ECMWF, Reading, UK

Arriving by air

The two main international airports you’ll likely be flying into are London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport.

• 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.

 

Driving to ECMWF within the UK

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 train from London

• Take a train from Paddington Station to Reading Station. The journey time is about 30 minutes. Check the 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 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 planning to use a taxi from the airports to either ECMWF or your hotel, it is advisable to pre-book a taxi via the ECMWF Reception desk, as hailed black cabs will charge a far higher rate.

Pre-booked fares

Heathrow all terminals to ECMWF	£50.00 plus the car parking fee (approximately £12.00)
Heathrow terminals 1, 2, 3, and 5 to hotels in town centre	£50.00 plus the car parking fee (approximately £12.00)
Heathrow terminal 4 to hotels in Reading town centre	£50.00 plus the car parking fee (approximately £12.00)
Gatwick all terminals to either ECMWF or hotels in Reading town centre	£85.00 plus the car parking fee (approximately £12.00)

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. 24 October 2022
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.

There are some conveniently located hotels in Reading town centre, for example:

• Great Expections
• Ibis Reading Centre
• Mercure George Hotel
• Novotel Reading Centre
• Premier Inn (Reading Central)
• Travelodge (Reading Central)

Out of town centre accommodation:

• Travelodge (Whitley)

Public transport in Reading

Reading Buses run bus number 10 between Reading station and Spencers Wood and bus number 3 between Reading station and Wokingham, both 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.

 

Taxi

If booking a taxi or Uber, it might help the taxi driver if you ask for ‘the Weather Centre on Shinfield Road’ instead of ‘ECMWF’.