From Reading, the obvious way to Rugby looks like going through London. It isn’t the quick one. A train north to Coventry and a short change there gets you to Rugby in an hour and a half; the London route, with a trip across the city on the Underground, takes over two hours.
Reading to Apart Hotel Rugby at a glance
- Via Coventry
- 1 hour 30 minutes, on the departures at 15 minutes past the hour.
- Via London
- 2 hours 6 minutes to 2 hours 16 minutes, with the Underground from Paddington to Euston.
- Last good train
- 21:15 from Reading, arriving in Rugby at 22:45.
- By road
- Route planners disagreed sharply; about 65 miles in a straight line.
- In Rugby
- Ten minutes’ walk from the station to our building.
North via Coventry, not east via London
On the timetable for Tuesday 15 September 2026, a train leaves Reading at 15 minutes past most hours and runs through to Coventry, arriving at 27 or 28 minutes past the next hour. The Rugby train leaves Coventry at 35 minutes past. The London alternative means Paddington, the Underground to Euston and a Rugby train from there.
| Leaves Reading | Route | Arrives Rugby | Journey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:15 | Coventry | 09:45 | 1 h 30 min |
| 08:36 | Paddington, Euston | 10:42 | 2 h 6 min |
| 09:15 | Coventry | 10:45 | 1 h 30 min |
| 18:15 | Coventry | 19:45 | 1 h 30 min |
| 18:26 | Paddington, Euston | 20:42 | 2 h 16 min |
| 21:15 | Coventry | 22:45 | 1 h 30 min |
Leaving 21 minutes later can still get you there first. The 08:36 through London arrives at 10:42. The 09:15 via Coventry leaves 39 minutes after it and arrives only three minutes later, with no Underground and one change instead of two.
After the 21:15, the next journeys we found went through London and arrived after midnight. Confirm the Coventry connection on National Rail Enquiries on the day.
Driving from Reading
This is one route where we can’t give you a road mileage with confidence. The two planners we used chose completely different ways: one headed north on the M40 through Oxfordshire before joining the A43 and A5, the other went east on the M4, round the M25 and up the M1 to Junction 18. Their totals were more than 25 miles apart, so check a live map before you set off.
There are six parking spaces behind our building for guests, first come, first served and monitored by CCTV. Railway Terrace parking is free from 18:00 to 08:00.
Is a stay worth it from Reading?
Three hours of travel there and back makes Rugby a long day from Reading. People who come usually stay for work in the Midlands, for family events, or to get settled after a move; our long stay page and house move guide explain how longer bookings work.
Staying on Railway Terrace
Every room is set up for living in rather than just sleeping: a kitchenette of your own, a laundry on the first floor that guests use free of charge, and a weekly clean when you stay seven nights or more. Browse the 16 rooms on our rooms page and check our guest guide and hotel policies.
Reading to Rugby: frequently asked
What is the fastest train from Reading to Rugby?
The trains that change at Coventry. On the timetable we checked they took 1 hour 30 minutes, leaving Reading at 15 minutes past the hour.
Is it quicker to go through London from Reading?
No. Journeys through Paddington and Euston took between 2 hours 6 minutes and 2 hours 16 minutes, at least half an hour longer than going via Coventry.
How far is Reading from Rugby?
About 65 miles in a straight line. Road distance depends heavily on the route, and the two planners we checked disagreed by more than 25 miles.
Coming up from Reading?
Look at dates and rooms on our booking page, then use DIRECT as your booking code.
Source notes, 10 September 2026: the Reading departures, the Coventry connection and the London route via Paddington and Euston are from traintimes.org.uk for Tuesday 15 September 2026. We ran the drive through OSRM and Valhalla, got two different routes and totals, and so give only the 65-mile straight-line distance.
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