This article was last updated in October 2023
Free and Paid Parking in Bath
Table of Contents
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Happy parking!
Free, unrestricted residential street parking
One of your best bets in Bath is to find free residential street parking that doesn’t fall under restricted parking rules. This can be difficult if you’re not familiar with a city. Below we’ve found the streets that have free parking opportunities, organised into direction and distance away from the city centre for your convenience.
North Bath
Parking in the north of Bath offers an interesting walk into the city centre. Depending on your route you can pass: Royal Crescent, the Bath Assembly Rooms, Fashion Museum, Museum of Bath at Work, and the Jane Austen Centre.
- Saint Stephens Close BA1 5PP – 1 mile
- Richmond Hill BA1 5QT – 1.1 miles (2h max stay)
- Mount Beacon BA1 5QH – 1.2 miles
- Purlewent Drive BA1 4BD – 1.8 miles
- Cranwells Park BA1 2YD – 1.2 miles
East Bath
Parking in the easterly residential streets of Bath are most convenient for anyone coming from London, and aren’t too far of a walk into the centre. Coming in from this direction takes you by several historical places including Pulteney Bridge, the Bath Locks, and the Roman Baths. Museums like the Holburne Museum and Victoria Art Gallery dot the way, as well as the beautiful riverside Parade Gardens.
- Church Street BA1 1NL – 0.2 miles
- Bathwick Hill BA2 6LB – 0.8 miles
- Saint Anns Way BA2 6BT – 0.9 miles
- Sham Castle Lane BA2 6JL – 1.1 mile
- Cleveland Walk BA2 6JW – 1.1 miles
- Macaulay Buildings BA2 6AS – 1.3 miles
South Bath
Parking in any of the streets below will take you on a walk over the river and past the historic train station. On your way to the centre, you can stop off at Alexandra Park’s Bath Skyline to see beautiful views of the city.
- Beechen Cliff Road BA2 4QR – 0.8 miles
- Hayesfield Park BA2 4QE – 0.8 miles
- Widcombe Hill BA2 6AR – 0.9 miles
- Chaucer Road BA2 4QU – 1 mile
- Milton Avenue BA2 4QZ – 1 mile
West Bath
Your best bet for finding free parking in residential streets is in the west of Bath. These streets are relatively close to the centre, and there are a lot more options. Walking in from the west will take you over the River Avon and the canal, and past Green Park.
- Stothert Avenue BA2 3FH – 0.6 miles
- Midland Road BA2 3GJ – 0.8 miles
- Shaftesbury Road BA2 3LQ – 0.9 miles
- Dorset Street BA2 3RA – 0.9 miles
- Stuart Place BA2 3RQ – 0.9 miles
- Caledonian Road BA2 3RD – 0.9 miles
- Ayr Street BA2 3RJ – 1 mile
- Maybrick Road BA2 3PU – 1 mile
- Herbert Road BA2 3PR – 1 mile
- Audley Park Road BA1 2XJ – 1 mile
- West Avenue BA2 3QB – 1.1 miles
- South Avenue BA2 3PY – 1.1 miles
- Shaftesbury Mews BA2 3LU – 1.1 miles
- The Linleys BA1 2XE – 1.1 miles
- Badminton Gardens BA1 2XS – 1.2 miles
- Kennington Road BA1 3EA – 1.3 miles
- Warwick Road BA1 3EB – 1.3 miles
- Gainsborough Gardens BA1 4AJ – 1.4 miles
- Foxcombe Road BA1 3ED – 1.4 miles
- Combe Park BA1 3NE – 1.5 miles
- Weston Lane BA1 4AQ – 1.5 miles
- Lucklands Road BA1 4AX – 1.7 miles
- Penn Lea Road BA1 3RB – 1.8 miles
Being able to park for free in Bath still incurs a cost – your time and effort. Spaces aren’t guaranteed and it could take a while to find one. Walking from the street you park in can be more difficult if your group includes the elderly, children, or disabled people. These difficulties are compounded by Bath being very hilly!
