Free Parking in York is possible; let me tell you that straight off. Even though you may think that parking your vehicle in the city of York is a Shambles. It is not;
Read this article so we can get you parked up quickly, for free, so you can start enjoying the stunning sights the city of York has to offer.
Key Take Aways
Where Can You Park in York for Free?
Here are the roads in York city centre, where you can park free: Heslington Road, Barstow Avenue, Alma Grove, Argyle Street, Finsbury Street and Butcher Terrace
What to know about Parking for Free in York City
There is no difference in things to keep in mind when using the free parking spots in York, than in any other town or city in the UK. Still, It is still wise to remember to do this checklist when parking for free in and around York, UK
- Double check it is Free Parking – Check for signs
- Park close to the kerb
- Don’t block driveways, entrances or doorways
- Be polite to the locals
- Check your car is locked
If you don’t feel safe leaving your vehicle in a location. Follow your gut, and move. Don’t risk it.
Where to Park for Free in York
Roads in York with free parking that are near the city centre are: Albemarle Road, Sutherland Street, Railway Terrace, Wilton Rise, Heslington Road and Barstow Avenue
Where Can you Park in York?
There is a range of places you can park in York, from very central paid car parks to the further out and slightly cheaper car parks. To pay for on-street parking bays, in this article, we share with you great tips on where to find free parking near all the main spots and attractions. So read on, and don’t miss out
Free Parking near York Railway Museum
Kingsland Terrace, Garfield Terrace, Hanover Street East, Bromley Street and Carnot Street are all roads with Free Parking near to York Railway Museum
| Roads with Free Parking nearest to York Railway Museum | Approx. Walking time |
| Kingsland Terrace | 14 mins |
| Garfield Terrace | 15 mins |
| Hanover Street East | 15 mins |
| Bromley Street | 16 mins |
| Carnot Street | 17 mins |
Free Parking near York Minster
There nearest roads to York Minister with Free parking are Scarborough Terrace, Grosvenor Road, Pembroke Street, Huntington Mews and Albemarle Road. All of which are within a 20-minute walk to and from York Minster
See the chart below showing more details of walking times to each of these roads with free parking
Roads with Free Parking nearest to York Minster
| Roads with Free Parking nearest to York Minster | Walking time to York Minster |
| Scarborough Terrace | 13 mins |
| Grosvenor Road | 14 mins |
| Pembroke Street | 17 mins |
| Huntington Mews | 17 mins |
| Albemarle Road | 20 mins |
Free Parking near York Train Station
There is free parking near York Train station on, Railway Terrace, Saint Paul’s Terrace, Wilton Rise, Grosvenor Road and Albemarle Road. All these roads are within a 2o minute walk from York Railway station. See the Chart below for more details
Roads with Free Parking nearest to York Train Station
| Roads with Free Parking nearest to York Railway Station | Approx. Walking time |
| Railway Terrace | 9 mins |
| Saint Paul’s Terrace | 10 mins |
| Wilton Rise | 10 mins |
| Grosvenor Road | 20 mins |
| Albemarle Road | 20 mins |
How do you Pay for Parking at York Train Station?
