21 Reading to Lower Earley via Katesgrove, The Mount
Operated by Reading Buses. Registered as running via University, Rushey Way. Runs 24 hours. 124 journeys on weekdays. Fares: adult single £2.00 to £3.00 — more.
Night bus — runs 24 hours. Every night. Nights are the night you set out on, so a 01:30 bus on Saturday morning counts as Friday. All night buses.
Wanted a different 21? 59 other bus routes are numbered 21 elsewhere in the UK — see every 21 bus timetable by area.
| Stop | 04:00 | 04:47 | 05:30 | 05:50 | 06:20 | 06:40 | 06:50 | 06:54 | 07:20 | 07:24 | 07:45 | 07:55 | 08:13 | 08:33 | 08:53 | 09:08 | 09:13 | 09:29 | 09:48 | 10:11 | 10:31 | 10:51 | 11:07 | 11:27 | 11:47 | 12:07 | 12:27 | 12:47 | 13:07 | 13:27 | 13:47 | 14:07 | 14:30 | 14:27 | 14:47 | 15:07 | 15:27 | 15:37 | 15:47 | 16:03 | 16:26 | 16:50 | 17:00 | 17:10 | 17:34 | 17:53 | 18:10 | 18:20 | 18:30 | 18:50 | 19:09 | 20:00 | 20:30 | 20:56 | 21:26 | 21:55 | 22:25 | 22:55 | 23:25 | 23:55 | 00:50 | 01:50 | 02:50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Marys Butts (stop CR) | · | 04:47 | · | 05:50 | 06:20 | · | · | 06:54 | · | 07:24 | 07:45 | 07:55 | 08:13 | 08:33 | 08:53 | 09:08 | 09:13 | 09:29 | 09:48 | 10:11 | 10:31 | 10:51 | 11:07 | 11:27 | 11:47 | 12:07 | 12:27 | 12:47 | 13:07 | 13:27 | 13:47 | 14:07 | · | 14:27 | 14:47 | 15:07 | 15:27 | 15:37 | 15:47 | 16:03 | 16:26 | 16:50 | 17:00 | 17:10 | 17:34 | 17:53 | 18:10 | 18:20 | 18:30 | 18:50 | 19:09 | · | · | 20:56 | 21:26 | 21:55 | 22:25 | 22:55 | 23:25 | 23:55 | 00:50 | 01:50 | 02:50 |
| Blagrave Street (stop EK) | 04:00 | 05:00 | 05:30 | 06:00 | 06:30 | 06:40 | 06:50 | 07:05 | 07:20 | 07:40 | 07:52 | 08:02 | 08:20 | 08:40 | 09:00 | 09:15 | 09:25 | 09:40 | 10:00 | 10:20 | 10:40 | 11:00 | 11:20 | 11:40 | 12:00 | 12:20 | 12:40 | 13:00 | 13:20 | 13:40 | 14:00 | 14:20 | 14:30 | 14:40 | 14:55 | 15:15 | 15:35 | 15:45 | 15:55 | 16:15 | 16:35 | 16:55 | 17:05 | 17:17 | 17:40 | 18:00 | 18:20 | 18:30 | 18:40 | 19:00 | 19:30 | 20:00 | 20:30 | 21:00 | 21:30 | 22:00 | 22:30 | 23:00 | 23:30 | 00:00 | 01:00 | 02:00 | 03:00 |
| Reading University (Inside) | 04:09 | 05:09 | 05:39 | 06:09 | 06:40 | 06:51 | 07:01 | 07:16 | 07:32 | 07:57 | 08:11 | 08:21 | 08:40 | 08:56 | 09:15 | 09:30 | 09:40 | 09:54 | 10:14 | 10:34 | 10:54 | 11:14 | 11:34 | 11:54 | 12:14 | 12:34 | 12:54 | 13:14 | 13:34 | 13:54 | 14:14 | 14:34 | 14:44 | 14:54 | 15:10 | 15:30 | 15:55 | 16:05 | 16:15 | 16:33 | 16:53 | 17:13 | 17:23 | 17:35 | 17:58 | 18:15 | 18:35 | 18:45 | 18:55 | 19:12 | 19:42 | 20:12 | 20:42 | 21:12 | 21:42 | 22:11 | 22:41 | 23:11 | 23:41 | 00:10 | 01:10 | 02:10 | 03:10 |
| Marefield (opp 31) | 04:20 | 05:20 | 05:50 | 06:20 | 06:51 | 07:03 | 07:13 | 07:28 | 07:44 | 08:09 | 08:24 | 08:34 | 08:53 | 09:08 | 09:28 | 09:43 | 09:53 | 10:09 | 10:29 | 10:49 | 11:09 | 11:29 | 11:49 | 12:09 | 12:29 | 12:49 | 13:09 | 13:29 | 13:49 | 14:09 | 14:29 | 14:49 | 14:59 | 15:09 | 15:24 | 15:44 | 16:09 | 16:19 | 16:30 | 16:48 | 17:08 | 17:28 | 17:38 | 17:49 | 18:12 | 18:29 | 18:49 | 18:59 | 19:09 | 19:26 | 19:57 | 20:25 | 20:55 | 21:24 | 21:54 | 22:22 | 22:52 | 23:22 | 23:52 | 00:21 | 01:21 | 02:21 | 03:21 |
| Hawkedon Way (adj) | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 19:12 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 23:55 | · | · | · | · |
Each column is one journey, headed by the time it sets off; one that finishes short of the usual end says where ("to …") — not every journey on this route runs the whole way. A · means that journey does not stop there. Times are shown at the route's main timing stops — buses serve all stops in between. Switch a table to All stops for every stop it calls at, or open a stop's own page for live departures there.
