Straight answers to practical questions about driving, travelling, parking and getting around Northern Ireland.
Use Belfast Castle’s free on-site parking. The main car park is in front of the castle with overflow parking available; spaces are first come, first served.
Park in Belfast Zoo’s own free car parks. The zoo lists more than 300 spaces in the upper car park and around 80 in the lower car park, with accessible parking near the Visitor Centre.
Use the Odyssey/O2 Belfast car park beside The SSE Arena. It is the venue’s dedicated nearby parking option; for a concert or major match, arrive early because the sharpest queue normally forms close to event start time.
Use Titanic Belfast’s own underground car park unless your vehicle is over 2.1 metres high. It has 520 spaces, is open 24 hours and puts you directly beneath the attraction.
For a general Belfast city-centre visit, choose a car park on the same side of the centre as your destination. CastleCourt works well for Royal Avenue and the Cathedral Quarter; council car parks such as Little Victoria Street, Corporation Street and Little Donegall Street suit other parts of the centre.
Yes. The council’s official car-park list includes parent-and-toddler provision where available.
Yes. The council list identifies whether particular car parks have electric-vehicle charge points.
Use Derry City and Strabane District Council’s official council-operated and private-car-park listings.
Yes. Derry has both council-operated and privately operated car parks.
Yes. The council’s visitor information lists general admission to the Guildhall as free.
The council describes the Guildhall as about a five-minute walk from the bus station.
Yes. The Guildhall visitor information points visitors to several nearby city-centre car parks.
Yes. The council identifies Quayside as a privately owned car park.
No. Derry City and Strabane District Council lists Foyleside East and West among privately owned car parks.
Yes. The council list includes both charged and free-of-charge parking sites across the district.
Yes. Foyle Street is listed among Derry City and Strabane District Council’s operated car parks.
Yes. Carlisle Road appears on the council’s official list of operated car parks.
Yes. The council listing shows designated disabled parking provision at Bishop Street car park.
Yes. Bishop Street is listed by Derry City and Strabane District Council as a council-operated car park.
Derry City and Strabane District Council publishes a full list of its council-operated car parks with postcodes, spaces, tariffs and charging hours.
No. Private parking charges and official Penalty Charge Notices are different systems.
Yes. nidirect says illegally parked vehicles on bus lanes and urban clearways on main Belfast routes may be removed and clamped.
Yes. Clamping and removal can be used for parking-debt recovery.
No. nidirect states that Blue Badge holders are not exempt from an operational urban clearway restriction.
Only if the clearway restriction is not in operation and no other parking restriction applies.
No. Footway parking beside a mandatory School Keep Clear area is prohibited.
No. Footway parking adjacent to a bus lane is prohibited.
No. Blue Badge holders are not exempt from the restriction at a restricted bus stop or stand.
No. A restricted bus stop or stand is enforceable, and most are operational 24 hours a day.
Yes. A driver may enter a bus lane when directed or permitted by a police officer in uniform.
