How far and how long are you willing to commute to work?

although I wouldn't suggest central Reading, probably better to be in a nice village nearby.

The problem with being out in a village is that it tacks another 40 minutes onto the journey. Cambridge, via express train, is only 50 minutes from Kings X, but to get there from a village by bus is half an hour. Tack on waiting at the bus stop, the platform, the tube and the subsequent walk and you are pushing two hours. Driving and parking at the station is quicker if the roads are clear but it isn't cheap nor are clear roads a given. Housing costs near the station are adjusted upwards accordingly. I don't think market forces are creating the best outcomes.

Yes, we are the closest village to Cambridge with two different buses, one that is "direct" and goes every ten minutes. 

Walking from our house to bus stop about 10 minutes, if the bus is right there (rarely on week days) it is another 40 minutes (ish) to the station (if they haven't dug up East Road, which HELLO let's do a ton of gas work repairs and not repave properly so they have to do it again a year later and let's not do it in the summer, but wait until school starts again and people are back from summer holidays.)

And then you can either hop on another bus to get directly to the station, or huff your way from one of the other stops because of course the P&R buses don't go to the station. 

So that is a good hour at least just to the train station and that is if the traffic is perfect and everything is waiting for you.

And as you said before you pay 5K (plus bus).

To be fair Cambridge is pushing the limits of the commuter belt. Reading seems a little more workable.

The problem with being out in a village is that it tacks another 40 minutes onto the journey. Cambridge, via express train, is only 50 minutes from Kings X, but to get there from a village by bus is half an hour. Tack on waiting at the bus stop, the platform, the tube and the subsequent walk and you are pushing two hours. Driving and parking at the station is quicker if the roads are clear but it isn't cheap nor are clear roads a given. Housing costs near the station are adjusted upwards accordingly. I don't think market forces are creating the best outcomes.

You make good points.  I suppose it depends on alterNick's situation.  Does he have family with children or on his own?  From what I understand of people living in Reading, if the latter it's not too bad and the amenities are good.  I've heard there are dodgy schools in Reading and not so good parts - true of any big town/city, yes - but some of the villages can have a much better quality of life for a family.  Given that it's a large town then a singleton would probably have a reasonably nice experience there and not feel too much of a lifestyle change from London.  It really depends on what alterNick wants.  I could only read into his post about the commute but not any other mitigating factors in living location.

My DH commutes from Eastbourne on the south east coast into the financial district of London each day. 1.45 hours by train and then a 20 min walk into work from London Bridge. I really pray that we move closer or that I find a job locally so I don't have to do that as well.