To pay for parking at the York train station car park, you first need to have the APCOA Connect App downloaded to your phone. Then use location code 2500 to pay for the period of time you parked
Download the APCOA Connect App Here:
Car Park Prices at York Train Station
| Duration | Premium Parking Lower Floor by the station steps | Discounted Parking |
| Up to 1 hour | £3.00 | £2.50 |
| 1 to 2 hours | £6.00 | £5.00 |
| 2 to 6 hours | £11.50 | £8.00 |
| 6 to 24 hours | £14.50 | £11.00 |
| Saturday & Sunday Up to 24 hours | n/a | £6.00 |
| Click Here to see the Premium season Parking rates | Click Here to see the Premium season Parking rates |
Free Parking near York Dungeons
The nearest locations with free parking nearest to York Dungeons are Heslington Road, Saint Clement’s Grove, Alma Terrace, Alma Grove and Albemarle Road. All of these roads are between a 15 to 22-minute walk from York Dungeon
| Roads with Free Parking near York Dungeons | Approx. walking time |
| Heslington Road | 15 mins |
| Saint Clement’s Grove | 16 mins |
| Alma Terrace | 16 mins |
| Alma Grove | 18 mins |
| Albemarle Road | 22 mins |
Free Parking near York Theatre Royal
The locations with free parking nearest York Theatre Royal are Heslington Road, Saint Clement’s Grove, Alma Terrace, Alma Grove and Albemarle Road. All of these roads are between a 15 to 21-minute walk from York Theatre Royal
| Free Parking Spots nearest to York Theatre Royal | Approx. walking time |
| Heslington Road | 15 mins |
| Saint Clement’s Grove | 16 mins |
| Alma Terrace | 16 mins |
| Alma Grove | 18 mins |
| Albemarle Road | 21 mins |
Free Parking near York Hospital
The locations with free parking nearest to York Hospital are Filey Terrace, Pembroke Street, Ratcliffe Street, Grosvenor Road and Cromer Street. All of these roads are only a 1 to 3-minute walk from York Hospital
| Free Parking near York Hospital | Approx. walking time |
| Filey Terrace | 1 min |
| Pembroke Street | 1 min |
| Ratcliffe Street | 1 min |
| Grosvenor Road | 3 mins |
| Cromer Street | 3 mins |
How much is the Parking at York Hospital?
1-2 hrs £4.40. 2-3 hrs £6.60. 3-4 hrs £8.80. 4 hrs or more £9.90.
For full prices for the York hospital car park, see the chart below
| York Hospital Car Parking Prices | Price |
| up to 1 hour | £2.20 |
| 1 to 2 hours | £4.40 |
| 2 to 3 hours | £6.60 |
| 3 to 4 hours | £8.80 |
| 4 hours + | £9.90 |
Free Parking near York University
The nearest roads with free parking near York University are Barstow Avenue, Garrow Hill Avenue, Siward Street, Lamel Street and Norman Street. All of these roads are only a 7 to 11-minute walk from York University
| Roads with Free Parking near York University | Approx. walking time |
| Barstow Avenue | 7 mins |
| Garrow Hill Avenue | 8 mins |
| Siward Street | 9 mins |
| Lamel Street | 9 mins |
| Norman Street | 11 mins |
Can you Park at York University?
You can use the on-campus car park at York University as a student with a Student Parking permit. Visitors can use the Pay and display machines in the short-stay car parks, and Staff will need a valid parking permit to park in the staff car park. York University is encouraging everyone to leave their cars at home and use sustainable means of transportation, like buses, electric vehicles, cycling or e scooter.
How to qualify for a student parking permit
To qualify for a student parking permit to use York University Car Park, you will need one of the following
- limited accessibility
- Live outside the York Outer Ring Road
- Are you a Halifax College resident
- Live in couples’ accommodation
- Are residents in family accommodation
- Are one of these qualifying student types: Health Sciences, Hull York Medical School, PGCE, MA Social Work, undergraduate Masters in Social Work (MSoCW), BA Social Work 3rd Year.
Sourced from York Uni / Student parking permits page. See here for more details.
Free Parking near York Crown Court
Where is the nearest places to find free parking near York Crown Court?
The nearest roads to York Crown Court with Free Parking are Heslington Road, Kilburn Road, Alma Grove, Alma Terrace, and Edgeware Road. All of these roads are within a 20-minute walk from York Crown Court, so don’t be late
See the chart below for more details
| Roads with Free Parking near York Crown Court | Approx. walking time |
| Heslington Road | 14 mins |
| Kilburn Road | 16 mins |
| Alma Grove | 17 mins |
| Alma Terrace | 17 mins |
| Edgeware Road | 18 mins |
Free Car Parks in York
Yes, there are free car parks in york, Can you believe it? But, your pessimism is just as they do all have a catch, some are businesses that offer free parking to their customers. Others are free Park and Ride car parks then you need to pay to get a bus into the centre.
