London Stansted Airport, England’s third busiest airport, may be smaller and less hectic than Heathrow or Gatwick, but its location means that many people choose to drive there rather than take easily accessible and affordable public transportation. With a relatively high number of people driving there, finding affordable and accessible parking can be just as difficult as at larger airports.
Unfortunately, the same airport parking regulations apply at Stansted. You can’t afford it if it’s convenient and close to your terminal. It’s just to the left of Timbuktu if you can afford it. Hopefully, this guide will assist in resolving that issue and making your next trip to Stansted Airport more affordable and convenient.
This guide will explain how parking works and how much it costs at Stansted Airport, as well as other types of parking that you may not have considered. All prices in this article were obtained from official websites and were correct at the time of writing (March 2023).
Important Note:
While UKFreeParking.com takes every step to ensure that the parking information provided is accurate at the time of writing, local ordinances, parking availability, parking prices, and parking regulations change with time.
UKFreeParking.com accepts no responsibility for any fines or tickets received as a result of using our website.
Please ensure that you park your vehicle safely and responsibly every time, making sure to adhere to local parking rules, signs, and regulations.
Stansted Airport Parking Map
Parking at Stansted Airport
The fact that Stansted Airport only has one passenger terminal, as opposed to two at Gatwick and four at Heathrow, makes parking easier right away. This means you’ll never have to worry about parking too far away from your terminal and having to walk across the airport. Stansted Airport, like other airports, uses a dynamic pricing structure, which means that parking prices vary throughout the year and season, depending on the availability of available spaces. If you do plan on parking at the airport, we strongly advise you to pre-book your parking as this will significantly reduce the cost compared to simply showing up and parking.
Stansted Airport short-stay parking
There are several short-term parking lots at Stansted Airport. The table below summarizes the most important information about these parking “zones,” as the airport site refers to them, as well as quoted prices for a 4-day stay from the official Stansted Airport website. All of the short-term parking lots are to the east of the terminal.
- Premium short-stay parking // Red zone // 1-4 minute walk to the terminal // £68
- Premium short-stay parking // Yellow zone // 1-4 minute walk to the terminal // £68
- Premium short-stay parking // Orange zone // 1-4 minute walk to the terminal // £66
- Multi-storey short-stay parking // Green zone // 5-8 minute walk to the terminal // £62
- Economy short-stay parking // Blue zone // 10-12 minute walk to the terminal // £60
The airport also provides a meet and greet service right at the terminal’s entrance. This is by far the most convenient option, but it will cost a few extra pounds. For £80 for an 8-day stay, a valet will meet you in the purple zone and park your car in a safe and secure Stansted car park. If you’re traveling with small children or a lot of heavy and cumbersome luggage, this is a good option.
If these prices or options do not appeal to you, you can always consider the mid-stay parking lot. While it is a little further away, it is also slightly less expensive, costing £68 for an 8-day stay. Every 10 minutes, a shuttle service runs between the car park and the terminal at the mid-stay park. The shuttle ride takes approximately 7 minutes.
The ‘JetPark‘ car park on the airport’s far west side is the absolute cheapest on-site parking option. Simply drive up (or make an advance reservation), park, and walk to the bus stop for a maximum 15-minute wait for the next shuttle to the terminal. The free terminal shuttle ride takes approximately 15-20 minutes. JetPark was closed at the time of writing this article, so pricing information was unavailable; however, it was scheduled to reopen on March 31, 2023.
Stansted Airport long-stay parking
In terms of long-term parking at London airports, Stansted Airport’s option is actually quite affordable. The long-stay park is located to the west of the airport grounds and costs £60 for an 8-day stay. A free shuttle service to the terminal runs every 15 minutes from the long-term parking lot. This trip will take about 15 minutes.
Other parking options away from the airport
If the prices at Stansted do not suit you for whatever reason, there are numerous other options to consider. Parking away from the airport and then taking public transportation is an increasingly popular way to avoid exorbitant airport parking fees. While this has the disadvantages of requiring a transit ticket, potentially parking your car in an unsafe location, and returning to your car, it has the potential to save a significant amount of money.
With the Stansted Railway station only a few minutes’ walk from the terminal, parking cheaper and then taking rail transport to the airport is a great option when flying into Stansted. You can take this money-saving idea a step further by avoiding car parks entirely and instead looking for free, unrestricted street parking near the railway station and walking a short distance.
Elsenham Railway Station
If you’re coming from the north, parking your car in Elsenham and taking the train to the airport could save you some money. While it will add some time to your journey (you must change trains in Mountfitchet), it will almost certainly save you money that you would otherwise have to spend on airport parking. The total cost of both train rides is £4.41 and takes approximately 30 minutes.
Free parking near Elsenham Railway Station
You might be wondering why we didn’t put Mountfitchet first on this list, given that it’s closer to the airport and requires only one train ride. The reason for this is that there are no good, free, and unrestricted street parking options within walking distance of the Mountfitchet station. Elsenham, on the other hand, has a plethora of free streetside parking options that are easily accessible from the railway stations.
