Cambridge has no Clean Air Zone and no congestion charge, but its centre is shut to cars by cameras. Drive through the Bridge Street, Silver Street or Regent Street bus gates and the county posts a £70 penalty, £35 if paid within 21 days.
My plan: leave the car at one of the five Park & Ride sites, where parking is free for up to 18 hours, and pay £4.50 for the adult bus return. Staying in town? Queen Anne Terrace is the multi-storey I'd use.
Parking in Cambridge: Cambridge charges by the hour until 18:00, then by the car park
1. Ignore the sat-nav near the colleges
The county lists bus gates on Regent Street (into town), Emmanuel Road, Bridge Street, Silver Street, Station Road and Brookgate, all 24/7, plus Mill Road with exemptions. Cars aren't allowed through any of them. From 10:00 to 16:00, Monday to Saturday, the historic core is permit-only, and the King's Parade barrier is closed 09:30–19:00 every day.
2. Pick Queen Anne Terrace for a long day
Queen Anne Terrace (572 spaces, 2.1 m) charges £2.60 for an hour and £24 for over six hours on a weekday, £26 at the weekend. From 18:00 until the next daytime tariff it's free. The council calls it the cheapest for longer stays, and the walk is about 15 minutes.
3. Pay for Grand Arcade only for an hour
Grand Arcade is the closest to the colleges: 951 spaces, 1.98 m. It's £3.70 for an hour, but £26.80 for five and £33.50 for more on a weekday; Saturday tops out at £36.50. Park Street (2.1 m) has the same tariff. Grafton East is a bit cheaper, £3.10 an hour and £30.60 all day.
4. Don't sleep in a central multi-storey
Evenings aren't free everywhere. Grand Arcade and Park Street charge £1.80 an hour from 18:00, Grafton £1.30. Arrive at 16:00 on a Friday and leave at 10:00 on Saturday at Grand Arcade: £7.40 + 14 hours at £1.80 (£25.20) + £9.40 = £42. Queen Anne Terrace: £5.30 + nothing + £6.60 = £11.90.
5. Try Castle Hill for the cheapest day
The small Castle Hill car park (111 spaces) is £10 for over four hours, Monday to Saturday, £5 all Sunday and free outside 08:00–18:00. Pay at the machine or with JustPark, car park ID 16801. The height limit isn't published.
On-street prices aren't published online; the 185-plus machines don't give change, or you pay by RingGo or YourParkingSpace. I'd skip the kerb entirely.
Car parks worth knowing
| Car park | Price | Height | EV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Anne Terrace (city council)Gonville Place, CB1 1ND; 572 spaces, open 24 hours, about 15 minutes' walk to the centre | Weekdays 08:00–18:00: £2.60 1 h, £5.30 2 h, £8 3 h, £10.70 4 h, £13.40 5 h, £18 6 h, £24 over 6 h. Weekends (Sat 08:00–18:00, Sun 10:00–18:00): £3.30 to £26. Free 18:00 until the next daytime tariff. Height 2.1 m. | 2.1 m | 40 Connected Kerb points on level 1; Zapmap lists 7.36 kW at 53p per kWh. |
| Grand Arcade (city council)Corn Exchange Street, CB2 3QF; 951 spaces, open 24 hours, nearest multi-storey to the colleges | Weekdays 08:00–18:00: £3.70 1 h, £7.40 2 h, £11.10 3 h, £16 4 h, £26.80 5 h, £33.50 over 5 h. Weekends: £4.70 to £36.50. Evening and overnight £1.80 an hour. Height 1.98 m. | 1.98 m | No charging yet, says the council. |
| Park Street (city council)Park Street, CB5 8AS; 222 spaces, open 24 hours | Same tariff as Grand Arcade: £3.70 1 h, £33.50 over 5 h on weekdays, £36.50 at weekends, £1.80 an hour evenings. Height 2.1 m. | 2.1 m | The car park page says 26 charging bays; the council's EV list says 23 Connected Kerb points. |
| Grafton East (city council)East Road, CB1 1PS; 412 spaces, open 24 hours | Weekdays: £3.10 1 h, £6.20 2 h, £9.30 3 h, £14.40 4 h, £23.50 5 h, £30.60 over 5 h. Weekends £4 to £33.70. Evenings £1.30 an hour. Height 1.98 m. Grafton West (Fitzroy Lane, 286 spaces) has the same prices. | 1.98 m | 2 BP Pulse points on level 1, to be replaced by Connected Kerb; price not published. |