Fares on the 21
Adult single £2.00 to £3.00
Adult single fare table, stage to stage
| £2.00 | Kendrick Student Village | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2.00 | £2.00 | Morgan Road | |||
| £3.00 | £2.00 | £2.00 | Leighton Park School | ||
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | Harcourt Drive | |
| £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | Lower Earley |
Read along the row of the stage you travel to, to the column below the stage you board at; the first stage is Central Reading.
Reading Buses' published fares on the Bus Open Data Service, in force from 18 September 2026. A fare stage is a group of neighbouring stops that are priced the same. Fares change — check with Reading Buses before you travel.
Christmas & bank holidays
These dates are not the usual timetable for the day they fall on. They come from the operator’s published data, which for Christmas and New Year is often late or incomplete, so check with Reading Buses before you travel. Everything above is an ordinary week.
Not published yet: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 27 December, 28 December, 29 December, 30 December, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and 2 January. Operators often publish festive timetables only a few weeks ahead, so check again nearer the date.
Route map
All stops on route 21
21 towards Lower Earley
All 28 stops
- St Marys Butts (stop CR) Reading Town Centre
- West Street (stop CU) Reading Town Centre
- Blagrave Street (stop EK) Reading Town Centre
- Market Place (stop MA) Reading Town Centre
- London Street Foot (S-bound) Reading Town Centre
- Crown Street (S-bound) Katesgrove
- Kendrick Student Village (adj) The Mount
- Crown Place Passage (adj) The Mount
- Morgan Road (adj) The Mount
- Vicarage Road (opp) The Mount
- Christchurch Green (SE-bound) University of Reading
- Reading University (Inside) University of Reading
- Pepper Lane University (Adj) University of Reading
- Harcourt Drive (Opp) Earley
- Wychwood Crescent (Adj 114) Earley
- Brerewood (opp) Earley
- Chalfont Way Circle (S-bound) Lower Earley
- Rosemary Avenue (adj) Lower Earley
- Ryhill Way (opp) Lower Earley
- Chatton Close Asda (adj) Lower Earley
- Faygate Way (opp) Lower Earley
- Beech Lane (Adj) Lower Earley
- Marefield (opp 31) Lower Earley
- Chilcombe Way (adj) Lower Earley
- Felixstowe Close (adj) Lower Earley
- Kitwood Drive (opp) Lower Earley
- Easington Drive (Adj) Lower Earley
- Hawkedon Way (adj) Lower Earley
21 towards Reading
All 32 stops
- Marefield (opp 31) Lower Earley
- Chilcombe Way (adj) Lower Earley
- Felixstowe Close (adj) Lower Earley
- Kitwood Drive (opp) Lower Earley
- Easington Drive (Adj) Lower Earley
- Hawkedon Way (adj) Lower Earley
- Sellafield Way (opp) Lower Earley
- Marefield (opp) Lower Earley
- Beech Lane (opp) Lower Earley
- Faygate Way (adj) Lower Earley
- Chatton Close Asda (opp) Lower Earley
- Ryhill Way (adj) Lower Earley
- Rosemary Avenue (opp) Lower Earley
- Chalfont Way Circle (N-bound) Lower Earley
- Brerewood (Adj 10) Earley
- Wychwood Crescent (opp) Earley
- Harcourt Drive (Adj) Earley
- Pepper Lane University (Opp) University of Reading
- Reading University University of Reading
- Chancellors Way (opp) University of Reading
- Christchurch Green (W-bound) University of Reading
- Vicarage Road (adj) The Mount
- Morgan Road (opp) The Mount
- Crown Place Passage (opp) The Mount
- Kendrick Student Village (opp) The Mount
- Crown Street (adj) Katesgrove
- London Street Foot (N-bound) Reading Town Centre
- Kings Road (Stop MH) Reading Town Centre
- Minster Street (Stop MP) Reading Town Centre
- St Marys Butts (stop CR) Reading Town Centre
- West Street (stop CU) Reading Town Centre
- Blagrave Street (stop EK) Reading Town Centre
Service registration & registered changes
- Service change effective 1 September 2026 To amend Timetable.
- Service change effective 1 June 2026 To amend Timetable.
- Service change effective 1 September 2025 To amend Timetable.
- Service change effective 28 July 2025 To amend Timetable.
- Service change effective 2 September 2024 To amend Timetable.
From official Traffic Commissioner registrations. Registration PH0005856/39 · Changes in Reading Borough Council · All service changes →
Towns & areas on this route
Frequently asked questions
What time is the first 21 bus?
The 21 runs 24 hours a day, so there is no first or last 21 bus — the night timetable is below.
What time is the last 21 bus?
There is no last 21 bus: the 21 runs through the night, every night it runs.
How much does the 21 bus cost?
Reading Buses' published fares on the 21: adult single £2.00 to £3.00. The 21 is confirmed by GOV.UK as part of the national fare cap, so a single costs at most £3 until 31 December 2026, then £2 from 1 January 2027. Reading Buses day and weekly tickets can work out cheaper if you travel more than twice a day.
Who runs the 21 bus?
The 21 is operated by Reading Buses.
Timetable data from Reading Buses via the DfT Bus Open Data Service (South East England feed). Reading Buses last updated their Bus Open Data publications on 10 October 2026. Registered with the Traffic Commissioner as PH0005856/39. Check before you travel — services can change at short notice.