Serviced Apartments in Reading

Discover the best activities and attractions Reading has to offer, and find out what makes this city a vibrant and exciting place to live or visit.

Forbury Gardens
Forbury Gardens is a compact Victorian park in the heart of Reading, famous for its ornate flowerbeds and the striking Maiwand Lion war memorial. It provides a peaceful green space for locals and workers, hosts seasonal events (markets, small concerts and community gatherings) and acts as a focal point for civic life. The Gardens help improve quality of life, support nearby cafes and shops by drawing footfall, and contribute to Reading’s appeal for residents and visitors alike.

Reading Museum
Reading Museum showcases the town’s history, natural history collections and a full-size replica of the Bayeux Tapestry, alongside rotating local-history exhibitions. It’s a major cultural resource for schools and community groups, offering educational programmes, talks and family activities that strengthen local identity. As a free or low-cost attraction it brings visitors into the town centre, supporting nearby businesses and contributing to cultural tourism.

The Oracle (riverside shopping & dining)
The Oracle is Reading’s principal shopping and leisure complex on the riverside, combining national retailers, independent shops, cinemas and a wide selection of restaurants and bars. It’s a commercial hub that anchors the town centre, creating jobs and generating substantial consumer spending while also animating the riverside with dining and leisure options. Its mix of shopping and alfresco dining makes it a popular destination for day-trippers from across Berkshire and keeps Reading competitive as a regional retail centre.

Reading Festival
Reading Festival is one of the UK’s longest-running and most high-profile outdoor music festivals, held each summer and attracting major international acts and tens of thousands of music fans. The festival generates significant short-term economic impact—hotels, pubs, shops and transport benefit from the influx of visitors—while enhancing Reading’s profile as a cultural destination. It also creates seasonal employment and opportunities for local vendors and promotes local grassroots music through associated events and stages.

The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
MERL, run by the University of Reading, explores rural life, farming, food and countryside heritage through collections, exhibitions and research, including archives and oral histories. It’s a specialist museum that supports academic study, community projects and school learning, and it preserves material culture that’s unique to the region’s agricultural history. MERL attracts niche tourism, student visitors and researchers, adding cultural diversity to Reading’s museum offer and supporting jobs in heritage, education and curation.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Reading, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Rail (Reading station — Great Western Main Line; GWR/CrossCountry services) - Major regional rail hub with frequent fast services to London Paddington (fastest around 25–30 minutes), regular services west to Bristol, Bath and South Wales, and long-distance connections north and west via CrossCountry; interchanges for connecting services across the region.
- Local buses (Reading Buses, Thames Valley and other operators) - Dense urban and suburban network serving the town centre, university, hospitals, business parks and neighbouring villages; frequent daytime services with additional evening and weekend routes; real‑time info and mobile ticketing offered by main operators.
- Coach services (intercity coaches at Reading Coachway and the town centre) - National and private coach services providing longer‑distance and airport links (Coachway adjacent to the M4/park-and-ride corridor plus town centre stops for some routes).
- Local rail stops and branch services (Reading West, Tilehurst, Earley, Theale, etc.) - Several nearby/borough stations and branch lines serving commuter suburbs and neighbouring towns, giving alternatives to the main station for local journeys.
- River and leisure boat services - Seasonal and leisure passenger boats on the Thames and associated towpaths used for trips, tourism and some recreational commuting links alongside the river.

Major Highways
- M4 - Principal east–west motorway linking Reading with London to the east and Bristol/South Wales to the west.
- A33 - Primary road linking Reading town centre with the M4 (Junction 11) and the south (towards Basingstoke/Winchester via connections).
- A329(M) - High-capacity route connecting Reading with Bracknell and the M3 corridor (motorway-standard sections around the town).
- A4 - Historic east–west route running through/near the town providing local and strategic connections toward London and the west.
- A34 - Major north–south trunk road accessed close to Reading, providing routes toward Oxford/M40 in the north and the south coast/M3 corridor via connecting roads.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Bike lanes and cycle network - A mix of on‑road cycle lanes, segregated and shared-use paths (including Thames/towpath routes), strategic off‑road links and quietway-style routes across the borough; cycle parking at key destinations (including the station), council cycle strategy and ongoing local improvements to increase safety and connectivity for utility and leisure cycling.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- Reading station capacity and accessibility upgrades - Major works and phased improvements to platforms, concourses and passenger facilities to increase capacity, improve accessibility and reduce crowding at the railway hub.
- Electrification and rolling‑stock modernisation on the Great Western corridor - Introduction/expansion of electric services and newer trains improving journey times, reliability and emissions on London–Reading–westward routes.
- Bus fleet and interchange enhancements - Operators investing in low‑emission/zero‑emission buses and upgraded stops/interchanges to improve reliability, air quality and passenger experience.
- Active travel and cycle improvements - Council-led programmes and funding bids to expand protected cycle lanes, improve junction safety for cyclists and enhance walking routes, plus new secure cycle parking at transport hubs.
- Planned strategic links (proposals such as a direct rail link to Heathrow and highway/junction upgrades) - Longer-term proposals and feasibility work (e.g., improved rail access to Heathrow and M4 junction/traffic capacity upgrades) intended to strengthen airport and strategic motorway connectivity; some schemes remain at planning/consultation or funding stages.

Reading’s thriving tech and financial sectors attract professionals for both short-term and long-term stays. Finding serviced apartments that are conveniently located and provide all the necessary amenities is essential for professionals who need a comfortable place to stay while working in the area.

Comfy Workers offers serviced apartments in Reading, strategically located near the town centre, business districts, and easy access to transport links like the M4 and mainline train stations. Whether you're staying for a week, a month, or longer, our fully furnished, self-catering apartments offer a home-like environment for business travellers.