There are also so council car parks that allow overnight parking for free when there day time restriction traffic finishes for the day.
| Car Parks in York that are Free | The Catch | Approx. walking time to York Centre |
| Nuffield Health York Hospital YO31 8TA | Need to be a patient or visitor | 44 mins |
| Morrisons YO24 3BZ | Customers Only | Over 60 mins |
| Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride Car Park A, B & C YO30 5XZ | Need to pay for the bus into and from York Centre | N/A |
| Grimston Bar Park & Ride Car Park A, B, C & D YO19 5LA | Need to pay for the bus into and from York Centre | N/A |
| Askham Bar Park & Ride YO24 1LW | Need to pay for the bus into and from York Centre | N/A |
| Monks Cross Park & Ride YO32 9JU | Need to pay for the bus into and from York Centre | N/A |
| Designer Outlet Park & Ride YO19 4TB | Need to pay for a bus into and from York Centre | N/A |
| Poppleton Bar Park & Ride YO26 6QF | Need to pay for a bus into and from York Centre | N/A |
York Park & Ride Sites
There are 6 Park and Ride car parks equally spaced out around the outer ring road of York city. Combined the Park and Ride successfully serves to remove over 5000 cars a day from the cobbled street Sambles of York city centre.
Does York have Park & Ride?
There are six Park and Rides that serve York city and they are Designer Outlet, Askham Bar, Poppleton Bar, Rawcliffe, Grimston Bar, Monks Cross
| Park and Ride Sites in York | Located to York | Spaces | |
| Monks Cross | North East | 800 | |
| Grimston Bar | East | 920 | |
| Designer Outlet | South | 600 | |
| Askham Bar | South West | 1100 | |
| Poppleton Bar | North West | 600 | |
| Rawcliffe | North/ Noth West | 1000 |
Free On-street Parking in York
For such an old city, the York council have been moderate with restricted parking zones. This is very helpful for finding Free on-street parking near to York Centre and its main attractions.
Where is the best free on-street parking in York, UK?
The closest Free on-street parking to York City centre are Heslington Road, Saint Clement’s Grove, Alma Terrace, Alma Grove and Albemarle Road
| Roads with Free On-street Parking in York | Approx. walking time York Dungen in Central York |
| Heslington Road | 15 mins |
| Saint Clement’s Grove | 16 mins |
| Alma Terrace | 16 mins |
| Alma Grove | 18 mins |
| Albemarle Road | 22 mins |
To be navigated direct to the best Free parking spot in York for you, Download this helpful Free Parking in York Map. Finding free parking just got easier
Free Overnight Parking in York
If you look hard enough, you can find roads where you can leave your car overnight with needing to pay. We have looked hard and wide for you and the following roads will serve you well
Where is there free overnight parking in York, UK?
You can park overnight for free in York on Heslington Road, Aldreth Grove, Grosvenor Road, Railway Terrace and Bright Street
| Roads with Free Overnight Parking in York | Located to city centre | Approx. walking time to central York |
| Heslington Road | South East | 15 mins |
| Aldreth Grove | South | 17 mins |
| Grosvenor Road | North | 21 mins |
| Railway Terrace | West | 22 mins |
| Bright Street | North West | 23 mins |
Free Disabled Parking in York
York has offered much-disabled parking bays in the best and most accessible locations. But first, to be allowed to use them without getting a parking ticket, You will need to apply for a blue Badge. Right, let’s assume you have done that hand
Where is the Free disabled parking in York?
Armed with a clearly displayed Blue Badge on your dashboard, you can park for free in York at all of their council-owned car parks, as well as on-street parking. You can also park for up to 3 hours on both single and double yellow lines. There are also 6 disabled bays centrally located on Tower St and Piccadilly
| Free Disabled Parking in York | Number of Bays |
| All York Council Run Car Parks | N/A |
| All Paid on-street Parking | N/A |
| Badge holders may park on single or double Up to 3 hours only | N/A |
| Tower street | 6 |
| Piccadilly after 11 am only | 6 |
Free Motorcycle Parking in York
Where is the Free Motorcycle Parking in York, UK?
There are 10 motorcycle parking locations in York where you can park your bike for free. The most central are: Cumberland Street, Piccadilly, Dennis Street, Tanner’s Moat and Foss Bank Car Park. Collectively these of 36 free motorcycle bays in York for you to use.
| Free Motorcycle Parking Bay in York | Number of Bays | Locking Rail |
| Cumberland Street | 8 | No |
| Piccadilly | 6 | No |
| Dennis Street | 8 | Yes |
| Tanner’s Moat | 8 | Yes |
| Foss Bank Car Park | 6 | No |
Coach Parking in York
Where is the Coach Parking in York?
