Where to park in Parramatta: A guide to parking in Parramatta
Parramatta, in Sydney’s West is one of the fastest growing and most important centres in the city. It offers something for locals and casual visitors, with deep history, vibrant culture, and fantastic shopping.
But then there’s the problem of parking. As a growing new hub, Parramatta has a lot of cars and not a lot of space to park them.
It’s not so bad when you have some information though. Here are some tips when figuring out where to park in Parramatta.
How to not park in Parramatta: take public transport
The first step to avoid a parking dilemma is to forgo your car and take public transport. Luckily, Parramatta is the central hub for Western Sydney, which means almost all westbound trains and buses run through it. Once you’re in town a car is actually a burden, so getting to Parramatta without a car is probably your best option.
If you plan to go this route, check out the free shuttle bus that loops around the city, and plan your trip with the Transport NSW website.
Free parking in Parramatta
For the thrifty thrill seeker, free parking is always nice. But you’ll have a hard time in Parramatta, especially if you need to park for more than a little while.
Below are several streets where you can park for free with a catch – you can only do so for 15 minutes. That’s about enough time to cross the street, buy some bread, and cross back, but not much else.
Parramatta CBD: Marsden, Phillip, and Smith streets; Church street south of Argyle Street
Ross Street between Villiers and Sorrell Streets
Grose Street between Villiers and Sorrell Streets
If you only need 5 minutes, you’ve got even more options! Below are streets that offer free parking for five minutes. That’s great for picking someone up or quickly checking your phone without breaking the law.
Macquarie Street between Smith and Charles Streets (Monday to Friday 8:30-9:30am and 2:30-3:30pm)
Little Street (Monday to Friday 8:30-9:30am and 2:30-3:30pm)
Villers Street
Share with Oscar
If you don’t want to try your luck with street parking, Share with Oscar allows you to easily book cheap parking in Parramatta from just $10 a day or $2 per hour. Share with Oscar works with businesses, car parks and homeowners with spare parking to offer rates that are up to 70% cheaper than the car parks.
The platform has hundreds of options available in most parts of the suburb, including parking near Westfield, Parramatta Station and Parramatta High School. The best part is, once you’ve booked, you may rest assured knowing that you have guaranteed parking for the day.
Book cheap Parramatta Parking on Share with Oscar now or check out the mobile app.
Paid street parking in Parramatta
Longer street parking requires dropping a few bucks. With over 7,000 parking meters across Parramatta, there are plenty of spots to be found, but sometimes you’ll need to walk to your final destination.
The more popular the area the higher the cost. But overall, the rates for street parking in Parramatta are fairly cheap. Here are the hourly rates for the different districts:
$3.50 in the Central Business District (CBD)
$2.50 in North Parramatta
$1.50 after 6 PM and Saturdays for functioning meters
$1.50 per hour in 10-hour or 24-hour parking zones
All meters accept coins (10 cents minimum) and major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Diners, and Amex). You can also pay using your mobile phone, but this requires that you first register your details by dialing 1800 017 827. You can find a map of street parking across Parramatta here.
Some street of Parramatta can only be used by permit holders. This reserves car spaces for the locals. You’ll also see lots of GoGet Car Share spots across the city. These are dedicated bays for GoGet cars, and private cars can’t park in them.
You could avoid having to park in Parramatta at all by joining GoGet, and living a car free life. GoGet gives you cheap and convenient access to thousands of cars across Sydney. Tens of thousands of people in Sydney already use GoGet instead of owning a car, and are saving thousands of dollars a year!
Motorcycle parking in Parramatta
Motorbikes have a special place in Parramatta. Two-wheelers don’t take up too much space and are less cumbersome than cars. As such, Parramatta City Council has set aside free and paid parking areas specifically for bikes:
Eat Street (formerly Erby Place)
Corner of Horwood Place and Macquarie Lane
Parkes Street outside Parramatta Station Car Park
Fennell Street Car Park in North Parramatta
Erby Lane off Horwood Place
If you own a motorcycle and a car, why not take the bike and park in the locations mentioned above? Parking in Parramatta is much easier for motorcycles, which saves you time hunting for a spot.
Multi-level car parks in Parramatta
There are several multi-level car parks in Parramatta if you want to avoid the hassle of finding street parking. The car parks are found in the following locations and are all open 24 hours:
Eat Street (formerly Erby Place)
Justice Precinct (formerly Hunter Street)
Typical prices range from $3.00 (one hour) up to $26.00 (12-24 hours). There are also special promos such as the Riverbank Early Bird rate and the Riverbank Five-day Pass for people planning the park for much longer periods.
Disabled parking
People with disabilities have a few extra options when parking in Parramatta – the Council’s regulations are listed below. This only applies if you really have a disability proven by a Mobility Parking Scheme or MPS card displayed on your windshield.
Here are the disability benefits in Parramatta:
Free-of-charge when parking in a metered, coupon, or ticket area.
Park for an unlimited time when under a sign that says you can park for more than 30 minutes.
Park for two hours maximum when under a sign that says you can park for only 30 minutes.
Park for 30 minutes maximum when under a sign that says you can park for less than 30 minutes.
Get out and about in Parramatta!
Parramatta is a thriving city within the greater Sydney area, and really punches above its weight. With parkland, shopping, entertainment, and a mix of old and new architecture, it offers something for visitors and locals.
Don’t let parking problems plague your thoughts: Parking in Parramatta isn’t as hard as it can seem.
Have fun in Parramatta!
