Free Parking in Cambridge – A 2023 Money-Saving Guide

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free parking in Cambridge

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The amazing city of Cambridge is most popular for its university and for being such a bicycle-friendly place. Cambridge is not that friendly to cars. So, If you are here to escape the expensive parking facilities in Cambridge, you are at the right place. I got your back and have found you the best spots in Cambridge to park for free.

Free Parking in Cambridge, UK – 2023

You can park for free in Cambridge on these roads:

  • Ward Road
  • Norman Way
  • Eltisley Avenue
  • Chalmers Road
  • Rosemary Lane

All these areas offer unrestricted parking spots for free of cost and the distance from these spots to the main city or city centre is just a mile or so. So, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes of walking only for you to reach the city centre or simply take a bus service to get right into the main city.

Things to Know about Cambridge Free Parking

We will recommend you the best and most efficient free spots for parking in the city of Cambridge. But while using those free parking spots in and around the city, you must keep certain things in mind. These are:

  • Make sure that you are not blocking anyone’s driveway
  • You have to park the vehicle as near as possible to the kerb
  • Make sure that you are not double parking as you can possibly be blocking a route of a bus
  • Check for any signs the space may no longer be free. Eg Restricted parking signs or bays, or double yellow lines

Once you are aware of these rules, you are good to go! Now, you can know more about where you can park for free in the city of Cambridge, United Kingdom. The parking spots can vary depending on which location you want to visit in Cambridge. Hence, we have provided detailed information about all the free spots available for parking in and around the city’s popular locations.

Free Parking Spots near the Cambridge University

Well, the University of Cambridge is a very popular university and is known all around the world. This university is located right in the centre of the city, which makes it quite difficult for the car to reach there.

Also, there are a lot of restrictions on the movement of car near the university, which can be a major problem in finding parking spots right next to the university. But here are some of the best free parking options that you can use near the University of Cambridge, UK:

  • Rosemary Lane
  • Ward Road
  • Eltisley Avenue
  • Chalmers Road
  • Norman Way
Free Parking in Cambridge, on Eltisley Avenue near the University

All these streets are located quite near the university. If you park your car anywhere in these above-mentioned streets, then it will require a walk of 15 to 12 minutes for you to reach the university. The bus service is excellent in Cambridge, and you can take 5 minutes to ride too to reach the nearest point to the University of Cambridge.

Free Parking Spots near the Botanical Gardens of Cambridge

The Botanical Garden of Cambridge is one of the most popular tourist spots. It is a beautiful and serene place that offers some comfort and peace, away from the buzz of the main city. The place is full of greenery and beautiful flowers of different colours all around.

This is a space of great joy and if you are a nature lover, then you must visit this place when you are in Cambridge. Now, talking about the parking spots, you should know that you cannot find any spots for parking right in that area. But, You can find one free parking spot in Cambridge nearby the Botanical Garden. This is:

  • Eltisley Avenue. It is just 15 minutes of walking distance from Eltisley Avenue to the Botanical Garden of Cambridge. So, you can easily park your car on this street and take a walk to reach the garden.

You can also use the Trumpington Park & Ride service and here parking is also available for free. You don’t have to purchase a ticket for the bus to reach the Botanical Gardens of Cambridge. The buses are available at an interval of 10 minutes and within 14 minutes you will reach your destination.

Best Paid Parking Spots in Cambridge

While there are many free parking spots available in and around the city, some people like to find a place with more security. This is better if you want to park your car for quite a long, especially if you are attending office, college or just for recreational purposes. If you too want to find a comfortable parking spot with added security, then you will get some options but you have to pay a fee for booking such parking spaces.

The cost of these available parking spaces for private cars in and around the city of Cambridge starts from £5 for one day. The cost can vary from one location to another. The price of the paid parking spot can be drastically reduced if you want to book on a monthly basis. You need to find a reliable parking service to book your parking space in advance for the day or the month. Research online and you can find some reliable sites to book your parking space.

