Why Reading Is a Great Alternative to London for Business Trips

If you’re planning your next business trip, the first place you might think of staying is London. But it might be worth taking a moment to consider the other options available - For example, Reading, which comes with many of the advantages of London, without the drawbacks. 

Rated by PWC for multiple years running as the city with the best growth in the UK , here are just a few of the reasons why Reading is a great alternative to London for your next business trip:



1. Reading Has Extremely Good Transport Connections

Reading has extremely good connections to London and the rest of the UK. Reading station is one of the busiest rail hubs in Britain, used by nearly 20 million passengers a year, making it the second busiest interchange station outside of London, with nearly four million passengers a year changing trains at the station.

Recently, Reading celebrated the opening of the Elizabeth Line, strengthening Reading’s links to London and making the journey easier and faster for commuters. Reading also has convenient access to the M4 motorway, providing an easy journey for international arrivals from Heathrow Airport. 

2. An Exciting Town Centre

While there are strong transport links to get you out of Reading, there is also plenty to explore within Reading. Everything is walkable from the town centre, the river and the train station. 

The town centre boasts home to the Oracle shopping centre with over 80 high street and designer stores, plus a multiplex cinema and a wide range of bars and restaurants to try. It may not be London, but there is plenty to keep you occupied while staying in Reading!



3. Lots of Business Parks and Places to Work

There are five business parks in Reading, home to headquarters for many leading national companies as well as the UK headquarters for many major multinationals such as PepsiCo, Oracle, Microsoft, Verizon, Nokia and Ericsson. With business premises costing on average 60% less than Paddington, Reading is an attractive location for large companies, making it an ideal location for business travellers. 

Not too thrilled about being in the office 5 days a week or looking for a remote working space while you’re away? It’s not just London that has hopped on the hybrid working trend. Reading has plenty of coworking spaces that have risen in popularity since the Pandemic. A couple of our favourites are Co-Space and Worklife , which provide an attractive working space with a community feel of working with others.

4. A Lower Cost of Living and High-Quality Accommodation

A big downside to living in London is the cost of living. The cost of living in Reading is currently 38% cheaper than in London, with significantly cheaper housing options, transport and even food and drink. 

Our serviced apartments are modern and spacious and come with added benefits such as a dedicated Guest Services Manager, weekly housekeeping and a home-from-home experience, that just wouldn’t be possible for the same price in Central London. With everything on your doorstep in Reading, plus the ability to easily get to London, there are a lot of benefits to being based outside the city!

With higher quality accommodation and a lower cost of living in an exciting town with excellent transport links, there are many benefits to choosing Reading for your next business trip.

Ready to Stay with Celador Apartments?

If you are looking for accommodation for your trip, our serviced apartments are ideally suited to business travellers, located in close proximity to Reading mainline train station and Reading’s vibrant town centre.