Your Guide to Parking in London

Activities

Central London

Published on Friday, 25 March 2022 13:00

Last Updated on 25 March 2022

Monica Costa

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There is no doubt that a trip to London is one of the best ways to spend any day of the week, but there is one small thing that can often cause a problem as your arrival gets closer, and that is the issue of parking!

Both driving and parking your car in central areas of the capital can often cause a headache, so it is always best to be primed and ready with some insider information that can help you to avoid spending ages driving around looking for a spot. If you are staying for a while in any of the excellent serviced apartments London offers but need to drive to another part of the city, here are some invaluable tips.

• Weekend Parking

Something very important to know is that on street parking is free on Saturdays after 11am, as well as on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Obviously, this does not apply to every single street and parking spot in the city of London, but if you can plan your trips around driving at the weekend and do your research in advance, you may well be able to find a road or two that will suit your needs for the day. In other areas during the weekend, there may be a small charge of something like £2 for parking in before that key time of 11am.

 

• Rent A Driveway

One of the best recent innovations when it comes to parking in busy urban cities is phone apps that allow you to rent out a person’s driveway for the day. If you search for the postcode closest to where you want to park, you will be greeted by a list of options for people who have signed up their homes to the service. Using this method can secure you a parking space for the entire day, most of the time for under £10. This is much cheaper and arguably safer than many of the public car parks that are dotted around the city.

 

• Consider Purchasing A Season Ticket

If driving in London is something you do regularly rather than just for a day trip or two, then you might want to consider purchasing a season ticket. This will save you a large amount of money compared to paying standard rates three or four times a week. It will also give you the peace of mind that you will always have a parking spot waiting for you when you arrive in the city.

 

• Remember To Always Pay Congestion Charge

It can be very easy to forget about the congestion charges if you are not a regular visitor to London, but it is incredibly important that you remember to pay them for each day you are in a qualifying zone. Failure to pay these charges that generally apply to the very central parts of the city will result in larger fines later down the line, so make sure you plan your route beforehand to see if your vehicle is going to be moving in and out of the zones in question.