Car parking
There are four car parks within Crystal Palace Park, with access from Thicket Road, Anerley Hill and Crystal Palace Park Road:
- Penge Gate car park
- Sydenham Gate car park
- Paxton car park
- Terrace Straight car park
Please note that the National Sports Centre car park is managed separately by Better Leisure and has its own parking arrangements.
Car parking charges help support the upkeep and improvement of Crystal Palace Park, helping to keep it welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.
How to pay
Please pay for parking at the start of your visit using one of the following methods:
RingGo or Sippi – download either app to pay quickly from your phone.
Pay by card at one of our two payment machines, located in the Penge Gate Car Park and Paxton Car Park.
Cash payments are not accepted.
Parking charges
| Length of stay | Charge |
| Up to 1 hour | £2 |
| Up to 2 hours | £4 |
| Up to 3 hours | £5 |
| Up to 4 hours | £6 |
| Up to 5 hours | £7 |
| Up to 6 hours | £8 |
| Up to 7 hours | £9 |
| Over 7 hours | £10 |
Parking charges apply during the car parks' opening hours.
Overnight parking is not permitted. Vehicles left overnight will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.
EV charging
An electric vehicle charging point is available in Penge Gate Car Park.
It features two Type 2 charging sockets, each with up to 22kW charging capacity, and is available during the park's opening hours.
Standard parking charges apply while using the charging point and should be paid separately using the usual parking payment methods.
By choosing to charge your vehicle here, you're also helping to support Crystal Palace Park. Income generated from the charging point is reinvested into the park.
Car park opening times
The car parks open at 7:30am every day of the year.
Closing times vary throughout the year in line with daylight hours:
January: 5pm
February: 6pm
March: 8pm (BST) / 6.30pm (GMT)
April: 8:30pm
May: 9pm
June: 9:30pm
July: 9:30pm
August: 9pm
September: 8pm
October: 7pm (BST) / 5pm (GMT)
November: 5pm
December: 4:30pm
Closing times may vary on event days. Please follow onsite signage.
FAQs
Why do you charge for car parking?
Crystal Palace Park is unlike most urban parks. At 200 acres, it is much larger than a typical city park and is home to nationally significant heritage features, including the Grade I listed 172-year-old Dinosaurs. It is also a Grade II* listed landscape and a conservation area.
Caring for such a large and complex park, while keeping it safe, accessible and welcoming for the almost one million people who visit each year, requires significant investment.
Income from car parking is an important part of how Crystal Palace Park Trust cares for, maintains and improves the park, helping to ensure it can be enjoyed for years to come.
Introducing parking charges also encourages more people to travel to the park by walking, cycling or public transport where possible, helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality.
How will Crystal Palace Park Trust use the funds raised through car parking?
As a charity, Crystal Palace Park Trust reinvests every penny raised in the park back into the park.
Income from parking charges helps us protect, manage and improve Crystal Palace Park as a historic, ecological, recreational, sporting, cultural and educational resource for everyone.
This includes:
- Year-round gardening, including grass cutting, tree care and new planting
- Maintaining, cleaning and servicing the park's free public toilets
- Repairs to paths, park buildings and historic features
- Litter collection, waste disposal and responding to fly-tipping
- Improvements to footpaths and other visitor facilities
- Delivering a varied programme of free community events and activities
When do charges apply?
Parking charges apply every day of the year during the car parks' opening hours.
Overnight parking is not permitted. Vehicles left overnight will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.
Car park closing times vary throughout the year. Please check the opening times on this page and follow onsite signage.
Will all vehicles be charged?
Parking charges apply to all vehicles except motorcycles and vehicles displaying a valid Blue Badge.
I have a Blue Badge. Do I have to pay?
No. Parking is free for valid Blue Badge holders.
To use this exemption, you'll need to register your vehicle using the payment machine in either Penge Gate Car Park or Paxton Car Park each time you visit. Alternatively, you can register by contacting the Trust at parking@crystalpalaceparktrust.org.
If you use more than one vehicle, each vehicle must be registered separately.
I regularly drive to the park. Can I get an annual permit?
Yes. Monthly, six-monthly and annual parking permits are available through the Sippi app.
Can I extend my parking session?
Yes. If you paid using RingGo or Sippi, you can extend your parking session and pay for additional time in the app.
If you paid at a payment machine, you'll need to purchase another ticket before your parking session expires.
Do I have to pay to drop off/pick-up or make a delivery?
A 30-minute grace period is available to allow time for dropping off or picking up passengers.
I run a business that operates within the park. Am I exempt from parking charges?
Yes. Businesses and service providers operating within Crystal Palace Park should have a permit issued by Crystal Palace Park Trust.
The cost of this permit includes parking a vehicle in one of our car parks, so no additional parking payment is required.
If you require a permit, please contact the Trust at parking@crystalpalaceparktrust.org.
What happens if I forget to pay or stay longer than my paid time?
Parking must be paid for upon entry to the park. If you do not pay or stay beyond the period of time you have paid for, then you will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.
What happens if I park outside a marked bay or on a yellow line?
Vehicles parked outside a marked bay or on a yellow line will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice.