How much does Durham Park & Ride cost?

Parking is free; you pay for a bus day ticket instead, which was £2.20 for an adult at the time of writing, with children travelling free when accompanied by a paying adult and a discounted fare for university students. One ticket covers unlimited travel all day.

Where are Durham's Park & Ride sites?

There are three: Sniperley to the north off the A167, Belmont to the east on the A690 near Junction 62 of the A1(M), and Howlands Farm to the south on the A177. Each serves a different approach into the city.

Do the Park & Ride buses go to the Market Place?

No. The buses drop off at Milburngate, Leazes Road and New Elvet, just outside the historic peninsula, which is inside the Road User Charge zone. To reach the Market Place and Cathedral, change onto the Cathedral Bus, which is free for Park & Ride ticket holders.

Transport

Durham Park & Ride: A Complete Guide

Durham's three Park & Ride sites at Sniperley, Belmont and Howlands Farm, with free parking, frequent buses and a low flat fare, are the easiest way to visit the city by car.

durhamcity.live·1 September 2026

Durham's compact medieval centre has very little parking and a daily charge on its historic core, so Park & Ride is the easiest way to visit by car. The city has three sites on its edges, each with free parking and a frequent bus into the centre.

The three sites

Durham County Council runs three Park & Ride sites, each serving a different approach into the city:

Sniperley (north) sits just off the A167 near its junction with the A691 (DH1 5AA), the site for drivers coming from the A1 to the north, Chester-le-Street or Consett. It is the largest, with around 590 spaces including 28 accessible bays, plus electric-vehicle charging.
Belmont (east) is on the A690, about 300 metres from Junction 62 of the A1(M) (DH1 1SR), the natural choice from Sunderland and the east. It has around 530 spaces including accessible bays and is a fully covered site.
Howlands Farm (south) is on the A177 South Road near the university's science site (DH1 3DE), for drivers arriving from the south. It has around 360 spaces.

Opening times and buses

Sniperley and Belmont are open seven days a week, from 7am to 7pm; Howlands Farm runs Monday to Saturday only. Buses leave every fifteen minutes: Sniperley and Belmont share the PR1 route through the city, while Howlands is served by the PR2. They drop off at stops such as Milburngate, Leazes Road and New Elvet, all a short walk from the centre.

Note that the Park & Ride buses do not go up to the Market Place itself, because the historic peninsula sits inside the Road User Charge zone. To reach the Cathedral and Market Place, change onto the Cathedral Bus, which Park & Ride ticket holders ride free.

Fares

Parking is free; you simply buy a bus day ticket, which was £2.20 for an adult at the time of writing, with children travelling free when accompanied and a discounted fare for Durham University students. One ticket covers unlimited travel all day, including transfers between the Park & Ride buses.

The machines take cards and contactless as well as coins, but not notes, and you can also pay contactless on the bus. For the latest fares and any service changes, check durham.gov.uk/parkandride.

The alternative

Park & Ride is the simplest option for a day in Durham, but if you would rather park closer in, see our guide to where to park in Durham, or read about getting to Durham by train, coach and road.