Where to Park in Durham

Durham's old city grew up long before the car, and its steep, narrow peninsula is compact and partly pedestrianised. That makes it a wonderful place to explore on foot, but it does mean parking takes a little thought. Here is how to make it easy.

Park & Ride: the simplest option

For most visitors, Park & Ride is the least stressful way in. Durham has three sites on the edge of the city, at Sniperley to the north, Belmont to the east, and Howlands to the south, each with a frequent bus service into the centre. You park for free and pay a small fare for the bus, avoiding the tight city-centre streets entirely. It is particularly worth using on Saturdays, during events, and in the run-up to Christmas, when central parking fills quickly. See our full guide to Durham Park & Ride for the sites, buses and fares.

City-centre car parks

If you would rather park in the centre, there are several car parks within a short walk of the Market Place, including the Prince Bishops and The Gates multi-storeys and the surface and multi-storey car parks around Walkergate and the riverside. These are convenient for shopping and sightseeing but are busier and pricier than Park & Ride, so arrive early at peak times.

On-street and Blue Badge

On-street parking in the centre is very limited and heavily restricted, so it is rarely worth relying on. Blue Badge holders have some designated bays, but access to parts of the peninsula is controlled, so check the current arrangements with Durham County Council before travelling.

Arriving by train or bus instead

Durham is on the East Coast Main Line, with direct trains to Newcastle, York and London, and the station is a short (if steep) walk or a quick taxi from the centre. The bus station on North Road serves local and regional routes across County Durham. For many trips, leaving the car at home is genuinely the easiest choice. See our guides to getting to Durham and getting around Durham without a car.

A few tips

Give yourself extra time on match days, during Durham Regatta in June and the Miners' Gala in July, and over the festive season, when the city is at its busiest. And once you have parked, remember that almost everything worth seeing is within a ten-minute walk, so you only need to park once.