Parking in Bath: Car Parks, Prices and Park and Ride
Where to park in Bath and what it costs: the council's car parks, SouthGate, the short-stay options for a quick trip, the three Park and Ride sites, and parking for Bath Christmas Market.
In short: For a day out, park at Charlotte Street, Avon Street or Manvers Street, the council's three all-day car parks with no maximum stay, or at SouthGate under the shops, where 4 hours costs £7.60 to £9.80 depending on your car's emissions. For a short trip, Kingsmead Square takes up to 4 hours. The cheapest option is the Park and Ride at Lansdown, Newbridge or Odd Down: parking is free if you take the bus, and an adult return is £4.
Parking in Bath is simple once you know which car park suits the trip. The city centre is small and the streets are narrow, so the big car parks sit around its edge and three Park and Ride sites wait on the outskirts. Rules, height limits and spaces below come from Bath and North East Somerset Council's car park pages, SouthGate's own site and Travelwest's Park and Ride pages, all read on 23 October 2026. The council's current price list is on the MiPermit pay screen rather than on its car park pages, so this guide gives the council's rules and leaves its prices for you to check there. Private car parks without a published tariff are left out.
| Car park | Height limit | Longest stay | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Street | None | Up to 7 days | Check MiPermit |
| Avon Street | 1.8m | Up to 7 days | Check MiPermit |
| Manvers Street | 2m | No maximum stay | Check MiPermit |
| SouthGate | 2.1m | Open 24 hours | 4 hours £7.60 to £9.80 |
| Kingsmead Square | None | 4 hours | Check MiPermit |
| Park and Ride | None to 2.2m | Same day free | Free with the bus, £4 return |
How much does parking in Bath cost?
Charges apply at the council's car parks 7 days a week, bank holidays included. The council's current price list is shown on the MiPermit pay screen and is not published as a table on its car park pages, so check it there before you set off. SouthGate, a private car park, publishes its own prices, and they depend on your vehicle's emissions: the lower figure is for the cleanest vehicles.
- 💷 SouthGate, 2 hours £4.00 to £5.20
- 💷 SouthGate, 3 hours £5.70 to £7.50
- 💷 SouthGate, 4 hours £7.60 to £9.80
- 💷 SouthGate, 8 hours £15.20 to £19.50
- 🌙 SouthGate, 6pm to 5.59am, 50p to 65p an hour
- 📱 Council: MiPermit app, website or text
Good to know: at the council's car parks, staying later than 8pm adds an overnight charge to the standard tariff. Green Park Road takes only MiPermit or correct change, and Broad Street takes MiPermit only, so the app is the easy way to pay. Blue Badge holders pay in most council car parks unless the signs say otherwise. The council's payment system will be unavailable from Friday 30 October to Tuesday 3 November 2026.
Which car park in Bath is best for a day out?
Charlotte Street, for the lack of a height limit. Avon Street and Manvers Street are the council's other all-day options, and SouthGate sits right under the shops. All four take a full day.
Charlotte Street car park
A council car park with no height restriction, for longer and multi-day stays. The main entrance is at the junction of Charlotte Street and Queen Square Place, with a second entrance off Marlborough Lane.
- 📏 No height limit
- ⏰ Open 24 hours, up to 7 days
- 🌆 Evening charge from 6pm
- 🔌 EV charging bays
- 📍 Charlotte Street, BA1 2NE
Avon Street car park
A one-way car park on the south-west edge of the centre: in on Corn Street, opposite the Mission Theatre, and out on Ambury. It has a 1.8m height limit.
- 🅿️ 299 spaces, 11 Blue Badge
- ⏰ Open 24 hours, up to 7 days
- 📏 Height limit 1.8m
- 📍 Avon Street, BA1 1UF
Manvers Street car park
A car park off Manvers Street, opposite Lewis House, partially covered on its lower level, on the east side of the centre.
- ⏰ Open 24 hours, no maximum stay
- 📏 Height limit 2m
- 📍 5A Manvers Street, BA1 1JZ
SouthGate car park
A private car park beneath the SouthGate shopping centre, and the one to choose for a shopping day. It is ticketless and cashless: you enter your registration at a machine and pay by card or app.
- 🅿️ 876 spaces
- ⏰ Open 24 hours
- 💷 2 hours £4.00 to £5.20
- 🌙 6pm to 5.59am, 50p to 65p an hour
- 📏 Height limit 2.1m
- 📍 Postcode BA1 1TP
Good to know: Level -3 has a rail zone at a National Rail rate, Monday to Friday, if you validate your registration at the station.