| Castle Hill (city council, surface)Castle Hill, off Castle Street, CB3 0AT; 111 spaces, open 24 hours | Mon–Sat 08:00–18:00: £3.20 up to 2 h, £6.40 up to 4 h, £10 over 4 h. Sunday 10:00–18:00 £5 all day. Free at all other times. JustPark ID 16801. Height not published. | not published | 23 Connected Kerb points (some mixed-use bays). |
The cheapest way to park, by how long you stay
| If you stay | Cheapest | Cost | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours in the centre | Park & Ride (parking free up to 18 h) | Free | Parking is free for up to 18 hours at all five sites; what happens after 18 hours isn't published. The bus is extra: £4.50 adult return, valid only at the site where you bought it. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Castle Hill (city council, surface) | £3.20 ≈ €3.8 | Free 18:00–08:00; height not published |
| A full day (10 h) | Park & Ride (parking free up to 18 h) | Free | Parking is free for up to 18 hours at all five sites; what happens after 18 hours isn't published. The bus is extra: £4.50 adult return, valid only at the site where you bought it. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Castle Hill (city council, surface) | £10 ≈ €12.0 | Free 18:00–08:00; height not published |
| 24 hours | Castle Hill (city council, surface) | £10 ≈ €12.0 | Free 18:00–08:00; height not published |
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Towed in Cambridge: Cambridge tickets by camera, not by tow truck
1. Expect a ticket, not a clamp
Cambridgeshire County Council issues £70 penalties for serious offences such as yellow lines and £50 for overstaying a bay. Pay within 14 days and it's half: £35 or £25. After 60 days it goes up 50%. The payment line is 0333 121 0457, 24/7.
2. Watch your post for bus-gate fines
Bus-gate PCNs are also £70, £35 within 21 days and £105 if ignored past 28 days. Neither council says how it chases a foreign-registered car. With a hire car, I'd ask the rental firm how it handles PCNs.
3. If the car's gone, ring the council
Neither council publishes a tow-away scheme, a car pound address or hours. Police removals in England follow national prescribed sums: £150 to remove a car from the road and £20 for each 24 hours stored. One night plus a £70 PCN is £240. Trapped behind the King's Parade barrier? Ring the city council on 01223 457000.
Cambridge lives on cameras. I'd assume every bollard has one.
If your car has disappeared
- Who took it
- Cambridgeshire County Council issues on-street and bus-gate penalties; Cambridge City Council runs the car parks. Neither publishes a routine tow-away scheme for parking offences
- Phone
- Cambridge City Council car parks (also if you're trapped behind the King's Parade barrier): 01223 457000
City council car parks, evenings and weekends: 01223 457337
County council PCN payment line, automated, 24/7: 0333 121 0457 - Collect it at
- No car pound address is published.
- Hours
- Unpublished.
- What it costs
- PCN £70 (higher) or £50 (lower), halved if paid within 14 days, +50% after 60 days. Bus lane or bus gate £70, £35 within 21 days, £105 after 28. If the police remove a car, the national prescribed sums are £150 removal from the road and £20 per 24 hours storage.
- Bring
- Not listed by either council. I'd bring a passport, driving licence and registration document, and with a hire car ring the rental company first.
EV charging in Cambridge: 180 council chargers, at 53p a kWh
1. Charge at Queen Anne Terrace
The city council lists 180 charging points in 14 car parks, run by Connected Kerb. Queen Anne Terrace has the most, 40 on level 1; Zapmap lists them at 7.36 kW and 53p per kWh, paid by app, RFID card or Zap-Pay, with no contactless listed.
2. Move after four hours
Between 08:00 and 18:00 you can be fined for staying on a charger more than four hours, and normal parking charges apply too. Four hours at 7.36 kW is about 29 kWh, roughly £15.60 at 53p, plus £10.70 parking.
