For a day in Canterbury, Park & Ride is the cheapest option: Canterbury City Council charges £4 a day per car with up to six passengers, bus included, at Wincheap, New Dover Road and Sturry Road. In the centre, the council's 2026 parking order sets its Band 1 car parks, including Watling Street and Whitefriars, at £3.80 an hour, and its Band 3 multi-storeys at Castle Street and Station Road West at £1.90.
Where should I park in Canterbury?
£4 a day per car, up to six passengers, bus included. Three sites around the ring road.
Band 3: £1.90 an hour, capped at £15 for 24 hours.
Band 1: £3.80 an hour, with a £7.60 minimum on Saturdays.
Key takeaways
- The council prices its car parks in three bands: Band 1 £3.80 an hour, Band 2 £2.70, Band 3 £1.90.
- Watling Street and Whitefriars charge a £7.60 minimum on Saturdays.
- Between 9pm and 7.30am the charge is capped at £2 in every band.
- Park & Ride is £4 a day per car with up to six passengers, frozen for 2026/27 according to the council.
- District residents with a parking account get 10% off Band 2 and 3 car parks and 20% off Park & Ride.
Where are the car parks in Canterbury?
Tap a pin for prices, the address and directions. Teal pins are council car parks and purple pins are Park & Ride sites.
Pin positions are approximate. Use the address or the directions link to find the entrance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
How much do Canterbury's council car parks cost?
Canterbury City Council sets its prices by band in its parking order. These are the charges in the council's Off-Street Parking Places Order 2026, with the Band 2 and 3 figures from its 2025 order and November 2025 announcement, which froze them for 2026/27:
| Band | Car parks | 7.30am to 9pm | 9pm to 7.30am | Maximum in 24 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Watling Street, Whitefriars | £3.80 an hour. Minimum £3.80 Sunday to Friday, £7.60 Saturday | £3.80 an hour, capped at £2 | £30 |
| Band 1 | Castle Row, North Lane, Pound Lane, Queningate | £3.80 an hour | Capped at £2 | £30 |
| Band 2 | The council's mid-priced car parks | £2.70 an hour | Capped at £2 | £20 |
| Band 3 | Castle Street multi-storey, Station Road West, Holmans Meadow, Riverside | £1.90 an hour | Capped at £2 | £15 |
The council's announcement explains the banding: it wants Park & Ride and the Band 3 multi-storeys to be the cheap options and its most convenient car parks to cost more, and reports that Castle Street and Holmans Meadow use rose 8% in a year while Whitefriars fell 15%.
How much is on-street parking in Canterbury?
The city council's parking order covers its car parks only, so this guide doesn't list street prices. Where pay and display bays exist, the sign at the bay shows the hours and the price.
Is there a Park & Ride in Canterbury?
Yes, three council sites. The council charges £4 a day per car with up to six passengers, with the car parks open 24 hours and the buses to a timetable. At New Dover Road, the council lists buses every eight minutes from 7am to 7.10pm Monday to Saturday. Passengers without a car pay £4 for adults and £3.50 for children aged five and over. The council adds that drivers with a parking account get their fifth Park & Ride journey in a calendar month free, and that district residents pay £3.20 with the residents' rate. The council's 2026/27 plans froze Park & Ride prices and reported a 27% rise in use.
What are the night and resident rates?
Between 9pm and 7.30am the council's order caps the charge at £2 in every band, so an evening in any council car park costs at most £2 on top of whatever was paid before 9pm. The council's resident rate, available to residents of Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable and the rural villages with a parking account, gives 10% off Band 2 and 3 ANPR car parks until 9pm and 20% off Park & Ride. Watling Street and the Park & Ride sites are excluded from the ANPR resident discount under the 2026 order.
Own a home in Canterbury? The guest locked out at 10pm, the boiler that dies on a Saturday with a family inside: a local manager from the Houst network takes those calls for you, and Guestwise manages short lets from 12% + VAT. See Airbnb management in Canterbury.
Visiting for an event? See Canterbury's events calendar
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to park in Canterbury?
Park & Ride. Canterbury City Council charges £4 a day per car with up to six passengers, bus travel included, at Wincheap, New Dover Road and Sturry Road.
How much is parking in Canterbury city centre?
The council's 2026 parking order sets its Band 1 car parks (Watling Street, Whitefriars, Castle Row, North Lane, Pound Lane and Queningate) at £3.80 an hour. Band 3 car parks such as Castle Street multi-storey are £1.90 an hour.
Why is Saturday parking more expensive at Watling Street?
The council's order sets a £7.60 minimum fee on Saturdays at Watling Street and Whitefriars, against £3.80 on other days.
Is parking cheaper at night in Canterbury?
Yes. The council's order caps the charge at £2 between 9pm and 7.30am in every band.
Is there a residents' discount?
Yes. The council states that residents of the district with a parking account get 10% off its Band 2 and 3 ANPR car parks until 9pm and 20% off Park & Ride, so £3.20 a day instead of £4.
Which Canterbury car parks are cheapest for a full day?
Band 3. The council's 2025 order caps Castle Street, Station Road West and Riverside at £15 for 24 hours, against £30 in Band 1.
Related guides
Sources
Prices are taken from Canterbury City Council's parking orders and announcements on the date shown above, and can change. Check the machine or sign before you pay.