York is a compact walled city with narrow medieval streets, and parking in York city centre is limited and not cheap. The good news is that once you have parked, you will not need the car again: almost everything worth seeing is within a 15 minute walk. This guide covers the main council car parks and what they cost, where to park for the Minster, the cheapest way in by Park and Ride, and how residents' parking zones work, with a link to the official page for every price.
York car park prices
City of York Council runs the main city-centre car parks. It revised its charges in line with inflation on 1 April 2026, and the big central car parks now share one tariff. Charges apply from 8am to midnight every day, including Sundays and bank holidays, and parking after midnight is free until 8am.
| Length of stay | Sunday to Thursday | Friday, Saturday and events |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 hour | £5.00 | £5.50 |
| Up to 2 hours | £10.00 | £10.90 |
| Up to 3 hours | £11.50 | £13.90 |
| Up to 4 hours | £15.30 | £18.00 |
| Up to 5 hours | £19.20 | £22.10 |
| Evening, 6pm to 8am | £4.00 | £4.80 |
Marygate (near Museum Gardens) and Nunnery Lane (just outside Micklegate Bar) add an all-day ticket including the evening: £23.20 Sunday to Thursday, £25.00 Friday, Saturday and event days. Nunnery Lane also sells 24-hour periods for longer stays by Pay By Phone: £22.50 Sunday to Thursday and £25.00 Friday, Saturday and events. Sources: Marygate car park, Nunnery Lane car park.
Castle (by Clifford's Tower) and Bootham Row (near Bootham Bar) have no all-day ticket: after 5 hours you pay an extra £3.80 an hour Sunday to Thursday, or £4.10 on Fridays, Saturdays and event days. Sources: Castle car park, Bootham Row car park.
Pay By Phone adds a 15p service charge to every payment, and optional text reminders cost 20p each.
Parking near York Minster
There is no visitor parking at the Minster itself. The nearest council car park is Bootham Row, a short walk from Bootham Bar and the west end of the Minster, with 58 standard spaces, 9 Blue Badge spaces and 6 electric vehicle charging points. Marygate is the next closest, on the far side of Museum Gardens. Both fill up early on busy Saturdays, so arrive before mid-morning or come in by Park and Ride. Source: City of York Council, Bootham Row car park.
On-street parking
There are paid on-street bays on a handful of streets, including Skeldergate and Terry Avenue, North Street, Tanners Moat, Piccadilly and Walmgate. They cost £5.00 for up to an hour Sunday to Thursday (£5.50 on Fridays, Saturdays and events), up to £11.50 for three hours, and stays over 2 hours are only allowed after 3pm. Evening parking from 6pm to 11.59pm is £4.00, or £4.80 at weekends. Micklegate, Priory Street and Lawrence Street are cheaper, from £3.00 an hour, and free on Sunday mornings from 8am to 1pm. Payment is by Pay By Phone only. Source: City of York Council, on-street parking.
Cheap parking in York: Park and Ride
If you are visiting for the day, Park and Ride is the cheapest way to park in York. There are six sites around the ring road: Askham Bar, Designer Outlet, Grimston Bar, Monks Cross, Poppleton Bar and Rawcliffe Bar. Parking is free, and a standard adult return into the city centre costs £4.00 on the bus or in the First Bus app. Buses run from about 5.30am (7.30am on Sundays), with the last bus back from the centre at about 10.30pm.
One catch for anyone staying over: overnight parking is not allowed at any Park and Ride site, so it only works for day trips. Sources: iTravel York, Park and Ride; iTravel York, Park and Ride fares; City of York Council, Park and Ride.
Residents' parking zones (ResPark)
Much of the on-street space around the city centre is in ResPark zones, where parking is restricted to permit holders. Without a permit you can usually only wait for about 10 minutes, and the signs in each zone confirm the limit. Blue Badge holders can park in any ResPark zone without a time limit if the badge is on the dashboard. In short, don't plan on finding a free spot on a side street. Source: City of York Council, ResPark.
Where to park if you are staying overnight
This is where York gets expensive. Two nights in a council car park at 24-hour Pay By Phone rates comes to around £45 to £50, and you still have to walk your bags in from the car park. Park and Ride is out because of the overnight rule.
It is the main reason we kept a parking space with our flat. Within the Walls is a 1 bedroom apartment for two in the Skeldergate area, inside the city walls, and it comes with a secure, dedicated parking space included in the stay. You park once on arrival and walk everywhere from there: the Shambles is about 8 minutes on foot, the station about 12 and the Minster about 13. If that sounds easier than juggling car park tickets, send us your dates and book direct.
Tips
- Check whether your dates are a Friday, Saturday or event day, as the higher tariff applies.
- Arriving after 6pm? The evening charge covers you until 8am.
- The city centre footstreets are closed to most traffic during the day, so set your sat nav to the car park, not the attraction.
- Motorcycles park free in marked bays at Bootham Row and Nunnery Lane.
- Charges change, usually each April, so check the council page for your car park before you travel.