Free parking after 7pm/Overnight/Sundays
Heading out for the night and don’t feel like paying for a private or council-run car park? Grab any of these spots after 7pm and before 8am from Monday to Saturday and park for free. Sundays are free as well. Between 8am and 7pm, these spots are a bit pricy at a cost of £3.60 per hour. Be sure to check the maximum stay during these hours to avoid a costly fine. Many of these on-street parking bays are situated right in the city centre.
- Milk Street BA1 1UN – 0.1 miles
- Westgate Buildings BA1 1EB – <0.1 miles
- Monmouth Street BA1 2AN – <0.1 miles
- Saint James’s Parade BA1 1UL – 0.2 miles
- Somerset Street BA1 1TS – 0.3 miles
- Grand Parade BA2 4DF – 0.3 miles
- Henry Street BA1 1JT – 0.3 miles
- Julian Road BA1 2RH – 0.6 miles
- Old King Street BA1 2JW – 0.2 miles
- Wood Street BA1 2JQ – 0.4 miles
- Trim Street BA1 1HB – 0.1 miles
- Railway Place BA1 1SR – 0.4 miles
- Milsom Street BA1 1DE – 0.3 miles
- Alexandra Park BA2 4RQ – 0.9 miles
- Royal Victoria Park BA1 2NQ – 0.5 miles
Free 2h parking/Customers only
If you know where to look, you can find 2 hours of free parking at some stores or commercial properties in Bath. Double check to see if it only applies to customers, but you might get away with parking for the price of a coffee (coffee included).
- Morrisons BA1 6AN
- Mero Retail Park BA2 3GL
- Lidl BA2 1ES
- Larkhall BA1 6SA
- Weston Lock Retail Park BA2 1EP
- Sainsbury’s BA2 5RF
Cheapest paid car parks in Bath
Not everyone likes the idea of leaving their car unattended on the street. If this applies to you, you can park your car securely in these car parks. They’re the cheapest car parks we could find in Bath. If you enter after 8pm, overnight parking will run you a mere £1.50 in all these car parks.
- Manvers Street Car Park BA1 1JQ – £3.40 for 2 hours
- Avon Street Car Park BA1 1UF – £3.40 for 2 hours
- Kingsmead Square Car Park BA1 2AA – £3.40 for 2 hours
- Cattle Market Car Park BA1 5LH – £3.40 for 2 hours
- Broad Street Car Park BA1 5LW – £3.40 for 2 hours
- Green park Road Car Park BA1 1UT – £3.40 for 2 hours
- Sports and leisure centre car park BA2 4EU – £3.40 for 2 hours
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Bath Locations
Free Parking near Bath Abbey & the Roman Baths
Free Parking near Pulteney Bridge and Bath Weir
Free Parking near Bath Spa Train Station & Southgate Shopping Centre
Free Parking near Bath City Centre, The Forum & Theatre Royal
Free Parking near Victoria Park & Royal Crescent
Visiting Bath
Bath is the biggest city in Somerset. Named after the famous ancient Roman baths established there in the second and third centuries AD, Bath sits in the valley of the River Avon and attracts around 6 million tourists every year. As well as the baths themselves, the city has a wealth of historical architecture including Bath Abbey, the Royal Crescent, and many fantastically preserved Georgian buildings.
The entire city is a World Heritage Site with many famous names having lived or hailed from it including Jane Austen, Bill Bailey, and Mary Berry. Bath is also known for its many parks and green spaces, the canal, and its world famous arts scene.
The centre of Bath involves a lot of pedestrian streets, one-way systems, and very narrow roads. Parking can be very difficult, especially with the added factor of permit-restricted zones operating within the centre. As in most cities, parking in the centre of Bath can be very expensive. On this page, we’ve gathered all of the free parking options available in Bath – refer to the map below to see these options. Read on for more information and cheaper paid parking in the city.
