How to travel from Fort William to Reading, United Kingdom

The distance between Fort William and Reading is around 793km (493 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 50m.

11 routes found

We've found 11 different ways to get from Fort William to Reading by bus, plane, train and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out ReadingFort William if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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bus
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plane
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train
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Bus to Bus Station Stance 2, plane and train

Take the bus to Bus Station Stance 2 then fly from Inverness (INV) to London Heathrow (LHR) then take the train to Reading.

  • Duration4h 50m
  • Flight time1h 35m
  • Typical cost
    £225($265)
Operated by

Multiple operators

5 similiar routes

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

2
4 x train
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Train

Take the train to Dalmuir, Preston then Wolverhampton and then to Reading.

  • Duration9h 35m
  • Departsevery 20 mins
  • Typical cost
    £200($235)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
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bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Buchanan Bus Station and then to Heathrow Airport London T23.

  • Duration11h 45m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    £37($44)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

1 similiar route

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Reading.

  • Duration8h 35m
  • Distance793km (493 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Fort William and Reading

There are several options for getting from Fort William to Reading by bus, plane, train and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around £37 ($44) and will take around 11h 45m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the bus, then fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 4h 50m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately £225 ($265).

The distance between Fort William and Reading is around 793km (493 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 654km (406 miles)

It takes around 5hrs to get from Fort William and Reading by bus, plane and train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 8h 35m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Fort William to Reading is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 50m and will set you back approx £225 ($265).

The cheapest way to travel between Fort William and Reading, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around £37 ($44) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Fort William and Reading. It typically takes around 9h 35m and departs every 20 mins.

There are no direct train services that runs from Fort William to Reading. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Dalmuir, Glasgow Central Low Level, Preston and Wolverhampton. These services run every 20 mins and will take a minimum of 9h 35m.

First ScotRail Service, Caledonian Sleeper, Avanti West Coast, TransPennine Express Service and CrossCountry run train services between Fort William and Reading. Trains depart every 20 mins and will take around 9h 35m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Fort William and Reading. It typically takes around 11h 45m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Fort William to Reading. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Buchanan Bus Station and Heathrow Airport London T23. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 11h 45m.

Scottish Citylink, National Express, Megabus UK and FlixBus run regular bus services between Fort William and Reading. Buses run once daily and take around 11h 45m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Fort William to Reading. We recommend that you take the bus to Glasgow Airport then fly from Glasgow (GLA) to London Heathrow (LHR) then take the train to Reading. instead which will take 5hrs.

The closest major airport to Reading is Heathrow Airport (LHR) (LHR) which is approximately 36km (22 miles) from Reading. London Luton Airport (LTN) (LTN) and Southampton Airport (SOU) (SOU) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Fort William and Reading. The distance is around 793km (493 miles) by road and it will take around 8h 35m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Fort William to Reading is to take the bus, then fly and then take the train which takes, on average, 5hrs and will usually cost around £260 ($310).

How do I get from Fort William to Reading

Compare travel optionsbetween Fort William and Reading

Transport options from Fort William to Reading
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Bus to Bus Station Stance 2, plane and train + 5 similar
4h 50m
£225($265)
5 times a day917km (570 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train5hrs
£260($305)
every 20 mins818km (508 miles)
Bus, Plane and Train5hrs
£260($310)
every 20 mins802km (498 miles)
Bus to Bus Station Stance 2, plane and train5h 25m
£210($250)
5 times a day910km (565 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train5h 30m
£125($150)
every 20 mins822km (511 miles)
Bus to Glasgow Airport, plane and train5h 35m
£195($235)
every 20 mins798km (496 miles)
Train + 1 similar
9h 35m
£200($235)
every 20 mins816km (507 miles)
Train via Edinburgh11h 15m
£215($250)
6 times a week885km (550 miles)
Bus + 1 similar
11h 45m
£37($44)
once daily860km (535 miles)
Bus via Buchanan Bus Station11h 45m
£61($72)
once daily810km (503 miles)
Drive
8h 35m
£135($160)
on demand793km (493 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Fort William and Reading

Train operators

Airports near Reading

The following major airports near Reading offer regular flights to various popular destinations within United Kingdom and internationally.

LHR
Heathrow Airport (LHR)
International Airport
Distance
36km (22 miles) from Reading
LTN
London Luton Airport (LTN)
International Airport
Distance
62km (39 miles) from Reading
SOU
Southampton Airport (SOU)
Domestic Airport
Distance
63km (39 miles) from Reading