The Scores (clifftop)
Pay & display Cost
Pay & display
Fills by
9:30am
Best for
Castle, cathedral, the best sea views
The truth: Stunning spot right by the castle, but limited and fills by 9–9:30am on any decent day. Wardens patrol regularly.
The Local's Handbook
Where to park in St Andrews.
The honest truth nobody else will tell you: which spaces fill by 9am, where the wardens patrol, the long-stay secret, and exactly what to do during graduation and The Open. Written by people who park here every day.
Written by Gordon
Co-owner & lead driver · 18 years driving St Andrews · 1M+ miles
Reviewed by Wendy · updated
First published 10 April 2024
The short version: parking in St Andrews is genuinely hard.
St Andrews is a small medieval town built for pilgrims on foot, not for cars. The streets are narrow, most central parking is pay-and-display with short maximum stays, and the genuinely convenient spaces are taken early. Traffic wardens are active and unsentimental.
None of that means you can't drive here — it just means you should arrive with a plan. Below is the real picture, car park by car park, plus the days when you should not even attempt it. And yes, the easiest answer is often to let us drop you at the door and collect you afterwards.
Car park by car park
The honest run-down on every option.
St Nicholas Street / East Sands
Pay & display Cost
Pay & display
Fills by
11am
Best for
East Sands, the harbour, the Aquarium
The truth: A bit further from the centre, which means it holds spaces longer. A reliable fallback when The Scores is full.
Argyle Street
Pay & display Cost
Pay & display
Fills by
9:30am
Best for
Town centre, West Port shops
The truth: Central and convenient, so it goes early. Short maximum stay — read the sign carefully or risk a ticket.
Petheram Bridge car park
Pay & display Cost
Pay & display (long stay)
Fills by
Midday on busy days
Best for
All-day visits, the longest stays
The truth: The main long-stay car park and your best bet for a full day in town. A 5-minute walk to the centre. This is where we send most day visitors.
Bruce Embankment (by West Sands)
Pay & display Cost
Pay & display
Fills by
9am
Best for
West Sands beach, the Old Course, the R&A
The truth: Right by the beach and the famous golf links. Beautiful, but the first to fill on any sunny day or during golf events.
Residential streets (Hepburn Gardens, Kennedy Gardens)
Free Cost
Free (unrestricted in parts)
Fills by
8:30am term-time
Best for
Free parking if you don't mind a walk
The truth: Some residential streets to the west are free and unrestricted, but they fill with student and resident cars early and it's a 10–15 minute walk in. Check signs carefully — restrictions change street to street.
Don't even try
The days to leave the car at home.
Graduation weeks (June & November)
Town parking is effectively impossible. Every space is taken by families and visitors. Use a Park & Walk approach from the edge of town, or — far easier — let us drop you at the door and collect you afterwards.
The Open Championship
In Open years, expect road closures, dedicated event parking miles out, and shuttle buses. Driving into the centre is not an option. Pre-booked transfers are the only stress-free way in and out.
Sunny summer weekends
Beach and golf car parks (Bruce Embankment, The Scores) fill before 9:30am. If you're not parked by then, head straight for Petheram Bridge long-stay.
Five things we'd tell a friend.
- 1
Arrive before 9am or after 4pm if you want a central space on a nice day. The middle of the day is hopeless.
- 2
For a full day in town, go straight to Petheram Bridge long-stay and walk in — don't waste 20 minutes circling the centre.
- 3
Read every sign. Maximum-stay limits vary street to street and the wardens know exactly when your hour is up.
- 4
Use the RingGo / pay-by-phone app where you can — it lets you top up remotely instead of running back to the car.
- 5
If it's graduation, The Open, or a glorious summer Saturday, don't drive in at all. Park at the edge and walk, or let us handle the door-to-door.
Or skip the parking stress entirely.
We'll drop you exactly where you're going and pick you up when you're ready — no circling, no wardens, no walking back to the car in the rain. Especially worth it on the busy days.
Book a door-to-door transfer