There are now 2 official free coach parking locations in York, and these are Union Terrace Coach Parkin the North and St George’s Field Coach Park in the south. There are also 3 official rendezvous points to drop off and pick up your passengers. These are on Foss Bank, near York Minster, Leeman Road, by the train station and Fawcett Street near York Castle
| Free Coach Parking Spots in York | Charges Apply | Public Toilets | Couch Bays |
| St George’s Field Coach Park St Georges Field Tower Street YO10 4AB | No | Yes | 27 |
| Union Terrace Coach Park Union Terrace Clarence Street YO31 7ES | No | Yes | 35 |
Coach drop off and pick up points in York
Of course, before you can park your couch, you will need to drop your passages off in the centre of town. York has 3 drop-offs and Pickup Rendezvous for couch drivers to use.
The 3 Coach Rendezvous points in York are:
- Foss Bank – Minster
- Leeman Road – Train station
- Fawcett Street – Castle
Free Motorhome Parking in York
Can I Park a Motorhome in York?
Apart from some large bays on Foss Islands Road, your only other option to park your motorhome in York for free is to use the Grimston Bar, Designer Outlet, Askham Bar or Rawcliffe Bar Park and Ride car parks on the outskirts of York. Please note, you are not allowed to park your motorhomes in the Park and Ride car parks overnight
| Free Motorhome / RV Parking in York | Located to York | |
| Grimston Bar Park and Ride | East | |
| Designer Outlet Park and Ride | South | |
| Askham Bar Park and Ride | South West | |
| Rawcliffe Bar Park and Ride | North/ Noth West | |
| Foss Islands Road, YO31 7UP A limited number of Large bays | East |
Cheap Car Parks in York
Without knowing how long you plan to park in a car park in York, I can not give you an accurate answer without advising you to see the ‘Cheapest 4, 8 and 24 hour Car Parks in York’ section just below here. But I can still hear you asking.
Where is the Cheapest Car Park in York?
The cheapest overall car park in York is James Street Car Park on 6 James Street, York YO10 3WW. Priced at £2.20 for up to 2 hours then only £3.70 up to a 24-hour stay
Cheapest 4, 8 and 24 hour Car Parks in York
To get the most accurate answer to the cheapest car park in York have split our query into 4, 8 and 24-hour stays. The quickest answer to this question is:
These are the cheapest Car Parks in York:
James Street Car Park for up to a 4 or 24 hours stay. But Fishergate car park is the overall cheapest car park for an 8-hour stay. See the charts below for more details
Cheapest Car Parks in York for a 4-hour Stay
| Cheapest Car Parks in York for a 4-hour Stay | Price | Approx. walking time to the city centre |
| James Street | £3.70 | 26 mins |
| Barbican Road | £3.95 | 23 mins |
| Layerthorpe | £4.80 | 16 mins |
| 15 Priory Street | £5.00 | 15 mins |
| All Saints RC School | £5.00 | 15 mins |
Cheapest Car Parks in York for an 8-hour Stay
| Cheapest Car Parks in York for an 8-hour Stay | Price | Approx. walking time to the city centre |
| Fishergate | £3.00 | 22 mins |
| James Street | £3.70 | 26 mins |
| Haxby Road | £5.50 | 31 mins |
| Barvican Road | £5.95 | 23 mins |
| Layerthorpe | £6.00 | 16 mins |
Cheapest Car Parks in York for a 24-hour Stay
| Cheapest Car Parks in York for a 24-hour Stay | Price | Approx. walking time to the city centre |
| James Street | £3.70 | 26 mins |
| Fishergate | £6.00 | 22 mins |
| Barbican Road | £9.95 | 23 mins |
| Blossom Street | £10.00 | 24 mins |
| 15 Priory Street | £12 | 15 mins |
On-Street Parking in York City Centre
You can use the on-street parking bays in central York City on the following roads: Skeldergate, Carmelite Street, Lawrence Street, Lord Mayor’s Walk and North Street. As well as Walmgate, Terry Avenue, Piccadilly, Priory Street, Toft Green and Tanners Moat,
To Pay for these on-street parking bays in York, you must use the RingGo app and pay there.
