Free & cheap parking in London

💡 The cheapest way

The cheapest sensible way to do London by car is not to drive in: park all day at a Tube-end station car park (from £9 on weekdays and £7.40 at weekends at Morden) and take the Tube. Central garages are dear or publish no tariff, and driving in the centre adds the Congestion Charge (£18) and, for older cars, the ULEZ (£12.50). We found no free park-and-ride in London.

Morden station car park (Northern line)

• 💶 Price: £9 Mon–Fri and bank holidays, £7.40 Sat–Sun (per day)
• 🎟️ Includes: Parking only; the Tube fare is extra
• ✅ Conditions: Open 24/7, about 71–74 spaces, first come first served, no advance booking. Pay on arrival by PayByPhone only; the ticket expires at 04:30 the next morning.
• 🚇 To the centre: Northern line from Morden (terminus) to London Bridge, Bank, Leicester Square or Euston
• 📍 Kenley Road / 72 London Road, Morden SM4 5AZ
• MapWebsite

Debden station car park (Central line)

• 💶 Price: £11 Mon–Fri and bank holidays, £8 Sat–Sun (per day)
• 🎟️ Includes: Parking only; the Tube fare is extra
• ✅ Conditions: Open 24/7, 209 spaces, no advance booking. Pay by 04:29 the next morning at the machines or by PayByPhone.
• 🚇 To the centre: Central line to Liverpool Street, St Paul's, Holborn or Oxford Circus
• 📍 Chigwell Lane, Loughton IG10 3TG
• MapWebsite

Cockfosters station car park (Piccadilly line)

• 💶 Price: £11 Mon–Fri and bank holidays, £10 Saturday, £9 Sunday (per day)
• 🎟️ Includes: Parking only; the Tube fare is extra
• ✅ Conditions: Open 24/7, 326 spaces. Pay on arrival (it cannot be backdated) at one of two card machines or by PayByPhone; the ticket expires at 04:30 the next morning.
• 🚇 To the centre: Piccadilly line from Cockfosters (terminus) to Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus or King's Cross
• 📍 Cockfosters Road, Barnet EN4 0DZ
• MapWebsite

Stanmore station car park (Jubilee line)

• 💶 Price: £12 Mon–Fri and bank holidays, £11 Sat–Sun (per day)
• 🎟️ Includes: Parking only; the Tube fare is extra
• ✅ Conditions: Open 24/7, 461 spaces, no advance booking. Pay by 04:29 the next morning by PayByPhone or at two machines.
• 🚇 To the centre: Jubilee line from Stanmore (terminus) to Bond Street, Westminster, Waterloo or London Bridge
• 📍 London Road, Stanmore HA7 4PD
• MapWebsite

Epping station car park (Central line)

• 💶 Price: £13 Mon–Fri and bank holidays, £10 Sat–Sun (per day)
• 🎟️ Includes: Parking only; the Tube fare is extra
• ✅ Conditions: Open 24/7, 570 spaces, height limit 2.0 m. Pay by 04:29 the next morning by PayByPhone (location code 801607) or at two machines.
• 🚇 To the centre: Central line from Epping (terminus) to Oxford Circus, Holborn, St Paul's or Liverpool Street
• 📍 Station Road, Epping CM16 4HW
• MapWebsite

Free street parking

• City of Westminster (West End, Soho, Mayfair, Victoria, Westminster): Paid bays are only charged in set hours: Monday to Friday, or Monday to Saturday in the West End, usually 08:30–18:30. The council table lists no Sunday charge, so Sundays and evenings after 18:30 are free in the zones we read. Resident-only bays can be controlled 24 hours and are never for visitors. The usual maximum stay is 4 hours. (Sundays and after 18:30 in most zones; read the sign at the bay) westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/documents/hours-of-control-parking-tariffs-from-march-2026.pdf ↗

When paid street parking is free

In Westminster the paid-bay hours in the council table (March 2026) are Monday to Friday 08:30–18:30 in most zones and Monday to Saturday 08:30–18:30 in the West End, with a few bays on Saturday morning only. Nothing is listed for Sundays. The table is hard to read zone by zone, so check the sign. Other boroughs have their own hours. westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/documents/hours-of-control-parking-tariffs-from-march-2026.pdf ↗

Ways to pay less

Park at the end of a Tube line

TfL station car parks run by Saba cost £7.40 to £13 a day, well below central garages, and you avoid the Congestion Charge. Spaces cannot be booked and can fill on weekday mornings, so arrive early. sabaparking.co.uk/car-park/morden-station-car-park-tfl ↗

Arrive on a Sunday or after 18:30 for street parking

In most Westminster zones the paid bays are not charged on Sundays or after 18:30. The Congestion Charge is also only 12:00–18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, and is not charged from Christmas Day to New Year's Day. westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/documents/hours-of-control-parking-tariffs-from-march-2026.pdf ↗

Zero-emission cars pay less on the street

Westminster bay prices follow the car's CO2 band. Band 1 (0 g/km) in Soho or Covent Garden is £4.78 an hour against £7.78 for a typical petrol car. westminster.gov.uk/parking/parking-fees-and-charges ↗

Congestion Charge: pay on the day

£18 on the day or in advance, £21 if paid by midnight of the third charging day after. Electric cars on Auto Pay get 25% off since 2 January 2026. tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge ↗

Watch out

Congestion Charge

Mon–Fri 07:00–18:00, Sat–Sun and bank holidays 12:00–18:00, no charge from Christmas Day to New Year's Day. A penalty is £180 (£90 if paid within 14 days). Central car parks inside the zone cost extra on top of the charge. tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/penalties-and-enforcement ↗

ULEZ covers all of Greater London

£12.50 a day for cars that do not meet the standard, 24 hours a day, every day except 25 December. A penalty is £180 (£90 within 14 days). Non-UK vehicles must register with TfL even when they meet the standard. tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone ↗

Westminster has no visitor permits, and QR stickers are scams

Pay only through RingGo, PayByPhone, JustPark, by phone or with a Parking Card. The pay-and-display machines have been removed, and "Scan to Pay" QR stickers on signs are scams. westminster.gov.uk/parking/visitor-parking-information ↗

Overstay and resident bays

The usual maximum stay in a Westminster paid bay is 4 hours; overstaying earns a penalty even if you paid to extend. westminster.gov.uk/parking/parking-zones-and-prices ↗

Dartford Crossing

£3.50 for a car (one-off or pay as you go), £2.80 with a pre-pay account; charged 06:00–22:00 every day including bank holidays. gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge/charges ↗