York welcomes coaches and the large number of the city's four million annual visitors that they carry. However, like many historic cities, road space in the central area is at a premium. We have therefore implemented a strategy whereby coaches can set down and pick up passengers in safety without impeding the flow of other traffic or impinging on the local transport network, whilst offering a pleasant walking route to and from major attractions.

Maps of York showing locations of coach parking and rendezvous points can be downloaded from this page.

Access into the city centre

• Coaches and minibuses with more than sixteen passenger seats are NOT permitted within the City walls, except to negotiate the gyratory system of Station Avenue/Station Road.
• Coaches may only use Skeldergate Bridge to cross the river in the City Centre. Coaches are NOT permitted to use Lendal or Ouse Bridges.

City Centre Coach Parking

• Coaches must only park in the designated coach parks at St George's Field (27 spaces) or Union Terrace (35 spaces).
• Additional parking facilities may be available to coaches booking in advance at the National Railway Museum Coach Park (tel 01904 686263), or the Transdev York depot off Fulford Road (tel 01904 655585).

Drop-off and pick-up points

• Coaches may only set down and/or pick up passengers in the City centre at the coach parks or the special rendezvous points at Leeman Road (Railway Rendezvous), Fawcett St (Castle Rendezvous) and Foss Bank (Minster Rendezvous), all of which are clearly sign posted.
• Coaches picking up or setting down passengers at York Rail Station may do so only at Stop E, outside the Royal York Hotel. Coaches may only wait here for as long as necessary to pick up/set down and in any case no longer than five minutes. Coaches needing to wait must do so at the Leeman Road rendezvous point.  Under no circumstances may coaches stop on the bus stops immediately outside the station canopy.
• Operators running Rail Replacement services should contact the York Station Manager for access to the long stay car park. Coaches must not stop in front of the station for any reason.

York Racecourse

Coaches attending race meetings at York Racecourse should set down and pick up passengers within the Racecourse Coach Park which can be accessed via Bishopthorpe Road. Please visit the York Racecourse website for further details.

Children and visitors with special needs

Coach parties of young children or those with special needs, such as those with mobility problems, may apply to the Council for a permit allowing them to be set down or picked up within the restricted areas. Such application must be made at least seven days prior to the planned visit and, if granted, the permit must be carried on board the vehicle for the duration of the visit. This dispensation does not extend to parking and coaches must proceed to one of the coach parks once passengers have been deposited and return only at an agreed pick up time.

To apply for a permit, please contact our Network Management team on (01904) 551475.

Visitor information

For help and advice during your stay in York, the trained and friendly staff at VisitYork can provide information on attractions, what's on, places to eat and accommodation. Maps, postcards and guidebooks are also available. Please see the Visit York website for further information.

For advance help organising a trip and to help you get the best accommodation deals plus advice on itinerary planning, please see the York for Group Visits website.

St Nicholas Fayre

St Nicholas Fayre is one of the UK's most popular Christmas markets and one of the busiest weekends in the six week 'Yuletide York' programme of Christmas shopping and events. Due to the high level of demand special arrangements for this event are made in November. Please contact the City Centre & Markets Team on (01904) 552270 for details of coach parking arrangements.