Yorsay information on Reading, Berkshire
Reading railway station (formerly Reading General) is a major rail transport hub in the large town of Reading, Berkshire. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, some 5 minutes' walk from the main retail and commercial areas, and close to the River Thames. Adjacent to the railway station is a bus interchange, served by most of Reading's urban and rural bus services.
Reading is a major junction point on the National Rail System system, and as a consequence the railway station is a major transfer point as well as serving heavy originating and terminating traffic.
The main rail route served by the station is the Great Western Mainline, which runs west from London's Paddington Station before splitting to the west of Reading station into two lines, one serving the West Country and the other Bristol, Bath and South Wales. Services on these lines are operated by First Great Western, and all services stop at Reading.
Other main lines connect Reading with Birmingham, (serving both Birmingham Bew St Station and Birmingham International stations), northern England and Scotland to the north, and with Winchester, Southampton and Bournemouth to the south. Through services from north to south on these lines are operated by Virgin Trains, and all services, other than a few special summer-only services, stop in Reading.
A secondary line connects Reading with Guildford and London Gatwick Airport.. Services on this line, together with local stopping services to Basingstoke, Newbury, Gt Bedwyn Oxford and and London Paddington, are also operated by First Gt Western. Direct services to Brighton via Basingstoke are provided every few hours by South West Trains. An electric suburban line operated by South West Trains links Reading to Waterloo Station. An express bus service operated by First Great Western links Reading with London Heathrow Airport.