3. Know Park Street's two numbers
The Park Street page says 26 charging bays; the council's EV list says 23 points. Castle Hill has 23. Grand Arcade and Grafton West have none yet.
These are slow chargers. I'd plug in for the afternoon, not for a quick top-up.
Where to charge
- Queen Anne Terrace — 40 points — Queen Anne Terrace, level 1. Connected Kerb; Zapmap lists 7.36 kW Type 2 at 53p per kWh, app, RFID or Zap-Pay. Parking is charged on top; max 4 hours 08:00–18:00
- Castle Hill — 23 points — Castle Hill car park. Connected Kerb; the council publishes no price, so check the app
- Park Street — 23 or 26 points — Park Street. The car park page says 26 bays, the EV list 23 points; price not published
- Babraham Road and Trumpington Park & Ride hubs — Trumpington Park & Ride and Babraham Road Park & Ride. The city council says both hubs have charging points; number and price unpublished
Free parking in Cambridge: Cambridge's five Park & Ride sites
1. Park free at Trumpington or Babraham Road
All five sites are open 24/7 with up to 18 hours of free parking: Trumpington (1,340 spaces, buses every 10 minutes), Babraham Road (1,458), Madingley Road (930), Milton (792) and Newmarket Road (873).
2. Buy the £4.50 return
Fares since 22 February 2026: £4.50 adult return, £3.80 short hop, £6.50 DayRider between sites. Each paying adult brings up to four children aged 5–15 for £1 each. A family of four pays £11; Grand Arcade on a Saturday is £36.50.
3. Use the free evening and Sunday hours
Queen Anne Terrace is free from 18:00. Castle Hill is free outside 08:00–18:00 Monday to Saturday and charges only £5 between 10:00 and 18:00 on Sunday.
4. Don't count on a free hotel space
I couldn't confirm a central hotel whose own site promises free parking, so check before you book.
Every price here was checked on 13 November 2026. For a day visit, the P&R is my answer.
Free or nearly-free spots
Trumpington Park & Ride
1,340 spaces, buses up to every 10 minutes to the centre, the Botanic Garden and the Fitzwilliam. Parking free up to 18 hours; adult return £4.50.
Babraham Road Park & Ride
The biggest site, 1,458 spaces, buses up to every 12 minutes via Addenbrooke's and the railway station. Free parking up to 18 hours.
Madingley Road Park & Ride
930 spaces on the west side, buses up to every 10 minutes via Bridge Street. The council sends coaches here too.
Newmarket Road and Milton Park & Ride
Newmarket Road: 873 spaces, buses up to every 10 minutes. Milton: 792 spaces, up to every 15 minutes; its returns are also valid on Service 2, which runs until 23:00.
Queen Anne Terrace after 18:00
Free from 18:00 until the next daytime tariff (08:00 weekdays and Saturday, 10:00 Sunday).
Castle Hill evenings and Sunday
Free outside 08:00–18:00 Monday to Saturday; Sunday 10:00–18:00 is £5 for the day.
⚠ The small print on 'free' parking
- Bus gates on Regent Street (inbound), Emmanuel Road, Bridge Street, Silver Street, Station Road and Brookgate are camera-enforced 24/7; Mill Road too, with exemptions. PCN £70, £35 within 21 days.
- The historic core is permit-only 10:00–16:00 Monday to Saturday; St John's Street closes in those hours. The King's Parade security barrier is closed 09:30–19:00 every day.
- No Clean Air Zone: the city council says there is currently none. The Sustainable Travel Zone congestion charge (£5 a day in the 2022 plan) was dropped in 2023. Nothing for a foreign car to register.
- Central multi-storeys charge in the evening: Grand Arcade and Park Street £1.80 an hour, Grafton £1.30. Only Queen Anne Terrace (and surface Castle Hill) are free at night.
- Grand Arcade and both Grafton car parks are 1.98 m; Queen Anne Terrace and Park Street 2.1 m. No car park or P&R site publishes a limit for motorhomes.
- On-street pay-and-display prices are not published online; the county only says machines take cash and card, give no change, and RingGo or YourParkingSpace work by phone.
Take these places with you
Every place on this page as a file you can keep — car parks with their prices, the free and park-and-ride spots, the chargers and the pound.