This article is the first step to getting you parked in Reading without paying a penny. Even though you are not short of car parks in Reading, or streets with free parking for 2 hours only, that are helpful at times.
Free Parking In Reading, UK
But one of the big questions is, Are there no restrictions on free parking in Reading? You will be happy to know that we have hunted up and down Reading town and found it for you. So the other question is,
Where is there Free Parking in Reading? Here are roads in Reading town where you can park for free:
- Heron Island
- Holybrook Road
- Blenheim Road
- Blenheim Road
- Drake Way
- Saint Saviours Road
- Washington Road
- Auckland Road
- Benson Close
- Wensley Road
Keep reading, as this article offers even more free parking on roads closest to Reading’s most popular amenities. see the Table of Contents below.
Handy Free Parking for 2 hours in Reading Town Centre
If you need to make a quick trip to Reading town centre, you need not pay for parking. Here are roads in Reading town centre where you can park for free for up to 2 hours
- Saint Giles Close
- Sidmouth Street
- South Street
- Zinzan Street
- Waylen Street
- Russell Street
- Western Elms Avenue
- King’s Road
Free Parking near the Oracle Shopping Centre in Reading
What initially appeared to be an impossible task with the Oracle shopping centre being surrounded by restricted parking signs on roads. Once we looked harder, cracks started to appear, and roads that are free to park on showed themselves.
The nearest is just a 13-minute walk away from the Oracle, according to google maps. The rest of our finds are listed below. See further for a clickable map with Google directions.
| Free Parking near the Oracle Shopping Centre | Approx Walking Time to the Oracle |
| Boston Avenue | 13 mins |
| Holybrook Road | 14 mins |
| Shaw Road | 15 mins |
| Epsom Court | 16 mins |
| Saint Saviours Road | 18 mins |
| Tintern Crescent | 20 mins |
| Trelleck Road | 19 mins |
| Tyberton Place | 21 mins |
| Wensley Road | 23 mins |
| Heron Way | 26 mins |
The Oracle shopping centre and its nearest free parking are marked on the map promoted above.
Free Parking near Reading Railway Station, Berkshire
Only 15 minutes walk from Reading Railway station are roads you can park on free of charge, saving you the expense of paying for the car parks at Reading railway station.
We have listed these roads below and, for easy use, we have also added them to a google map. Just click on the road you want, marked in brown with a train on it, and let google maps take you directly there.
| Free Parking near Reading Railway Station | Approx Walking Time to Reading Train Station |
| Gosbrook Road | 15 mins |
| Heron Island | 16 mins |
| Champion Road | 17 mins |
| Washington Road | 17 mins |
| Ardler Road | 18 mins |
| Montague Street | 18 mins |
| Piggott’s Road | 18 mins |
| Montague Street | 18 mins |
| Nelson Road | 20 mins |
| Marsack Street | 21 mins |
| Star Road | 22 mins |
Free Parking near the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
Reading hospital is only 0.8 miles from the centre of Reading town (located at the Oracle), so parking restrictions apply very nearby, on the Northwest side.
The East side of the hospital is a different story. See the list below that I created of roads as near as an 8-minute walk from the Royal Berkshire hospital that is available for you to park on for free. Also, take a look at the map below, which can direct you straight.
| Free Parking near the Royal Berkshire Hospital | Approx Walking Time to the Reading Hospital |
| Lower Mount | 8 mins |
| Donnington Gardens | 8 mins |
| Hatherley Road | 9 mins |
| Donnington Road | 10 mins |
| New Road | 10 mins |
| Blenheim Road | 11 mins |
| Wellswood Gardens | 11 mins |
| Blenheim Gardens | 11 mins |
| Foxhill Road | 12 mins |
| Cardigan Road | 12 mins |
| Eastern Ave | 13 mins |
Free Parking around the University of Reading Campus, Berkshire
Beyond the city centre, there are many more opportunities to park for free near the university. Please note that google maps have calculated an additional 5 minutes on the average walking times from outside of the university campus to the centre.
So you could take 5 minutes on all the below ‘approximate walking times to the University, making the distance to the uni from Waybrook Cresent, for example, a 7-minute walk and not 12 minutes.
You get what I mean. See the list below and use the map for google directions.
| Free Parking around Reading University | Approx Walking Time to the University |
| Waybrook Cresent | 12 mins |
| Green Road | 13 mins |
| Talfourd Avenue | 14 mins |
| Melrose Avenue | 15 mins |
| Belle Avenue | 15 mins |
| Culver Road | 15 mins |
| Holmes Road | 16 mins |
| Holmes Road | 16 mins |
| Regis Park Road | 16 mins |
| Grange Ave | 17 mins |
Free Parking near Madejski Stadium, Home to Reading Football Club
See the list below of free on-street parking nearest Madejski stadium and the map below for Google directions.
| Free Parking near Madejski Stadium – Reading F.C. | Approx Walking Time to the Stadium: |
| Darwin Close | 16 mins |
| Drake Way | 17 mins |
| Fair Isle Way | 17 mins |
| Longships Way | 19 mins |
| Heroes Walk | 24 mins |
| Vernon Cresent | 24 mins |
| Spencer Road | 24 mins |
| Kingsley Close | 26 mins |
| Dovecote Road | 25 mins |
| Wrenswood Close | 30 mins |
Parking at Madejski Stadium on Reading F.C. Matchday
The Madejski Stadium holds over 24 thousand fans, and so as you could imagine, match days can be logistically challenging for drivers and organisers alike. As you can see in the image above, the stadium has different on-site car parks, each for different wings and disabled parking, although they come at a price.
If you are a season ticket holder or are thinking of becoming one, it will be very well worth taking a look at the Reading F.C. website at all the pricing options they have for parking with the different tariffs of season tickets.
Free Motorcycle Parking in Reading Town Centre
Parking your motorcycle in the allocated motorcycle bays in all the council-run car parks is free. (But remember, if you park in a car parking bay, you must pay)
See the chart below for a list of car parks and the number of motorcycle bays they have for you to park for free.
| Free Motorcycle Parking in Reading, Berkshire | Near to: |
| The Forbury | Broad Street Mall |
| Blagrave Street | Train Station & Oracle Centre |
| Reading Railway Station | Train Station |
| Saint Mary’s Butts | The Oracle & Broad Street |
| Oxford Road | Oxford Rd & Travelodge |
| Blagrave Street | Station & Malward Lion Forbury Gardens |
Free Disabled Parking in Reading Town Centre
There is an adequate amount of disabled bays evenly dotted around central Reading town. I have listed them below, along with the amenities they are nearest to. Remember to display your blue badge and to have it clearly displayed.
| Free Disabled Disabled Parking in Reading | Nearest to: |
| Blagrave Street | Station and Oracle |
| Blagrave Street | Station and Oracle |
| Reading Station Car Park Under Ground | Reading Station |
| Car Park Reading Station | Reading Station |
| Queen’s Road Car Park | Oracle & High St |
| Green Parking | Oracle Southside |
| Broad Street Mall | Broad Street Mall |
| St Marys Butts | Broad Street mall |
| Green Parking | Hospital |
| Castle Street | Magistrates Court & Police Station |
| Reading Football Club | Reading F.C. |
About Reading
I hope you have found what you are looking for in this article, and that only leaves me to wish you a safe journey and an enjoyable time in Reading, Berkshire. On a final note, if you fancy a day trip to nearby locations. We have also visited and found the best free parking spots in Oxford, Windsor, Swindon and Alton. These are all great places to visit within a couple of hours’ drive from Reading.
Keep safe.
