In the English county of Surrey, a mere 28 miles south west of London, Guildford has a population of 78,000 and has recently officially become a part of Greater London. There’s some debate as to where its name is derived, and the root of the word ‘guild’ may refer to the golden sand on the banks of the river Wey. It may also refer to the Royal MInt, where coins were produced as far back as AD 978.
Guildford has a kick ass modern music university called ACM, meaning you’ll often see hipsters with electric guitars, drums and bass guitars strapped to their backs on their way to and from rehearsals. That really gives it a real edge, as well as the modestly sized yet renowned University of Surrey with its 15,000 students.
Guildford has some of the most expensive property prices in the UK, and has always been ranked as one of the best places to live in the UK.
Regarding tourism, Guildford isn’t massive in numbers, with around 100,000 tourists annually, meaning it’s not too overcrowded. The castle is a big attraction, built around 900 years ago by William the Conqueror. Built on the high ground, it can be seen throughout the town. The view alone is well worth the entrance fee (£3.70 per adult, and £2.20 per child).
Still touring today, 1970s punk blast from the past, ‘The Stranglers’ all came from Guildford, and its older residents still remember their musical success story. Younger ravers will undoubtedly know about the drum n’ bass outfit ‘Sub Focus.’ The brilliantly funny Terry Jones, who played ‘Brian’s Mum’ in Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’ attended the Royal Grammar school in Guildford. “He’s not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!”
Guildford has a cathedral, but strangely doesn’t have the city status which normally goes with it, perhaps due to its modestly sized population. Apart from that, there are some other great things to do there, like checking out the traditional street markets, the Watts art gallery, the incredible countryside and its various well maintained parks.
Parking in Guildford can be a bit complicated, so please scroll down for every kind of parking option you can imagine. We’ve made the job simple for you, with every free or paid option you could ever dream of.
Free Parking in Guildford
Table of Contents
Free, unrestricted residential street parking
Why should you pay to park if you don’t actually need to? Nobody wants to pay a penalty from the pesky parking police, and you won’t get into any trouble by using free residential parking spaces. We’ve double-checked all of the free options and listed them below for you in order of distances from the Guilford railway station. To make it as convenient for you as possible, we’ve also split the list into the 3 main areas of the town: the west, the north and the east, whilst providing other useful or interesting information. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of free parking options in the very centre, but if you’re up for a nice walk through Guildford it’ll be worth the effort.
Even though it’s fine to use these free parking options, we should remind you that you have to follow those common sense parking rules, like leaving enough space for other cars, not blocking driveways, and don’t take someone’s space if they’re left some kind of notice or cone there. Please try not to make too much noise, even in the day time, and the residents won’t notice you. If you’re worried about the area, or don’t feel like it’s a safe place to leave your car or whatever you have inside the car, you should consider safer paid parking options. Although we keep this site updated, you would be advised to double check for new parking implementations.
Free after 6pm/Overnight Streetside Parking
You can use these residential parking options, but only after 6pm. Otherwise you’ll need a permit. Do make sure you’re out of there by 08:00 to avoid fines.
● Poltimore Road GU2 7PT – 0.5 miles
● Artillery Terrace GU1 4NL – 0.7 miles
● Woodbridge Road GU1 4RN – 0.8 miles
● Avonmore Avenue GU1 1TW – 1.6 miles
North
If you’re planning on driving down from Woking, there are some residential street parking options in the north of Guildford. These will require you walking for 30-40 minutes to the centre. The most scenic route would be to have a wonder along the river Wey, and check out some of the locals parks, like the Stoughton Recreation Ground. If you’re feeling really adventurous you could even go to The Guildford Ski Slope to burn some energy off after a long drive. Parking in the north will also be useful if you’d like to spend some quiet time in Guildford cathedral.
