool Street, Waterloo.

### Which London station should I travel to from Reading?

Paddington is the quickest at 23 minutes, on a direct service. Direct trains run to Paddington, Liverpool Street.

### Is Reading a good commuter town for London?

At 23 minutes to London Paddington, Reading is an excellent commuter base, with a sub-30-minute journey into central London. Direct trains keep the journey simple.

### Are there direct trains from Reading to London?

Yes. Direct services run to Paddington, Liverpool Street.

### What are the nearest stations to Reading?

The closest alternatives are Reading West, Earley, Tilehurst. These can offer a faster or cheaper route into London depending on where you live.

## About this data

Fastest is the quickest scheduled weekday service; typical peak is the median of
services arriving at the London terminal between 07:00 and 09:30. Computed from
Darwin Timetable Files published by the Rail Delivery Group under the Open
Government Licence. Not live times, and they exclude disruption and engineering
work. Full methodology: https://railreach.co.uk/about/

Source: RailReach - https://railreach.co.uk/stations/reading/
Licence: CC BY 4.0. Please attribute RailReach and link to https://railreach.co.uk/