Free parking on public streets
- Hospital Fields Road
- Knavesmire Road
- Hamilton Drive East
- Bishopthorpe Road West (2 hours free or after 11am beyond junction with Campleshon road)
- Heslington Road
- Campleshon Road
Free Car Parks in York
You can park for free in York at either East Parade Car Park or Bishopthorpe Road Car Park between 6pm and 8am.
If you are a York resident, parking is just £1 in most council car parks in York between 6pm and midnight (after 5pm Friday and Saturday), providing you have a Minster Badge.
| Car Park | Address | Spaces | Free Parking | Charge Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monk Bar Car Park | St John’s Street, York, YO31 7QR | 253 | N/A | No |
| Castle Car Park | Tower Street, York, YO1 9SA | 317 | N/A | 2 |
| Union Terrace Car Park | Union Terrace, Clarence Street, York, YO31 7ES | 145 | N/A | 2 |
| St George’s Field Car Park | Castle Mills Bridge, York, YO10 4AB | 150 | N/A | No |
| Nunnery Lane Car Park | Nunnery Lane, York, YO23 1AA | 193 | N/A | 4 |
| Bishopthorpe Road Car Park | Bishopthorpe Road, York, YO23 1NA | 41 | 6pm – 8am | No |
| East Parade Car Park | East Parade, Heworth, York, YO31 0XH | 14 | 6pm – 8am | No |
Cheapest all-day parking in York
If you would rather park closer to the city centre, but don’t fancy forking out for council run car parks, I found the cheapest car park in York to be Premier Inn Blossom Street car park, which costs from just £1.75 per hour. You can use this car park even if you are not a customer using the store – but it must be pre-booked via Your Parking Space, you cannot just turn up.
You can also choose to book this car park all day (9am – 5pm) from just £4.95, so it’s a great option for commuters or those visiting York for the full day.
Cheapest monthly parking in York
If you are commuting into York on a regular basis and want long term parking, I found the cheapest car park for monthly parking in York to be Morrisons Supermarket car park, which costs from £186 per month and is just a 5 minute walk into the city centre.
You can use this car park 7 days a week, including overnight, and leave and re-enter the car park as many times as you need to, although you must pre-book which can be done via Your Parking Space.
Free on street parking york
If you prefer to park in on-street parking bays when visiting York, rather than council run car parks, you can take advantage of free parking at the following on-street parking locations during certain times of the day:
| Location | Free Parking |
| Lead Mill Lane | After 8pm daily and Sundays |
| Blue Bridge Lane (suspended until Feb 2025) | After 6pm daily and Sundays |
| East Parade | After 6pm daily and Sundays |
| Lowther Street | After 8pm daily |
| Park Grove | After 8pm daily |
Free Parking at Park & Ride Sites
There are six park and ride car parks in and around York that offer free parking, so if you don’t fancy parking in the city itself, you can simply use one of the park and ride sites and jump on the bus instead.
| Park and Ride Site | Address | Spaces | Use For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Askham Bar Park & Ride | YO24 1LW | 1,100 (including 10 for Campervans) | York Dungeons, Cliffords Tower |
| Designer Outlet Park & Ride | YO19 4TA | 600 (including 50 for Campervans and Coaches) | Jorvik Viking Centre, Cliffords Tower, National Railway Museum |
| Grimston Bar Park & Ride | YO19 5LA | 920 (including 20 for Campervans and Motorhomes) | Jorvik Viking Centre, Castle Museum |
| Monks Cross Park & Ride | YO32 9JU | 800 | National Railway Museum |
| Poppleton Bar Park & Ride | YO26 6QF | 600 (including 10 spaces for Campervans and Coaches) | York Dungeons, National Railway Museum |
| Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride | YO30 5XZ | 1,000 (including 11 spaces for Campervans) | National Railway Museum |
Free overnight parking in York
The best option if you are looking for free overnight parking in York is to park in an on-street parking bay, as car parks are chargeable, even overnight, albeit at a reduced rate.
Lead Mill Lane offers free parking between 8pm and 8am and there is room for around 8 cars. Lead Mill Lane is just opposite Wetherspoons (Posterngate).
Other free overnight parking in York:
- Southland Road (free from 8pm)
- Blue Bridge Lane (free from 6pm) – no parking until Spring 2025
- Scarcroft Hill (free from 5pm)
We always recommend looking out for newly installed road signs as permitted parking can change quickly.