UKFreeParking.com recommends only using streetside parking for short trips to the airport. Leaving your car unattended on the street overnight could have unfavorable consequences, so make sure you don’t leave any valuables visible from the outside. Always park with consideration for the locals.
- Spencer Close CM22 6EZ – 0.3 miles
- New Road (No overnight parking) CM22 6HA – 0.1 miles
- Elm Close CM22 6LE – 0.2 miles
- De Mandeville Road CM22 6LR – 0.3 miles
- Alsa Gardens CM22 6HB – 0.2 miles
Bishop’s Stortford Railway Station
Bishop’s Stortford is located just west of Stansted Airport. When looking for more available parking, this is another good option because the railway station is significantly less expensive than the airport. Parking for 4 hours costs as little as £4, and a week pass costs £36. The fare to the airport is £5.80, and the journey takes about 10 minutes.
Free parking near Bishop’s Stortford Railway Station
Here’s a list of residential streets near Bishop’s Stortford station that have unrestricted free parking. Consider the locals when parking on the side of the road, and consider parking at the railway station for overnight or extended trips. Please keep in mind that many of the streets near the railway station have no parking orders in effect at certain times of the day, primarily in the morning. Many of the options available here are single yellow-line streets, which means you can stop for a while.
- Crescent Road (No parking 8-10 am) CM23 5JS – 0.4 miles
- Grange Road (No parking 9-10 am) CM23 5NQ – 0.4 miles
- Gilbey Avenue (No parking 8-10 am) CM23 5NX – 0.6 miles
- Wrenbrook Road CM23 3PB – 0.7 miles
Great Dunmow
Another cost-effective option is to park your car in Great Dunmow and take the X30 bus from High Street, especially if you’re approaching the airport from the east. The bus ticket is £2, and the trip usually takes about 15 minutes. Every hour, buses depart from Great Dunmow. The White Street car park is the closest to here. The bus stop is only a 3-minute walk away, and parking for 4 hours costs only £2. A full day’s parking costs £3.50, making this an excellent option if you don’t want to leave your car parked on the street.
Free parking near Great Dunmow High Street Bus Stop
Within a short walk of the High Street bus stop in Great Dunmow, there are numerous unrestricted free streetside parking options. Make sure, once again, that you park in a way that does not impede traffic flow, and that you lock your vehicle. We also recommend using these options for short trips to the airport, such as dropping off or picking up someone and assisting them with their luggage. Consider looking for nearby secure car parks for longer stays.
- Mill Lane CM6 1BG – 0.1 mile
- Tenterfield CM6 1HH – 0.2 miles
- Venmore Drive CM6 1HN – 0.3 miles
- Warners CM6 1BH – 0.1 miles
Driveway rentals
People renting out their private driveways for a couple of hours is a recent trend in the parking world. You’ll still need to take a taxi to the airport because the infrastructure around airports, including Stansted, isn’t always pedestrian friendly. Having said that, even with the cost of a taxi, it may end up being less expensive than parking at the airport. Private driveways are available for rent on Justpark.com for as little as £2.50 per 4-hour stay. For some reason, private driveway rental prices near Stansted Airport are much higher than those near other London airports. Make sure to double-check your payment so you don’t pay more than you would have at the airport.
Airport Park & Ride
Looking into park-and-ride options is another cost-effective way to keep your car safe and secure while you’re at the airport. Several park-and-ride operators located within a few minutes of the airport allow you to simply show up, park (either yourself or with the assistance of their valets), and take a short bus ride to the airport. We recommend looking into free parking options for short stays at UKFreeParking.com, but if you plan on leaving your car parked overnight or for several days, there are other options that may be more beneficial. Park and Ride services near Stansted Airport include:
Peak Park & Ride
Peak Park & Ride is one of the closest available park & ride service providers, located less than 2 miles from Stansted Airport. At only £55 per week, their prices are extremely competitive. They provide an on-demand shuttle service to the airport for £1 per person. Individuals over the age of 60 and under the age of 16 are eligible for this service at no cost. Please keep in mind that the shuttle service is only available between 4 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. For more information, call Peak Park & Ride at +44 7539 872148.
Stansted Meet & Greet
Stansted Meet eliminates the need to worry about parking by allowing you to drive right up to the terminal and having a company representative meet you there. From there, you simply hand over your keys and leave the rest to them. Your car will be parked in a secure lot with 24-hour CCTV and security. Simply call them when you return, and they’ll have your keys back in your hands in about 15 minutes. A week of parking with their meet-and-greet service will set you back £65. For more information, call Stansted Meet & Greet Parking at 0203 370 4220 or send an email to info@stanstedmeetandgreetparking.co.uk.
That concludes our Stansted Airport parking guide. We hope it saves you some time, money, and stress the next time you have to travel to Stansted Airport.
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