Before setting off, please do check the Reading Borough Council website for details of potential roadworks that could affect your journey to us.

Coming from the East

Leave the M4 at junction 11. Follow the A33 to Reading and the town centre. Continue on the A33 and join the slip road to Newbury (A4). Keep on this road and turn left into Berkeley Avenue. At the traffic lights at the brow of the hill, turn right into Coley Avenue. The Royal Berkshire Archives (RBA) is at the end of the road on the right, just before the main crossroad traffic lights.

Coming from the West

Leave the M4 at junction 12. Follow the Bath Road (A4) to Reading and the town centre. Keep on this road for about 3 miles. On the bridge, stay in the left hand lane to go straight ahead towards the town centre (the Bath Road [A4155]; the A4 turns right into Berkeley Avenue towards Basingstoke [A33]). At the main crossroad traffic lights, turn right into Coley Avenue and then immediately left into the RBA.

Parking
There are around 20 free parking spaces and within these are 4 designated disabled spaces.

Please note that due to building works onsite, the main car park will be closed until summer 2027. When entering from Coley Avenue, customers will need to take the first right and park along the west wall of the building. 

Parking enforcement is also in place. A permit must be obtained from Reception and be displayed in the windscreen to avoid a fine. 

Street parking nearby is restricted mostly to residents with permits. See the Reading Travel Information website for details.

Park and Ride
Buses run regularly to the town centre from the Madejski stadium off junction 11 of the M4 on the A33 and Loddon Bridge on the A329(M) East off junction 10 of the M4. Leave the bus at St Mary’s Butts/Castle Street and then walk up Castle Hill (see the ‘By foot’ section). See the Park and Ride website for details.

Reading has two railway stations – Reading and Reading West. Reading station is on the main line from London Paddington and deals with cross-country trains; Reading West is on the line serving Newbury. See the National Rail website for details.

From Reading main station):

Outside the station find the stop for the number 26 bus. Board the bus and ask for Russell Street. The bus stop is just past the main crossroad traffic lights on Castle Hill. Cross over Coley Avenue and then turn immediately left into the Royal Berkshire Archives.

Return by any bus which stops on the opposite side of Castle Hill going down into Reading town centre. See the Reading Buses website or call 0118 959 4000 for details.

From Reading main station

Leave Reading main station by the main exit at the front. Walk along Station Road and then Queen Victoria Street. Turn right onto Broad Street and then left into Chain Street. Go across St Mary’s churchyard to Gun Street, then up along Castle Street. At the roundabout, cross over the IDR (inner distribution road) and continue up Castle Hill. At the main crossroad traffic lights turn left into Coley Avenue and then immediately left into the Royal Berkshire Archives.

From Reding West Station

From Reading West station the walk is about 15 minutes. Exit the station onto Tilehurst Road and continue until you reach the main crossroad traffic lights. Cross over Castle Hill into Coley Avenue and then turn immediately left into the Royal Berkshire Archives.