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Reading car hire

Reading car hire

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Reading car hire information

Pick-up locationReading
Car types
Hire locations19
Airport locations0

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 are at Stansted airport (STN)?

    Car hire companies onsite at Stansted airport include GREEN MOTION, DRIVALIA, Hertz, Easirent, Alamo, Budget and National.

  • 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 reviews
Best rated

Cleanliness

10.0

Comfort

10.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

10.0

Value for money

10.0

One location in Reading

Show locations

Locations in Reading

Fronting Rose Kiln Lane

+44 20 7018 8246

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:00
Friday08:00 - 16:00
Saturday08:00 - 16:00
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Reviews

10.0 Wonderful

May 2017

KAYAK

Pros:

An update by email on the type of CAR will help prepare better.

8.0 Very Good

May 2017

KAYAK

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

KAYAK

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.

1 out of 1

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

7.3

Cleanliness

9.3

Comfort

9.3

Pick-up/Drop-off

8.6

Value for money

7.3

3 locations in Reading

Show locations

Locations in Reading

171 Basingstoke Rd

+44 118 975 8200

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:00
Friday08:00 - 16:00
Saturday09:00 - 16:00
Sunday10:00 - 15:00
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Cow Lane

+44 118 956 9466

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:00
Friday08:00 - 16:00
Saturday09:00 - 16:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00
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Qpark Car Park, Chatham Street

+44 118 956 0777

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:00
Friday08:00 - 16:00
Saturday09:00 - 16:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00
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Reviews

2.0 Poor

Sep 2023

KAYAK
Doing better. You could have been honest and truthful about the charges. I really think I should warn others on social media to avoid your company.

10.0 Wonderful

Jun 2022

KAYAK
Paul was superb. Very polite and spent a lot of time making sure we were comfortable driving in England for the first time. He answered any question we had. Vehicle was perfect and suited our needs. Great experience.

1 out of 1

Europcar

2.0

Cleanliness

2.0

Comfort

2.0

Pick-up/Drop-off

2.0

Value for money

2.0

One location in Reading

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Locations in Reading

6-8 Commercial Road

+44 371 384 9952

Opening times not available

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Reviews

2.0 Poor

Jul 2022

KAYAK
Car couldn’t be provided. Outdated information.

1 out of 1

Budget

7.7

One location in Reading

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Locations in Reading

45 Caversham Road

+44 344 544 9736

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:00
Friday08:00 - 16:00
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2.0 Poor

Jul 2017

KAYAK

Cons:

at local office, no response to calls and nobody picks. central call center just redirects

1 out of 1

Firefly

9.6

Wonderful

No reviews available

2 locations in Reading

Show locations

Locations in Reading

131 Wokingham Road

+44 118 324 0558

Monday08:30 - 17:30
Tuesday08:30 - 17:30
Wednesday08:30 - 17:30
Thursday08:30 - 17:30
Friday08:30 - 17:30
Saturday08:30 - 17:30
Sunday10:00 - 15:00
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25 Boulton Road

Opening times not available

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No reviews available

National

9.0

Wonderful

No reviews available

One location in Reading

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Locations in Reading

Cow Lane

+44 118 956 9466

Monday00:00 - 00:00
Tuesday00:00 - 00:00
Wednesday00:00 - 00:00
Thursday00:00 - 00:00
Friday00:00 - 00:00
Saturday00:00 - 00:00
Sunday00:00 - 00:00
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No reviews available

keddy by Europcar

8.3

Very Good

No reviews available

One location in Reading

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Locations in Reading

6-8 Commercial Rd

+44 371 384 9952

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:00
Friday08:00 - 16:00
Saturday08:00 - 16:00
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No reviews available

Avis

7.5

Good

No reviews available

One location in Reading

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Locations in Reading

45 Caversham Road

+44 344 544 9785

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:00
Friday08:00 - 16:00
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No reviews available

Thrifty

5.6

Fair

No reviews available

One location in Reading

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Locations in Reading

Reading City Wide

+44 118 951 1123

Monday08:30 - 17:30
Tuesday08:30 - 17:30
Wednesday08:30 - 17:30
Thursday08:30 - 17:30
Friday08:30 - 17:30
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No reviews available

FLIZZR

7.7

Good

No reviews available

One location in Reading

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Locations in Reading

37B Caversham Rd

+44 844 499 3399

Opening times not available

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No reviews available

Hertz

No score available yet

3 locations in Reading

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Locations in Reading

131 Wokingham Road

+44 118 324 0558

Monday08:30 - 17:30
Tuesday08:30 - 17:30
Wednesday08:30 - 17:30
Thursday08:30 - 17:30
Friday08:30 - 17:30
Saturday08:30 - 17:30
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131 Wokingham Road

+44 118 324 0558

Monday09:00 - 16:00
Tuesday09:00 - 16:00
Wednesday09:00 - 16:00
Thursday09:00 - 16:00
Friday09:00 - 16:00
Saturday09:30 - 12:00
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25 Boulton Road

+44 118 986 1313

Monday08:30 - 17:30
Tuesday08:30 - 17:30
Wednesday08:30 - 17:30
Thursday08:30 - 17:30
Friday08:30 - 17:30
Saturday08:30 - 17:30
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Reviews

10.0 Wonderful

Jul 2017

KAYAK

Pros:

The gentleman who took our return was helpful and polite.

1 out of 1

Sunnycars

No score available yet

2 locations in Reading

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Locations in Reading

131 Wokingham Road

Opening times not available

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6-8 Commercial Road

Opening times not available

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No reviews available

Free2Move

No score available yet

One location in Reading

Locations in Reading

38 Portman Road

+44 118 939 4394

Monday08:00 - 16:00
Tuesday08:00 - 16:00
Wednesday08:00 - 16:0013:00 - 16:00
Thursday08:00 - 16:0013:00 - 16:00
Friday13:00 - 16:0008:00 - 16:00
Saturday08:00 - 16:00

Filters

No reviews available

14 travellers who rented a car in Reading gave the car agency they used an average rating of 7.7

Car hire locations in or near Reading

Good to know

Most popular car type

Mini

When to book a car hire in Reading

Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches