Parking in York City Centre

Place2Park28 Apr 2022

Generally speaking, parking in York City Centre is a little more expensive as compared to other cities in the UK. Therefore, if you are someone that prioritises low price over other aspects, such as walking distance, then there are very limited options available.

York City Centre has many car parking options available and in order to decide the best one for you, there are many factors that you will need to consider. Generally speaking, parking in York City Centre is a little more expensive as compared to other cities in the UK. Therefore, if you are someone that prioritises low price over other aspects, such as walking distance, then there are very limited options available.

 On-street parking

Pay & Display is an on-street parking option. Where this option is available, you simply park your car in a designated parking space and display your parking ticket on your car dashboard. 

Parking tickets for this option are available from ticket machines situated nearby. Due to lack of on-street parking spaces, a parking limit of 2 hours is set on all street pay-and-display spaces before 3 pm and they generally operate from 8 am-6 pm every day.

There are a few streets that are pedestrianised. These streets are only accessible to pedestrians between 10:30 am-5 pm. Outside of these hours, motor vehicles are allowed access to these streets.

A place where you can find relatively cheaper parking is in Micklegate. However, due to lack of parking spaces available, finding a place to park isn’t easy.

 Off-street parking

The City of York has many off-street car parks, each of which has different advantages and benefits. In terms of pricing, off-street parking fees can range anywhere between £1.20 to £3.50 per hour.

Bishopthorpe Car Park

Bishopthorpe Car Park is an ideal place to park if you are looking for a parking spot that doesn’t cost too much.

In addition, in terms of distance, the Bishopthorpe Road Car Park is only half a mile away from Central York. Therefore it will take no more than fifteen minutes to walk. Compared to the other car parks, 0.5 miles from Central York is not far at all.

Parking price options at this car park are as follows:

•   Up to 1 hour: £0.50

•   Up to 2 hours: £1.20

•   Up to 3 hours: £3

Unfortunately, it only has 35 car parking spaces available along with 4 disabled parking spots. Therefore, finding a parking space there isn’t easy.

 A good rule of thumb is to reserve your parking space a couple of days before your visit so that you are not disappointed.

Carlisle Street Car Park

Parking at Carlisle Street Car Park is a good option since it has more car parking spaces; parking there is not limited to three hours and it offers a range of price/duration options as follows:

•   Up to 3 hours: £2.50

•   Up to 5 hours: £4.00

•   Up to 24 hours: £6.00

•   Up to 2 Days: £11.00

•   Up to 5 Days: £25.00

A downside to this car park is that it is around 1.2 miles away from Central York which will take around half an hour to walk. Parking there may not be the best option for you if you are with someone that finds it difficult to walk long distances.

Leeman Road Car Park

Leeman Road Car Park is an ideal place to park your car if you are planning on visiting the National Railway Museum; the walking distance from the car park to the museum is only five minutes.

Parking at Leeman Car Park is available 24 hours a day from Monday-Sunday. The cost here is £6 for a 2-hour stay which is quite reasonable considering its prime location. 

Parking options at Leeman Road Car Park are as follows:

•   Up to 1 hour: £2.50

•   Up to 2 hours: £6.00

•   Up to 6 hours: £8.00

•   Up to 24 hours: £11.00

Disabled Parking

Most car parks in York have very few to no disabled parking spaces. Therefore, booking a parking spot prior to your visit is recommended.

Nevertheless, if you are a blue badge holder, you are permitted free access to on-street parking for up to 3 hours. This includes parking on single and double yellow lines as long as it is safe and does not cause an obstruction.

Bishopthorpe Car Park is one of few places that offers disabled parking. Due to lack of availability, it is recommended that one books early to avoid disappointment.

Place2Park

Place2Park also offers a number of parking options in York, many of which are reservable – from private driveways to car parks, you can browse the best options via our map search - which shows where spaces are located, availability, any parking restrictions to be aware of, and the price for each space.

Place2Park saves you from all the worry of space hunting and overpaying. Therefore, it is a very time-saving, cost-effective, highly useful and risk-free service that is worth trying out.

Public Transport

The City of York has very limited options when talking about transport within the city. Therefore, travelling by car is considered the best option. Having said that, there are a few bus services that run on fixed routes such as the First Bus Company. The First Bus service is the “second-largest regional bus operator in the UK,” hence it is quite reliable and secure. 

Along with that, York train station (located on the East Coast) is a great way to travel if you are travelling out of the city. It connects you to main cities such as London and Edinburgh.

Overnight, Weekends & Bank holidays

Overnight, weekend and bank holiday parking is permitted at many of the off-street parking parks since they offer a 24 hours service. From the car parks mentioned above, Carlisle Street and Leeman Road Car Parks offer a 24-hour service. 

Unlike off-street parking services, the on-street parking services are limited and only offer a maximum stay of 2 hours. 

Nearby attractions

The City of York brings forth countless tourist attractions within its boundaries. No matter what age you are, you sure won’t be disappointed after your visit to York as it offers enjoyable sites to people of all ages.

Some of the top-rated (by tourists) attractions of this magnificent city are:

1.           York Minster (an ancient Cathedral).

2.           Clifford’s Tower

3.           National Railway Museum

4.           York Castle Museum