Reading car park

[whole diary]

[alan_s]

Hi all

I know there is lots of redevelopment going on at reading; I wanted to check about car parking there.

I need to be at St Pancras by 0730 on Saturday, and think it's cutting it rather fine to get the 0530 from Bristol to Paddington (0714 arrival)!!  So I will have to drive to reading to get an earlier service. 

Assuming the car park is still next to the station as per national rail website, is it open and linked to the station still?  Is it the standard ACPOA pay and display or more like NCP pay on exit?  The more info I have, the less stressed I'll be driving along the M4 !!

Cheers
Alan

[Ollie]

Not too bad walking from the car park to the station. The access is no longer from level 9 andd is via level 1 instead, so do try and get a low level as you will enter the station via the northern entrance of the transfer deck.

The car park is pay on exit. When you approach the barriers you get a little yellow chip (about the size of a ^1 coin) - keep it safe as you will need it to pay and also to exit.

Hope that helps.

[alan_s]

Hi Ollie, thanks for the very quick and helpful reply.  I have encountered these yellow "chips" before - I take it you have to pay before getting back to your car, and have a set time in which to exit.

Cheers
Alan

[ChrisB]

Also, allow 10 minutes from car park to platform, at least. The walk is also exposed to the elements, so if it's raining, you'll get wet.

[Ollie]

Hi Alan. Yeah there are machines on level 1 before you exit. There is also an office if have any trouble. Not much space to wait by exit barrier so better to go to machine then your car. Also I have seen others wait by the barrier which just blocks things up.

[alan_s]

Great, thanks chaps.  I'll be arriving at about 0530 so should be plenty of space!

Alan

[alan_s]

Thanks for all the help chaps, my journey was a success! 

Only problem was trying to pay by card, I was inserting my credit card and expecting to be told when to remove it.  But instead was told invalid card, so after trying a second card without success, I went to the adjacent ticket machine; at which point someone in the queue explained I had to insert and immediately remove. So I tried that and was told invalid chip - I guess because I'd tried in the other ticket machine first, so back to that one and eventually managed to pay!

Cheers
Alan

[swrural]

@Alan
There was somebody else there at 0530 (I mean - in the AM - and a queue?)!

I believe now in 'alarm clock Britain', I thought it was nonsense.

[alan_s]

Nope, it's pay on exit; so this was when I got back, at about 00:15 Sunday !!  There were quite a few people who got off the 2330 ex PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) !

Alan