Download the RingGo App Here:
Roads in York with On-Street Parking Bays
Once you have the RingGo App working on your phone and register, Use the RingGo Codes shown on the chart below and on the named street and parking machines to make your payment.
| Roads in York with On-Street Parking Bays | RingGo Code |
| Piccadilly | 27724 |
| Tanners Moat | 27726 |
| Carmelite Street | 27720 |
| North Street | 27723 |
| Skeldergate | 27725 |
| Terry Avenue | 27725 |
| Lord Mayor’s Walk | 27722 |
| Lawrence Street (2-hour max time) | 27721 |
| Walmgate (2-hour max time) | 27729 |
| Toft Green | 27729 |
| Priory Street PLEASE NOTE: Charges on Sundays do not start until 1.00 pm | 27727 |
See below for the RingGo prices and options.
RingGo Charges for York On-Street Parking
| Duration of stay | Price | Minster Badge Holder Concession | Pay by phone with RingGo |
| Up to 1 hour 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | £2.50 | £2.50 | £2.40 |
| 1 to 2 hours 8.00 am to 6.00 pm | £5.00 | £5.00 | £4.80 |
| 2 to 3 hours PLEASE NOTE: 2 or more hours of parking is only permitted after 3 pm | £7.50 | £7.50 | £7.20 |
| Evening Parking Starts at 6 pm and to midnight | £3.00 | £1.00 | £3.00 |
Free Car Parks in York
There are car parks in York where you can park for free. But, this is either the council-owned car parks that allow free parking late at night. Or business-owned car parks that offer free parking to their customers.
The business car parks in York that offer free parking are Nuffield Health York Hospital on Haxby Road, YO31 8TA and Morrison’s, 4 Front Street, YO24 3BZ
Car Parks that have Free Parking
For the car parks in York offering Free parking and to see when they are free, see the chart below
| Car Parks in York and when they are Free | Free Times | Approx. Spaces |
| Coppergate Centre Piccadilly York YO1 9NX | 7 pm to 8 am | 276 |
| Bishopthorpe Road 35 Bishopthorpe Road York YO23 1NA | 6 pm to 8 am | 39 |
| Monk Bar 3 St John’s Street York YO31 7QR | 12 am to 8 am only | 235 |
| St. George’s Field Castle Mills Bridge York YO10 4FH | 12 am to 8 am only | 150 |
| Nunnery Lane York YO23 1AA | 12 am to 8 am only | 175 |
Residents Parking in York
As much as there is free on-street parking dotted around the city of York, if the road that your home is on has restricted parking bays, it means you are eligible as a resident for a resident parking permit.
The first thing you will need to do is go to the York.gov website and find out your zone by finding your address on the Map of ResPark zones. Once you know your zone you can then choose what permit you need and the length you wish to pay for the permit.
Now you need to apply for your York Parking permit, It can all be done online now at www.york.gov.uk/apply-for-a-parking-permit
Once you do get your Permit through the post, be sure to securely stick it to the pavement side of your front car window on the inside. You will get a ticket without it.
About York
York has dealt very well with modern life and the exploding popularity of the automobile. Founded over 2000 years ago, York was originally designed and started as a Roman fortress with high walls overlooking the junction of the River Foss and River Ouse, while protecting the narrow cobbled streets within. Today these old streets are called the Shambles and are a must-see if visiting York today.
Two thousand years on, York is a bustling city with a population of just over 215,500 residents, but a whopping 8.4 million visitors per year. A tourism rate that is said to just keep growing.
Awesome Things To Do in York
There are many different flavours to York and what I mean by that is if I was visiting on my own, I would do one thing and yet with a family I would do another. So here are all my recommendations depending if I go it alone, or with others:
| Things I would Do in York if I was visiting | Attraction |
| Solo / First Timer to York | Castle Howard Bike Tour York Art Gallies |
| as a Couple | Castle Howard Bike Tour |
| with Friends | Bike Tour Comedy Horror Show – Ghost Bus tour York Dungeon |
| with Family | Comedy Horror Show – Ghost Bus tour York Dungeon Harry Potter Tour Bike Tour Self Steer Boat Rental |
If you are in Yorkshire for a good few days, and fancy making more of a road trip of your time why not consider visiting other nearby locations like Whitby, Scarborough, Leeds or Harrogate.
We hope this article has helped you get parked up safely and cheaply if not completely free. Have a great time in York