Free Car Parking in Cambridge

There are some parking areas for your car in Cambridge which are available for free, but, only at a particular time slot. Here is the list of all those areas in Cambridge with free car parking for restricted times only:

  • Adam & Eve Street Parking: The free parking for cars is available from 7 pm to 9 am (Monday to Saturday) and it is available before 10 am on Sundays
  • Sun Street: Free parking space is available here from 5 pm to 8:30 am
  • Castle Hill Parking: The free space for parking is available from 7 pm to 9 am (Monday to Saturday) and it is available before 10 am on Sundays
  • Gwydir Street Parking: The free parking for cars is available only on Sundays (during the day)
  • Lammas Land Parking: The free parking space is available from 4 pm to 9 pm but it is available only from November 1 to March 31

Free Park & Ride Parking Spots in Cambridge

If you are looking for free parking in Cambridge leave your car for a few days. The Park and Ride, then you need to know that there is a total of 5 locations for Park & Ride in Cambridge. The best advantage of using this car parking facility is the distance from the parking spot to the city.

You will be able to reach the city centre in just 20 minutes. Hence, you will not struggle with traffic congestion or have to be worried about it. You will be able to use the parking spaces for free and then ride a public bus to reach the main city. These buses are well-equipped with USB charging ports, free Wi-Fi connectivity, and Air conditioners. These five Park & Ride locations in Cambridge are:

  • Milton (792 spaces): Use this for Midsummer Common and Anglia Ruskin
  • Babraham Road (1,458 spaces): Use this for Cambridge University, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Fitzwilliam Museum and Botanical Gardens
  • Newmarket Road (873 spaces): Use this for Anglia Ruskin and Cambridge United FC
  • Madingley Road (930 spaces): Use this for Grand Arcade and Cambridge University
  • Trumpington (1,340 spaces): Use this for Botanical Garden, Cambridge University, and Fitzwilliam Museum

Bus Ticket Prices for Park & Ride in Cambridge

These are the ticket prices for the Park and Ride in Cambridge, UK:

  • Adult short hop: £2.50
  • Adult day rider: £3.00 (With this ticket up to 3 children are allowed under the age of 16)
  • Group tickets: £8.50 (With this ticket up to five adult riders are allowed)
  • Ticket on a Weekly basis: £14.00
  • Ticket on a Monthly basis: £57.60

Free Overnight Parking in Cambridge, UK

Most of the roads in central Cambridge have restricted parking zones. But, These free parking spots in Cambridge are available after 7 pm till 8:30 am:

  • Adam and Eve Street Parking
  • Sun Street Parking (available for free from 5 pm)
  • Gwydlir Street Parking
  • Castle Hill Parking

The unrestricted free parking spaces that are available throughout the day are mentioned above already. You can also consider those.

Is Parking of Motorhome Available?

In Cambridge, travelling with a motorhome is not easy. Due to traffic congestion and lots of restrictions, you may have a lot of issues. But you can park the motorhome in Grafham Water as it allows motorhome parking 24/7.

You may have to pay a charge for the parking but you can enjoy great facilities. From there, you can also travel to Trumpington Ride & Park which doesn’t impose any restrictions on vehicle heights. Then get on the bus to reach Cambridge city.

Free Disabled Parking Facilities in Cambridge

You can enjoy free disabled parking in Cambridge for up to 3 hours with a Blue Badge. These facilities are available at:

  • Adam and Eve Street Parking (for 2 Hours)
  • Gwydir Street Parking (for 2 Hours)
  • Castle Hill Parking
  • Grafton East Parking
  • Riverside Parking
  • Park Street Parking
  • Queen Anne Terrace Parking
  • Grafton West Parking
  • Grand Arcade Parking

Parking for Motorcycle in Cambridge, UK

Motorcycle and Scooter owners can park their motorcycles for free in several locations. These are:

  • The ground floor of Queen Anne Terrace Parking
  • The ground floor of Park Street Parking
  • Lammas Land Parking
  • Adam and Eve Street Parking

This is all, for the free parking in Cambridge that you need to know. All these details can help you to find the right parking space in the city seamlessly and effortlessly making your travel much more comfortable. To make things even smoother, why not download my bespoke Google map and be directly navigated to the Best Free Parking in Cambridge

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