Things to Do in Soho & Covent Garden, London: Where to Park
Your guide to the best of Soho and Covent Garden, and exactly where to park for both.
Soho and Covent Garden Parking: Where to Park for the West End's Best Attractions
Circling the West End for a space is no way to start a night at the theatre. Soho and Covent Garden pack theatres, markets, restaurants and some of London's most photographed streets into barely a square mile, and parking is tight on every one of them.
Pre-book a Soho space before you set off and you can head straight for the good stuff.
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Book Soho and Covent Garden Parking
Book your parking in Soho before you leave home – a confirmed space means no circling Old Compton Street at curtain-up.
Reserve a space in Covent Garden from around £2.20 an hour – compare car parks and private driveways side by side.
Choose your price point – options range from short stays to full days, so you only pay for the time you need.
Extend your stay from the app – if the show overruns or the lunch turns into dinner, add time without rushing back to your car.
Beat on-the-day prices – pre-booking in advance is typically cheaper than turning up and hoping.
Things to Do in Covent Garden
Covent Garden is the more polished of the two, built around a pedestrianised piazza and a historic covered market. Parking here is easiest to find if you book ahead, particularly on weekends and around evening performances.
Covent Garden Piazza and Apple Market – the market buildings trace back to Inigo Jones's 17th-century design. Today they hold craft stalls, gift shops and cafés, with street performers drawing crowds outside. Park near Covent Garden Apple Market and you're a short stroll from the action.
Royal Opera House – one of the world's best-known opera and ballet venues, on the edge of the piazza. Evening performances mean heavy demand for spaces from late afternoon.
London Transport Museum – a family favourite on the piazza's south-east corner, with adult tickets from around £27 and free entry for under-18s. Check the museum's website before you go, as a refurbishment has been announced.
Seven Dials – seven streets meeting at a central column, lined with independent shops, bars and restaurants.
Neal's Yard – a tucked-away, brightly painted courtyard of cafés and independent food spots just north of the piazza.
Things to Do in Soho
Soho is livelier, louder and open late. It's the home of London's theatre land crowds, jazz clubs and some of the best restaurants in the capital, so evenings are when parking demand peaks.
Carnaby Street – the birthplace of Swinging London, still packed with independent fashion, flagship stores and the surrounding Kingly Court and Newburgh Quarter.
Chinatown – lantern-draped streets packed with restaurants, bakeries and dessert spots. Find parking near Chinatown in advance and you can walk to dinner in minutes.
Soho Square – a rare patch of green in the middle of the West End, ideal for a lunch break between sights.
Berwick Street Market – a long-running street market with fresh produce and street food, plus the record shops and independent stores nearby.
Soho's theatres and live music – from the Soho Theatre to the West End's big musicals and jazz at Ronnie Scott's. Reserve a space near Soho Theatre before a show.
Soho and Covent Garden Car Parks: Where to Park
The two neighbourhoods sit side by side, and Leicester Square station is only around 260 metres from Covent Garden station, so one parking booking can easily cover both. Pick the end that suits your plans:
Parking in Soho – JustPark car parks and private driveways in Soho start from around £3 an hour. Booking close to Shaftesbury Avenue, Greek Street or Golden Square puts you right by the theatres and restaurants.
Parking in Covent Garden – options start from around £2.20 an hour. If you're heading for the Royal Opera House or the piazza, search by Covent Garden station to see spaces nearby.
Parking in Chinatown and Leicester Square – the Chinatown area page covers spaces between the two, from around £3 an hour.
All-day and monthly parking – day rates and monthly options are available across both areas, so a full day of shopping, sightseeing and a show doesn't need to be a rush.
Prices vary by date, time and demand, so check the live price when you search. Weekends and theatre evenings book up fastest, so reserve early.
Congestion Charge and ULEZ in Soho and Covent Garden
Both Soho and Covent Garden sit inside the Congestion Charge zone, so it pays to know what applies before you drive in:
Congestion Charge: £18 a day – applies 7am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 12pm to 6pm on weekends and bank holidays. There's no charge between Christmas Day and New Year's Day bank holiday, inclusive.
ULEZ: £12.50 a day – applies 24/7 to vehicles that don't meet emissions standards. Check your registration on the TfL website before you travel.
Electric vehicles – no longer exempt from the Congestion Charge from January 2026, though a discount applies. Check the current rate with TfL.
Neither charge is included in your parking booking, so factor both in when planning your trip. Browse all London parking to compare areas inside and outside the zone.
Soho and Covent Garden Parking FAQs
Is there free parking in Soho or Covent Garden?
Not realistically. Both areas are in central Westminster, where on-street bays are limited, restricted and time-limited. A pre-booked space is the most reliable and often the cheapest way to avoid a Penalty Charge Notice.
What's the cheapest way to park in Covent Garden?
Pre-booking. Covent Garden parking on JustPark starts from around £2.20 an hour, and booking ahead is typically cheaper than paying on-the-day rates. Compare options by price and walking distance when you search.
How much is parking in Soho?
Soho parking starts from around £3 an hour on JustPark, with higher rates in the busiest streets at peak times. Day and monthly rates are also available.
Can I park in Soho overnight?
Yes, many JustPark spaces allow you to book overnight stays. Check the access hours on each listing before you book, as some car parks have restrictions.
Are there Blue Badge or accessible spaces?
Yes. Use the accessibility filter in the JustPark app to find suitable spaces. Blue Badge holders should check the latest Congestion Charge exemption and registration rules with TfL before travelling.
Live Near Soho or Covent Garden? Earn From Your Parking Space
Even if you're not heading out for the day yourself, that private parking space could be earning for you. With theatre nights, tourists and shoppers driving constant demand in the West End, renting out your driveway or garage is a flexible way to earn extra income. Listing takes less than 10 minutes, you choose when your space is available, and the first £1,000 of property income each year is tax-free under the Property Allowance. You can also set higher prices for busy dates with Scheduled Pricing.
Ready to Park and Explore?
Whether it's a matinee in Covent Garden, dinner in Chinatown or a night out on Old Compton Street, a pre-booked space takes the stress out of getting there. Search for a spot, lock in your price and arrive relaxed, on time and ready to enjoy the West End.