Where can I park in Bath for a couple of hours?
At one of the council's short-stay car parks. Kingsmead Square takes up to 4 hours. Turn off James Street West onto New Street at the Trinity pub, and the car park is at the end.
- 🅿️ Kingsmead Square: up to 4 hours, BA1 2AA
- 🅿️ Sports and Leisure Centre: up to 4 hours, 1.98m height limit
- 🅿️ Green Park Road: 104 spaces, up to 4 hours
- 🅿️ Cattle Market: 57 spaces, up to 4 hours
- 🅿️ Broad Street: 48 spaces, up to 4 hours
- 🅿️ Claverton Street: up to 2 hours
Good to know: Blue Badge holders do not pay at the Sports and Leisure Centre when parked in a marked bay. Check the price for your stay on MiPermit before you leave the car.
How does the Bath Park and Ride work?
Park at one of three sites on the edge of the city and take the bus in. Parking is free if you use the bus and collect your car the same day. Buses run every 15 minutes on weekdays until 8.30pm, then every 30 minutes.
- 🎟️ Adult return £4
- 👨👩👧 Group day ticket £13, up to five people
- 🧒 Up to five children aged 5 to 15 free with each paying adult
- ⏰ First bus 6.15am, 9.30am on Sunday
- 🌙 Last bus from the city 11.30pm, 6pm on Sunday
- 🔌 4 EV charging bays at each site
Lansdown Park and Ride
North of the city, on service 31 to Milsom Street. The only site with no height limit.
- 🅿️ 878 spaces
- 📍 BA1 9BJ
Newbridge Park and Ride
West of the city, on service 21 to Westgate Buildings.
- 🅿️ 698 spaces
- 📏 Height limit 2m
- 📍 BA1 3NB
Odd Down Park and Ride
South of the city and the largest site, on service 41 to SouthGate.
- 🅿️ 1,230 spaces
- 📏 Height limit 2.2m
- 📍 BA2 8PA
Good to know: skip the bus, or leave the car overnight, and you pay £2 for up to 3 hours or £4 for up to 24 hours. The buses do not run on Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day.
Where should I park for Bath Christmas Market?
At the Park and Ride. The market runs from 26 November to 13 December 2026, the organisers close roads throughout it, and they recommend the Park and Ride to avoid the traffic. The chalets fill the streets around Bath Abbey and The Roman Baths, and Lansdown's bus stops on Milsom Street, at the market's northern end.
Good to know: on a Sunday the market closes at 6pm and the last bus leaves the city at 6pm, so watch the time. The organisers say most car parks have Blue Badge bays, with many more on the streets near the market. Our Bath Christmas Market guide has dates, coaches, food and where to stay.
Electric cars, motorbikes and the Clean Air Zone
- 🔌 Charlotte Street EV bays, 8am to 8pm: 1 hour £1.90, 2 hours £3.80
- 🔌 EV charging at SouthGate on all 3 levels
- 🏍️ Motorbikes free in marked bays at the council's car parks that list them, including Charlotte Street, Avon Street and Manvers Street
- 🏍️ SouthGate motorbikes £3 a day
- 🌿 Private cars pay no Clean Air Zone charge
Good to know: the Charlotte Street EV tariff is sold through MiPermit only. Bath's Clean Air Zone charges higher-emission vehicles other than private cars and motorbikes, such as older vans, so check the council's page before driving one in.
Parking in Bath: questions
What is the cheapest way to park in Bath?
The Park and Ride. Parking is free at Lansdown, Newbridge and Odd Down if you take the bus and collect your car the same day, and an adult return is £4.
Which car park is best for Bath city centre?
SouthGate for shopping and Kingsmead Square for a stay of up to 4 hours. For a full day, Charlotte Street has no height limit.
Is there free parking in Bath?
The council's Bath car parks charge every day, bank holidays included. The free option is the Park and Ride, for bus users who collect their car the same day.
Can I park overnight in Bath?
Yes. Charlotte Street, Avon Street and Manvers Street are open 24 hours with no maximum stay, and Charlotte Street and Avon Street sell up to seven days. Staying later than 8pm adds an overnight charge, so check the price on MiPermit.
Do Blue Badge holders pay to park in Bath?
Yes, in most of the council's car parks, unless the signs say otherwise; the Sports and Leisure Centre is free in a marked bay. Avon Street has 11 Blue Badge spaces.