Cheap car rentals in Reading
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| People mover |
| Passenger van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
Top tips for hiring a car in Reading
- Visiting Berkshire and seeing its many tourist attractions is much easier if you book car hire in Reading. And there really are some superb places to visit. The quaintest of all is the Museum of English Rural Life in the city centre, but venture further out and you’ll find plenty of other gems. A mere 10 miles from town is the ancient English settlement of Silchester, built in the 1st century by the Romans. There’s also Caversham Court with its enchanting gardens on the north bank of the Thames where it flows through the outskirts of the city.
- If you’re flying in, the nearest airport that services Reading is London Heathrow Airport (LHR), which is just over 22 miles away. All the car hire desks are situated in Heathrow’s Terminals 2 to 5, and you can then take a free shuttle to the actual parking area to collect your Reading hire car. To do this from Terminal 2 or 3, go to the central bus station. Terminals 4 and 5 have shuttle departure points just outside Arrivals. All the major brands are represented, including Avis, Europcar, SIXT and Hertz. You’ll then have about a 45-minute drive to Reading itself.
- Be particularly careful when driving on the main Inner Distribution Road (IDR) through the city. There are numerous points on the road where it’s easy to become disorientated or where you need to be aware of concealed entrances. Pay special attention when coming from the Broad Street Mall car park on to the Castle Hill section of the IDR, as you can’t see the oncoming traffic until it’s virtually on top of you. Keep your wits about you on the A4074 too: although it’s a wide and generally safe road, it encourages speeding and sometimes reckless driving.
- The worst times to drive in Reading are during the week between 08:00 and 09:00. The evening rush hour isn’t quite as bad, although getting caught up in either of them will most likely add up to 20min to your trip. Once again, it’s the main IDR that is the source of most of the gridlock, so if you avoid the road at those times, you’ll find that your driving experience in Reading is a lot more pleasant.
- Book your rental car in Reading at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Mini rental cars in Reading are around 26% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Reading
What type of car is recommended for driving in Reading?
When you’re booking car hire in Reading, you’d be well advised to get a vehicle that is just big enough for your needs, especially if you’re intending to spend a lot of time in the centre of town. Choose a smaller economy car or a compact model, or perhaps a small MPV if you can. If you want more luxury, a smaller saloon will do the trick. Once you’re away from the city centre and driving out to the rural areas around it, you can take advantage of something roomier, like a luxury saloon or a more sizeable 4x4.
What’s the speed limit in Reading?
The speed limits can vary in Reading, with the usual speed limit set at 30mph. Other roads have had their speed limits reduced to 20mph. Make sure you check for signs when you’re driving on roads like Portman Road, where the speed limit has been reduced from 40mph to 30mph. Also keep an eye out for speed cameras near where Portman Road intersects with Chester Mews and Bridgewater Close.
Where are the best places to park in Reading?
In Reading itself you can park in any number of Reading Borough Council car parks. These include ones at Broad Street Mall in the city centre, on Queen’s Road about a mile away from it, and on Recreation Road, from where it’s roughly a 15-minute bus ride into downtown Reading. Prices average out at around £1 per hour, with some of them offering the first 30min for free.
How much is the price of fuel in Reading?
The average price of fuel in Reading is $12.02 per litre over the past 30 days. Filling up a tank of uel costs between $144 and $192, depending on the car size.
What is the most popular car hire in Reading?
Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Reading.
Which hire car agencies are at Heathrow airport (LHR)?
Car hire companies onsite at Heathrow airport include GREEN MOTION, DRIVALIA, Hertz, Europcar, Easirent, Avis, Sixt, SURPRICE CAR RENTAL, Ace and Virtuo.
Which hire car agencies are at Gatwick airport (LGW)?
Car hire companies onsite at Gatwick airport include Hertz, Europcar, Easirent, Budget and Goldcar Rental SP.
Which hire car agencies will pick you up at Heathrow airport (LHR)?
Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Heathrow airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION, Hertz, Europcar, Easirent, Avis, Sixt, Alamo, Ace, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Budget.
Which hire car agencies will pick you up at Gatwick airport (LGW)?
Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Gatwick airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION, Hertz, Europcar, Easirent, Avis, Sixt, Alamo, Ace, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Budget.
Which hire car agencies will pick you up at Stansted airport (STN)?
Car hire companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Stansted airport to off-airport locations include GREEN MOTION, Hertz, Europcar, Easirent, Avis, Sixt, Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and National.
How can I find car hires near me in Reading?
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
How much does a Mini car hire cost in Reading?
A Mini car hire in Reading costs $82 per day, on average.
How much does an Economy car hire cost in Reading?
An Economy car hire in Reading costs $128 per day, on average.
How much does a Compact car hire cost in Reading?
A Compact car hire in Reading costs $120 per day, on average.
What is the most popular rental car location in Reading?
In Reading, cars are most frequently hired at Hertz 131 Wokingham Road (3 km from city centre ).
Reading car rental reviews and directory
Sixt
10.0
Wonderful
6 reviewsCleanliness
10.0
Comfort
10.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
10.0
Value for money
10.0
One location in Reading
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
May 2017
Pros:
An update by email on the type of CAR will help prepare better.8.0 Very Good
May 2017
Pros:
Location was good, lovely car to drive and clean.Cons:
Not clear on website that you need two forms of IDENTITY, driving licence and passport so we had to go back home to get it.4.8 Mediocre
Dec 2016
Pros:
Car and price were good. Good location.Cons:
The car was filthy on the outside although they did offer me a car wash voucher. I didn't take it as I hadn't accounted for the extra time to get the car cleaned. By far the worst experience was being upsold the insurance excess waiver, even though I'd taken a policy with Kayak at the time of booking. I could kick myself for paying for this as its a complete rip off. The girl who served me sowed sufficient doubt in my mind that the policy I had already paid for (excess waiver), wouldn't in fact cover me should I damage the car. Take my advice, if you take out the excess waiver with Kayak, don't let Sixt sell you additional insurance for the insurance excess, which they quote as £1000. I opted for the 50% waiver which still cost 40% of the vehicle rental.Enterprise Rent-A-Car
7.3
Good
5 reviewsCleanliness
9.3
Comfort
9.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.6
Value for money
7.3
3 locations in Reading
Filters
Reviews
2.0 Poor
Sep 2023
10.0 Wonderful
Jun 2022
Europcar
2.0
Poor
1 reviewCleanliness
2.0
Comfort
2.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
2.0
Value for money
2.0
One location in Reading
Budget
7.7
Good
1 reviewOne location in Reading
Firefly
9.6
Wonderful
No reviews available
2 locations in Reading
National
9.0
Wonderful
No reviews available
One location in Reading
keddy by Europcar
8.3
Very Good
No reviews available
One location in Reading
Avis
7.5
Good
No reviews available
One location in Reading
Thrifty
5.6
Fair
No reviews available
One location in Reading
FLIZZR
7.7
Good
No reviews available
One location in Reading
Hertz
No score available yet
3 locations in Reading
Sunnycars
No score available yet
2 locations in Reading
One location in Reading
Locations in Reading
38 Portman Road
+44 118 939 4394
Filters
No reviews available
Car hire locations in or near Reading
Good to know
Most popular car type | Mini |
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