Southampton is a port city in Hampshire. The area appears to have been occupied since the Stone Age. Today, parts of the town walls from the Middle Ages still remain, as well as a restored Tudor house from the 12th-14th century which is now a museum.
Southampton became a spa town in the 18th century and expanded majorly in the Victorian era, with the first docks opening in 1842 and a railway link to London established. The city is quite well-known for being the departure point of the RMS Titanic, and is still a major port for cruise ships today.
During the Second World War, the city sustained heavy bombing, known as the Southampton Blitz, and was one of the ports from which the D-Day operation embarked. It was also the home of the Spitfire, which was built there.
In 1974, Southampton was granted city status, and in 2011 it had a population of over 250,000 – including over 40,000 university students. There are many museums documenting the history of the city, including Southampton Maritime Museum, God’s House Tower, Solent Sky, and SeaCity.
Arts and culture are a big part of Southampton city life. The Mayflower Theatre is the biggest in southern England, outside of London, and Southampton University has its own theatre, the Nuffield. The city contains a whole Cultural Quarter which is full of galleries, museums, restaurants, theatres, and live music venues including the o2 Guildhall and City Eye. Annual festivals include Chinese New Year, Southampton Boat Show, Oktoberfest, Slamma skateboarding festival, and Pride. Several famous names hail from Southampton like singer Craig David, comedian Benny Hill, and radio DJ Scott Mills.
Southampton is also one of the largest retail districts in the south of England, with Westquay shopping centre being the largest one in the city. Other shopping centres are Marlands and Westquay South. The city has been ranked 13th for the best shopping in the UK.
Lots of sports are played and represented in Southampton – some examples are football (with Southampton FC being the professional team of the city), cricket, rugby, basketball, yachting, and water sports. There is a huge Sports Centre, with a dry ski slope, and the city is also home to the world’s oldest surviving bowling green which was established in 1299.
Because Southampton is squashed between the rivers Test and Itchen, space is a real premium. Parking can be difficult to find, and very expensive in the city centre. On this page, we’ve collated all of the free parking in Southampton – check out the map below for an overview or read on for more options.
Free Parking in Southampton
Table of Contents
Restricted Parking Zones
A lot of Southampton is divided into restricted parking zones, a map of which can be found on the council website. These zones can only be parked in by permit holders during the operational hours. However, some of the zones become unrestricted in the evenings, overnight, and sometimes on the weekends. Of the 25 zones in the city, the following are unrestricted at the times listed:
- Zone 1 – 10pm-8am Monday-Saturday, free all day Sunday
- Zone 2 – 10pm-8am every day
- Zone 3 – 10pm-8am every day
- Zone 4 – 6pm-8am Monday-Saturday, free all day Sunday
- Zone 5 – 6pm-8am Mon-Sat, free all day Sunday
- Zone 6 – 6pm-8am Mon-Sat, free all day Sunday
- Zone 7 – 6pm-8am Mon-Fri, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Zone 8 – 6pm-8am Mon-Sat, free all day Sunday
- Zone 9 – (depending on where you park – be sure to check signs before leaving your vehicle) 6pm-8am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday OR 3pm-11am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday OR 6pm-8am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday (1st Oct-31st May)
- Zone 10 – 6pm-8am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Zone 11 – (depending on where you park – be sure to check signs before leaving your vehicle) 6pm-8am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday OR 6pm-8am Monday-Saturday, free all day Sunday
- Zone 12 – 6pm-8am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Zone 16 – 6pm-8am Monday-Saturday, free all day Sunday
- Zone 17 – 6pm-8am Monday-Saturday, free all day Sunday
- Zone 18 – 6pm-8am Monday-Saturday, 6pm-1pm Sunday and Bank Holidays
- Zone 19 – 3pm-8am Monday-Friday, free all day Saturday & Sunday
- Zone 23 – 8pm-8am every day
Residential Streets
One of the best places to find free parking is on residential streets. This can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with an area. Below we’ve listed all of the unrestricted residential streets in Southampton, sorted into which distance they are from the city centre. We’ve also included postcodes for your GPS and a walking distance to the geographical centre of the city.
