ECMWF, Shinfield Park, Reading, RG2 9AX, United Kingdom
Reading is about 70 km west of central London and 50 km west of Heathrow airport.
Getting to ECMWF Reading
This travel planner may help you plan your journey to Reading.
By car
Leave the M4 at junction 11, take the B3270 for 1 km (Whitley Wood Lane) and then turn left on to the A327 (Shinfield Road). ECMWF is on the left.
By air
If you are arriving at Heathrow airport, you can take a Rail Air Link bus to Reading train station. Buses depart every half hour and the journey time is about 60 minutes. You can buy tickets online or at the ticket office at the station. You can then take a bus or taxi to ECMWF.
If you are arriving at Gatwick airport, take a train to Reading train station. Fast trains depart once an hour and the journey time is about 75 minutes.
By train from London
Take a train from Paddington station to Reading station. The journey time is about 30 minutes. Check timetable.
If you are arriving by Eurostar (St. Pancras International Station), take the Underground (Circle line or Hammersmith & City line) to Paddington station and proceed as above.
Alternatively, take the Underground (Victoria line to Oxford Circus, then the Bakerloo line) to Waterloo station, or you can also take bus number 59 to Waterloo station. From Waterloo station take a local train to Reading station via Wokingham. Check timetable. Trains depart every half hour and the journey time is about 75 minutes.
Book a taxi
If you are visiting ECMWF and are planning to use a taxi from the airports to either ECMWF or your hotel, it is advisable to pre-book a taxi via our Reception desk, as black cabs will charge a far higher rate.
Pre-booked fares
Fares shown below are for 06:00 to 23:00; fares from 23:00 to 06:00 are 50% higher.
Airport car parking fees vary depending on how long the taxi has to wait for you on arrival, but are likely to be approximately £12.
| Heathrow all terminals to ECMWF | £50.00 plus car parking fee |
| Heathrow all terminals to hotels in town centre | £55.00 plus car parking fee |
| Gatwick/Luton to ECMWF | £90.00 plus car parking fee (Gatwick parking; Luton parking) |
| Gatwick/Luton to hotels in town centre | £95.00 plus car parking fee (Gatwick parking; Luton parking) |
| Reading station/hotels in town centre to ECMWF | £15 |
Payments are made directly to the taxi driver (cash or credit card).
To book your taxi, please email the following information to ECMWF Reception:
| Passenger name | |
| Pick-up date | e.g. 23 April 2015 |
| Landing Time | e.g. 14:45 |
| Airport and Terminal | e.g. Heathrow Terminal 5 |
| Flight number | e.g. BA 418 |
| Arriving from | e.g. Paris |
| Going to | e.g. Novotel Reading |
| Mobile phone number | e.g. + 33 6 12345678 |
You will receive a confirmation by email.
Travel in Reading
Reading Buses run bus number 3 between Reading station and Wokingham, via Shinfield Road (stop at ‘Shinfield Park, Weather Centre’). Check timetables.
Tickets can be bought on the bus. The driver can accept cash or contactless card payments.
When buying a ticket on the bus you need to have the exact money, as the driver cannot give change.
If booking a taxi, it might help the taxi driver if you ask for 'the Weather Centre on Shinfield Road' instead of 'ECMWF'.
Where to stay in Reading
There are some conveniently located hotels in Reading town centre, for example:
- Great Expections
- Ibis Reading Centre
- Novotel Reading Centre
- Premier Inn (Reading Central)
- Travelodge (Reading Central)
- Other Travelodge hotels in the area
- University of Reading
Please note that hotels are listed in alphabetical order and not on price or recommendation.
Out of town centre accommodation: