Compare Reading car hire

With a famous music festival, historic attractions and mix of independent and high-street shops, Reading is a destination in itself. But this Berkshire town is also the perfect base for exploring southern England. With Reading car hire, London, Oxford, Windsor and the Cotswolds are all within easy reach.

You’ll find all the best-known car hire companies operating in Reading city centre, including Sixt, Enterprise, Budget, Hertz and Avis – many with multiple rental locations and all competing to give you the best deal. Many branches are near Reading Station, one of the easiest spots to pick up your rental.

Reading is an extremely well-connected spot, with the M4 motorway offering motorists easy access east to London and west all the way to Wales. While city-centre roads are clearly signposted and easy to navigate, a satnav will help you better negotiate some of the trickier junctions, as well as alert you to any quirks of the road in advance.

Traffic may build up in rush hour, but the roads make for clear, pleasant driving the rest of the time. Keep an eye on your speed in built-up areas, where the maximum limit is 30mph. This can go down to 20mph in certain hotspots, for example if you’re driving near a school.

While there are a number of parking options in Reading, it’s worth doing some research before setting out. There are many on-street, pay-and-display parking spaces available, but using one of the town centre’s seven car parks will often be the easiest option.

Otherwise, consider a Park and Ride as an easy alternative. There are three sites near junctions 10 and 11 on the M4 – Winnersh Triangle, Mereoak and Madejski Stadium – where you can leave your car and take a bus into the centre instead.

Oxford

Driving time: 50 minutes

The picturesque city of Oxford centres on its world-famous university. Most of the imposing colleges are open to visitors at various hours, sometimes for a small charge. Start with the grand Christ Church College, where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed, and where figures like John Locke and Lewis Carroll once taught – here, you can explore everything from the impressive halls to the beautiful cathedral.

Windsor

Driving time: 30 minutes

Visit the historic town of Windsor for a fun day out for the whole family. The standout attraction, is, of course, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world: Windsor Castle, where the Queen spends most of her weekends. It has been the home of British monarchs for nearly 1,000 years, and you can visit the impressive State Apartments and Grand Reception Room, and watch the Changing the Guard ceremony. Kids will enjoy the nearby family-friendly theme park of Legoland Windsor Resort, which has over 55 rides, attractions and live shows. More than 80 million Lego bricks when into its construction.

Basildon Park

Driving time: 25 minutes

Take a trip to Basildon Park, an 18th-century country house just a short drive from the centre of Reading. As well as enjoying the grandeur of the Georgian mansion and the impeccably-maintained garden, there’s also an exhibition of European paintings, completed between the 17th and 20th centuries, and a tea room serving delicious cakes – this is a National Trust property, after all.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.