Bear in mind that all of the residential street parking in Southampton requires at least a mile’s walk to get to the city centre, so this option may not be ideal for groups including the elderly, disabled people, and younger children.
North
Parking to the north of the city offers a direct walk into the centre without having to cross any waterways. You will also be closer to Southampton Common.
• Court Road SO15 2JR – 1.2 miles
• Earls Road SO14 6SH – 1.3 miles
• Arthur Road SO15 5DZ – 1.3 miles
• Cavendish Grove SO17 1XE – 1.4 miles
• Atherley Road SO15 5DT – 1.4 miles
• Imperial Road SO14 0SH – 1.4 miles
• William Street SO14 5QH – 1.4 miles
• Stafford Road SO15 5EA – 1.4 miles
• Thornbury Avenue SO15 5DA – 1.5 miles
• Bond Street SO14 5QA – 1.5 miles
• Portswood Park SO17 2EW – 1.5 miles
• Western District Cut SO15 3HS – 1.5 miles
• Darwin Road SO15 5BU – 1.5 miles
• Charlton Road SO15 5FL – 1.6 miles
• Norfolk Road SO15 5AT – 1.6 miles
• Suffolk Avenue SO15 5EF – 1.6 miles
• Lawn Road SO17 2EY – 1.6 miles
• Avenue Road SO14 6UA – 1.6 miles
• Raymond Road SO15 5AG – 1.7 miles
• Spring Crescent SO17 2GA – 1.7 miles
• Woodside Road SO17 2GU – 1.8 miles
• Osborne Road South SO17 2EZ – 1.8 miles
• Horseshoe Bridge SO17 2NP – 1.8 miles
• Gordon Avenue SO14 6WD – 1.8 miles
• Shakespeare Avenue SO17 2HA – 1.8 miles
• Tennyson Road SO17 2HG – 1.9 miles
• Westwood Road SO17 1DH – 1.9 miles
• South Road SO17 2JL – 2 miles
• Adelaide Road SO17 2HX – 2.1 miles
• North Road SO17 2LZ – 2.1 miles
• Belmont Road SO17 2GF – 2.1 miles
• Eastfield Road SO17 2JF – 2.1 miles
• Macnaghten Road SO18 1GJ – 2.2 miles
• Cross Road SO19 4BY – 2.2 miles
• Garfield Road SO19 4DA – 2.2 miles
• Harcourt Road SO18 1GP – 2.3 miles
• Bullar Road SO18 1EJ – 2.3 miles
• Whitworth Crescent SO18 1GD – 2.3 miles
• Priory Road SO17 2LS – 2.3 miles
• Cobbett Road SO18 1HJ – 2.3 miles
• Midanbury Lane SO18 4HF – 2.4 miles
• Vinery Gardens SO16 6HJ – 2.6 miles
• Honeysuckle Road SO16 3HS – 2.9 miles
The following streets are much further from the city centre. However, they can be convenient for other places such as Southampton airport, the University of Southampton Highfield and Avenue campuses, the Southampton Municipal Golf Course, and Alpine Snowsports.