● Beckingham Road GU2 8DF – 1.2 miles
● Woodside Road GU2 8WB – 1.2 miles
● Deerbarn Road GU2 8AT – 1.5 miles
● Stoughton Road GU1 1LH – 1.7 miles
● Shepherds Lane GU2 9TT – 1.7 miles
● Franks Road GU2 9NT – 1.8 miles
East
Will you drive to Guildford from London along the A3 motorway? If so, there are a lot of street parking options, but again you should be prepared for a 30-40 minute walk. Why not check out the fantastically beautiful Stoke Park? It’s truly massive, and has a great free outdoor kids’ swimming pool, which is really popular in the summer. It’s not far from the river, and has a sports recreation centre, a skate park, a lido and more.
● Lancaster Avenue GU1 3JR – 1.5 miles
● Sells Close GU1 3JY – 1.6 miles
● Saint Luke’s Square GU1 3JU – 1.3 miles
● Saint Catherine’s Park GU1 3NF – 1.3 miles
● Upper Edgeborough Road GU1 2DJ – 1.4 miles
● St. Margaret’s GU1 1TL – 1.5 miles
● Aldersey Road GU1 2ER – 1.5 miles
● Gateways GU1 2LF – 1.8 miles
● Collingwood Crescent GU1 2NS – 2.1 miles
West
If you’ll be coming in from Basingstoke in the west, or Aldershot, that’ll bring you right past the hospital and the University or Surrey. The Henley Fort is also worth checking out, even though it’s a bit of a detour. It sits on a hill upon The Mount, and was built in the 19th century. In general, Guildford is pleasant to walk though, and there are plenty of green spaces which are great for dog walkers, or any kinds of sports lovers.
● Rickyard GU2 8JP – 1.7 miles
● Homestall GU2 8JS – 1.8 miles
Free after 9pm/Overnight Streetside Parking
These options are ok if you’ll be arriving late, but like the other residents only options, get out before the traffic wardens see you when they start patrolling at 08:00. As long as you follow those rules about timing, no laws will have been broken.
● The Mount GU2 4HR – 0.3 miles
● Bury Street GU2 4AW – 0.4 miles
● Bury Fields GU2 4AZ – 0.5 miles
● Millmead Terrace GU2 4AT – 0.5 miles
● Lawn Road GU2 4DE – 0.5 miles
● Denmark Road GU1 4DA – 0.9 miles
● Dene Road GU1 4DB – 1 mile
Park and Ride Services
You can only park here if you actually use the park and ride service.
● Spectrum Park & Ride GU1 1UP – northeast of Guildford
● Artington Park and Ride GU3 1LP – south of Guildford
● Merrow Park and Ride GU4 7AA – east of Guildford
● Guildford Park and Ride GU2 7AD – west of Guildford
Cheapest Paid Car Parks
If you’re not trying to save money, or feel unsure about anything, you can use the paid parking options. They give better security, and you’ll be closer to where you want to get to. They do vary in price ranges, and generally increase between the hours 13:00 – 15:00.
● Farnham Road Car Park GU2 7NP – £2.20 for 2 hours
● Tunsgate Quarter car park GU1 3UW – £3.60 for 2 hours
● North Street Car Park GU1 4AH – £3.60 for 2 hours
● Old Police Station Car Park GU1 4JX – £3.60 for 2 hours
● Castle Car Park GU1 3RW – £3.60 for 2 hours
● Leapale Road Car Park GU1 4JX – £3.60 for 2 hours
● Commercial Road Car Park GU1 4SU – £3.60 for 2 hours
● Millbrook Car Park GU1 3XJ – £3.60 for 2 hours
Free short-term parking (2h or less)
You should definitely consider using commercial parking options, as long as you remember to get out before your 2 hour time limit is up. It might be a useful option if you need to nip in and out of Guildford again.
● Ladymead Retail Car Park GU1 1DT
● Tesco GU2 7XE
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Guildford Locations
Free & paid parking near Guildford Castle and Railway Station
