Finding Parking In Belfast

Last checked: 17 October 2026.

Driving into Belfast? Here’s how parking works: on-street pay and display, Belfast City Council car parks (some of them free), Park & Ride, Blue Badge parking, and the days when parking is free. Prices are taken from Belfast City Council and nidirect, the official Northern Ireland government website. If you can, leave the car at home: see getting around Belfast for buses, the Glider and trains.

On-street parking in Belfast city centre

On-street pay and display in Belfast’s controlled parking zone is charged Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm. Most streets are Tariff C: 45p for up to 15 minutes, 90p for 30 minutes, £1.80 for an hour and £3.60 for two hours. A handful of streets (Combermere Street, Kensington Street, Sandy Row, Stroud Street and Glenalpin Street) are Tariff B, at £1.60 an hour. You can pay with coins at the machine or by phone, which adds 10p. Always read the signs on the street, because the maximum stay varies. Source: nidirect.

Belfast City Council car parks

The council runs 30 car parks in Belfast: 15 are free and 15 are charged. Charged car parks are usually Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm, and most are free to use outside those hours. You can pay by card through RingGo or with cash at the machine (you’ll need your registration number). Source: Belfast City Council.

A few city-centre examples, with the council’s tariffs:

• Little Victoria Street (BT2 7JH): £1.20 an hour (£1.80 an hour after four hours), maximum £13.80. Charged Monday to Saturday, 8am to 9pm.
• Kent Street (BT1 2JA): £1 an hour, maximum £9.
• Little Donegall Street (BT1 2JD), Cathedral Quarter: 60p an hour, maximum £5.40.
• Cromac Street (BT2 8JN): 60p an hour, maximum £5.40.
• Corporation Square (BT1 3AJ) and Corporation Street (BT1 3DG): 40p an hour, maximum £3.60.
• Smithfield (Winetavern Street, BT1 1JQ): £1.20 an hour (£1.80 after four hours), maximum £13.80. Closed on Sundays.

Free council car parks are mostly outside the city centre, for example Stranmillis Road (BT9 5DT), Shaw’s Bridge (BT9 5YN) and Glenburn Road (BT17 9AG). Shopping centres and private multi-storey car parks set their own prices, so check with the operator.

Watch out for scam QR codes. The council says it does not use QR code payments in its car parks. If you see a QR sticker on a pay machine, don’t scan it.

Free parking days

Belfast City Council car parks are free on Christmas Day (Friday 25 December 2026), the Boxing Day holiday (Monday 28 December 2026) and New Year’s Day (Friday 1 January 2027). They’re also free on Easter Monday and the 12 and 13 July holidays. Source: Belfast City Council. On-street pay and display isn’t charged on Sundays, as charges apply Monday to Saturday.

Park & Ride

Translink runs frequent services into Belfast from its main Park & Ride sites at Ballymartin, Sprucefield, Black’s Road, Cairnshill and Dundonald, and says parking is free at many of its train stations and some bus stations. Source: Translink. For travel beyond Belfast, see day trips from Belfast without a car.

Blue Badge and accessible parking

With a valid Blue Badge on display, you can park free and without a time limit in on-street pay and display bays, unless a local order sets a limit. In council-run charged car parks you can use the disabled bays, but you still have to pay. Shopping centre, hospital and other private car parks set their own rules. Source: nidirect.

The council has accessible bays in many of its car parks, including four each at Little Victoria Street, Shaw’s Bridge and Stranmillis Road.

Parking for big events

• Christmas Market at City Hall: no on-site parking. See our Christmas Market guide.
• Ulster Rugby at Affidea Stadium: see our Affidea Stadium guide and the latest Park & Ride update.
• Concerts and Giants games at The O2 Belfast: see our Belfast concerts guide.
• Flying in? See Belfast airport to city.

Frequently asked questions

How much is on-street parking in Belfast?

Most city-centre streets are Tariff C: 45p for 15 minutes, £1.80 an hour, charged Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm (source: nidirect).

Is parking free in Belfast on Sundays?

On-street pay and display is charged Monday to Saturday, so Sunday isn’t charged. Council car parks also only charge Monday to Saturday. Always check the signs, as private car parks set their own rules.

Where is the cheapest parking in Belfast city centre?

Among council car parks, Corporation Square and Corporation Street charge 40p an hour (maximum £3.60). There are also 15 free council car parks, mostly outside the city centre.

Can I pay for parking in Belfast by phone?

Yes. Council car parks use RingGo. On-street parking can be paid by phone too, with a 10p charge.

Where can I park and ride into Belfast?

Translink’s main Park & Ride sites are Ballymartin, Sprucefield, Black’s Road, Cairnshill and Dundonald.

Dates, kick-off times and prices can change. Always check the official source before you travel or buy tickets. Anything marked TBC has not been confirmed yet.