Coleraine sits on the River Bann in County Londonderry and draws shoppers and commuters from across the Causeway Coast, so the town centre car parks fill up fast on market days and Saturday mornings. Council pay-and-display car parks cluster around the centre, including Railway Road near the train and bus stations, the Lodge Road and Strand Road car parks for the retail parks, and the multi-storey and surface parking serving the Riverside (Diamond) area. The Diamond itself has limited short-stay on-street bays that are handy for a quick errand but turn over quickly, so most visitors head for a dedicated car park.
For longer stays, the larger car parks around Riverside Retail Park and Coleraine Retail Park off the Lodge Road offer plenty of free space for shoppers, and the train station car park on Railway Road suits commuters heading to Belfast or Derry. ParkEasy is a free, community-powered app, so drivers in Coleraine share live updates on which car parks have spaces, current tariffs and where free parking can be found, helping you skip the loop around the one-way system near Bridge Street and the town hall before you even arrive.
Find live parking in Coleraine →The retail park car parks off the Lodge Road, such as Riverside Retail Park and Coleraine Retail Park, offer free parking for customers, which makes them popular with shoppers happy to walk a few minutes into the centre. Some on-street bays on the edges of town are also free but time-limited, so always check the signage. Council pay-and-display car parks in the centre, like Railway Road and the Strand Road areas, normally charge during the day.
Most council pay-and-display car parks in Coleraine are free to use outside the charging hours, which typically run during the daytime Monday to Saturday, meaning parking is generally free on Sunday and in the evenings. Charging times do vary by car park, so always read the tariff board on arrival. The retail park car parks stay free whenever they are open, which is convenient for evening visits.
Avoid relying on the short-stay on-street bays around the Diamond and Bridge Street during Saturday market trading and the busy lunchtime period, as they turn over quickly and the surrounding one-way system gets congested. Watch for loading bays and restricted zones near the town centre shops, and double-check time limits on free on-street bays to avoid a penalty. The Railway Road and retail park car parks are usually a safer bet for a guaranteed space.