If you're catching a train from Bristol Temple Meads and need to leave a car, you have three realistic options: the APCOA car park attached to the station, the council-run Temple Gate multi-storey a short walk away, or an app-booked space via JustPark. Dropping someone off costs nothing for the first 20 minutes. Anything longer, and which option is cheapest depends entirely on how long you're leaving the car.
The station car park (APCOA)
The car park attached to Temple Meads itself, entered off Temple Gate (BS1 6QF), is run by APCOA and split into an open-air "Outside" area and a covered "Inside" section, each priced separately.
Outside (open-air):
- Up to 3 hours: £8.00
- Up to 24 hours: £15.80
- Weekend daily rate & bank holiday: £10.00
- Night rate (6pm to 6am): £7.50
Inside (covered):
- Up to 24 hours: £22.00
- Weekend daily rate & bank holiday: £13.50
Short stay (drop-off):
- Up to 20 minutes: free
- Up to 1 hour: £2.60
Motorcycles park free in the dedicated motorcycle area on both sides. You can pay by card or contactless at the machines, or use the APCOA Connect app, which lets you start and stop a session from your phone using location code 2108 (Outside) or 2107 (Inside). If you know your dates in advance, APCOA Prebook usually works out a little cheaper than turning up and paying on the day, and season tickets are available if you're a regular commuter.
Temple Gate long stay car park (council-run)
A short walk from the station, the council's Temple Gate multi-storey (BS1 6PL) is the better-value option if you're parking for a full working day and don't mind the walk. It has 263 spaces and, usefully, 4 electric vehicle charging bays on the ground floor.
| Duration | Price |
|---|---|
| 1 hour | £2.70 |
| 2 hours | £5.40 |
| 3 hours | £8.10 |
| 4 hours | £10.80 |
| Over 4 hours (daytime, 8am-6pm) | £19.60 |
| Evening (6pm-midnight) | £4.50 |
| Overnight (6pm-9am) | £6.00 |
You pay by Pay & Display (cash or RingGo). Height restrictions apply: 1.88m in the main multi-storey section, 2.266m on the ground-floor Pay & Display area. An annual season ticket costs £3,058 including VAT, which only makes sense if you're parking here most working days of the year.
App-based parking (JustPark)
If neither official car park suits your budget, JustPark lists driveways and private spaces near the station that owners rent out when they're not using them. JustPark's own listing for the area is headlined "from £7.10 per day", though the exact price depends on which host and space you book, and availability changes day to day. It's worth checking before you travel if you want the cheapest possible option and don't mind a short walk from a residential street rather than a staffed car park.
Which should you pick?
- Dropping someone off: use the Short Stay area at the station. It's free for 20 minutes.
- Parking a few hours: Temple Gate multi-storey is cheaper than the station car park for anything under about four hours.
- A full day: compare Temple Gate's £19.60 day rate against the APCOA Outside 24-hour rate of £15.80. The station car park can actually work out cheaper for a genuine 24-hour stay.
- Driving an EV: Temple Gate is your only option of the three with on-site charging.
- Booking ahead for the lowest price: check JustPark first, then APCOA Prebook.
If you're only in Bristol briefly and don't need a car at all once you arrive, it's worth reading our guide to getting from Temple Meads into the city centre before you commit to parking, since the walk, bus and ferry options are all quick and cheap. For parking once you're actually in the centre, see our breakdown of Bristol city centre car parks and rates, and if you're staying on a residential street near the station, check the rules in our residents' parking zones guide. If you'd rather skip parking altogether, our Bristol bus fares guide covers how to get into town by bus instead.