• Langhorn Road SO16 3TP – 3 miles
• Bluebell Road SO16 3LL – 3.1 miles
• Monks Wood Close SO16 3TT
• Farmery Close SO18 2JX – 3.3 miles
• Friars Way SO18 2JU – 3.3 miles
• Lobelia Road SO16 3JU – 3.3 miles
• Poppy Road SO16 3JZ – 3.3 miles
• Lupin Road SO16 3LD – 3.3 miles
• Laburnum Road SO16 3LG – 3.3 miles
• Stoneham Lane SO16 2NN – 3.3 miles
• Phillimore Road SO16 2NQ – 3.3 miles
• Willis Road SO16 2NS – 3.4 miles
• Havenstone Way SO18 2RA – 3.4 miles
• Westbrook Way SO18 2JY – 3.4 miles
• The Parkway SO16 3PB – 3.4 miles
• Courtland Gardens SO16 3PP – 3.5 miles
• Carnation Road SO16 3JH – 3.5 miles
• Bassett Green Village SO16 3NB – 3.5 miles
East
Parking in an easterly direction will put you in the Woolston area of the city, across the River Itchen from the centre. On this side of the river you can find Weston Hard Woolston beach and the Weston Shore Promenade. Crossing over the bridge will take you via several historical sites, including the Crosshouse, Solent Sky air museum, and the remains of the town walls.
• Garton Road SO19 2DJ – 1.5 miles
• Manor Road South SO19 2DP – 1.5 miles
• Porchester Road SO19 2JD – 1.8 miles
• Millais Road SO19 2FY – 1.8 miles
• Bishops Road SO19 2FD – 1.9 miles
• Radstock Road SO19 2HW – 1.9 miles
• Cranbury Road SO19 2HZ – 2 miles
• Station Road SO19 8HH – 2 miles
• Temple Gardens SO19 9FD – 2.1 miles
• Archery Grove SO19 9FB – 2.1 miles
West
There are only a few options for parking to the west of Southampton city centre. However, it’s more convenient for access to Southampton Central train station.
• Richmond Road SO15 3FT – 1.5 miles
• Lakelands Drive SO15 3AL – 1.7 miles
• Somerset Terrace SO15 3FW – 1.7 miles
• Testwood Road SO15 8RP – 1.8 miles
• Foundry Lane SO15 3FX – 1.8 miles
When parking on residential streets, remember the usual on-street parking rules. Don’t obstruct any entrances or driveways, keep noise to a minimum and be courteous towards residents, and never park on double-yellow lines.
Free Overnight & Weekend Parking in Southampton
As well as the restricted zones listed above, there are several car parks in the city centre that become free overnight and at the weekends:
- Eastgate Street Car Park SO14 3HH – 6pm-7am Sunday-Friday, 6pm Saturday-11am Sunday
- Sussex Road Car Park SO14 1NB – 6pm-7am Sun-Sat, 6pm Saturday-midday Sunday
- Marlands MSCP SO15 1BA – 6pm-7am Sunday-Friday, 6pm Saturday-11am Sunday
- Gloucester Square SO14 2GH – 6pm-7am Sunday-Friday, 6pm Saturday-11am Sunday
- College Street Car Park SO14 3DZ – 6pm-7am Sunday-Friday, 6pm Saturday-11am Sunday
Cheapest Paid Parking Options in Southampton
It can be very expensive to park in Southampton’s car parks, unless you know where to look. The cheapest paid car parks in the city are as follows:
- Eastgate Street Car Park SO14 3HH – £2.50 for 2 hours
- The Quays SO15 1BA – £2.50 for 2 hours, 4 hour maximum stay
- West Quay Retail Park SO15 1BA – first 30 minutes free, £1.50 for 2 hours, 6 hours maximum stay
- Marlands MSCP SO15 1BA – £2.00 for 2 hours
- Gloucester Square Car Park SO14 2GH – £2.50 for 2 hours
- Mayflower Park SO14 2AQ – £1.00 for 2 hours
- College Street Car Park SO14 3DZ – £2.50 for 2 hours
- James Street Car Park SO14 1PH – £1.40 for 2 hours
- Leisure World SO15 1RE – £2.00 for 2 hours
- Ascupart Street SO14 1LU – £1.40 for 2 hours
Southampton is a bustling, vibrant city with great history, shopping, and culture. It would be a shame to waste too much time trying to find somewhere to park before you can enjoy your trip there. We hope the information on this page helps to streamline your search and save you money.
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Southampton Locations
Free Parking near Southampton Central Train Station
