Travelling into Leicester City Centre?

Bus  |  Park & Ride  |  Coach  |  Train  |  Bicycle  |  Car  |  Shopmobility  |  Egocabs

Travel here by bus, by bike, or by train – and if you’re driving in to town, make the most of our extensive park and ride services. If you have to come in by car, please use all of the city's multi-storey car parks. 

Here’s everything you’ll need to plan your journey:

Christmas 2009 Car Parking Offers: FREE PARKING - Monday to Saturday after 6pm, from Monday 23rd November to Thursday 31st December 2009 courtesy of Leicester City Council, at the following car parks: Dover Street, Newarke Street, The Lanes and the Haymarket.

Thousands of on-street car parking spaces across the city are already free of charge after 6pm. Spaces may fill up quickly.

Lee Circle and Abbey Street car parks have ample spaces and you can park there all day for JUST £4.

St. Nicholas Circle: arrive between 7am and 9.30am Monday to Friday and park for ONLY £3 all day.

East Street: Sunday parking - Just £2 all day! With effect from mid November 2009.

Highcross: Park for £2 after 5pm weekdays.

You can also get updates from the traffic bulletins on BBC Radio Leicester - 104.9FM

Getting here by bus: All buses into the city, including the Park & Ride services, drop you within walking distance of the shops.

City centre bus stop details here.  Bus routes and maps are highlighted here**

Whilst you are out and about in the city, why not visit one of the following, and pick up a timetable

First Bus Travel Shop

(near the Haymarket Shopping Centre)

5 Charles Street, Leicester

Timetable Enquiries: 0871 200 22 33

www.firstgroup.com

Arriva Travel Shop

St Margarets Bus Station

Gravel Street, Leicester

Customer Comments: 0844 800 44 11

www.arrivabus.co.uk

For further information on bus services throughout Leicester and Leicestershire, including Park & Ride services, call the Travel Line on: 0871 200 22 33.

Further information can be found here; www.leicester.gov.uk/publictransport

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Getting here by Park & Ride: With the addition of the new Enderby Park & Ride service, spaces have now increased from 500 to 1500+

There will be increased Park & Ride services running from 16th November, offering frequent services into the city:

NEW Enderby Service 203: Leicester Lane, Enderby, LE19 2BS: conveniently sited for M1 Junction 21. This will take people to St. Nicholas Place, at the top of High Street - convenient for Highcross, The Lanes and other shops.

The service operates from 7am Monday to Saturday with the last buses leaving the City Centre at 7.08pm.

At St. Nicholas Place passengers can alight from the Enderby Service, or remain on the bus, which then goes round a short central loop where they can alight (and board) at Pocklington's Walk, Horsefair Street, Welford Place, Oxford Street and Infirmary Road for (Leicester Royal Infirmary and Tigers). The bus returns to St. Nicholas Place to pick up passengers before returning to Enderby.

Meynell’s Gorse Service 103: Braunstone Crossroads, LE3 3LF: daily services every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday from 7am, with the last buses leaving the City Centre at 7pm. From 22nd November until 20th December this service will also operate on Sundays - running every 15 minutes with the first bus from Meynell's Gorse at 9.30am and the last bus from the City Centre leaving at 5.15pm.

Fares are the same on both services: Day Ticket: it only costs £3 for a day ticket on the service (valid daily).

Off Peak Group Ticket: at off-peak times - after 9.30am Monday to Friday, and all weekend it only costs £3.50 for a car with up to 5 occupants.

The following Saturday services remain unchanged:

County Hall Service 101: Glenfield, LE3 8ZQ: Saturday service only: from 8.45am, with the last bus to County Hall leaving at 5.45pm.
 
Oadby Racecourse Service 102: Leicester, LE2 4AL: Saturday service only: from 8.45am, with the last bus leaving the City Centre for the Racecourse at 4.45pm. 

These services now offer over 1500 parking spaces and convenient buses to the City Centre.

Fares are the same on both services: Day ticket: it only costs £3 for a day ticket on the service (valid daily). Off peak group ticket: it only costs £3.50 for a car with up to 5 occupants.

Parking is free. Buy your ticket on the bus.

Travel Line: 0871 200 22 33

Further information including - maps, fares, pick up/drop off points and times:
www.quicksilverbus.co.uk
www.leics.gov.uk/park_and_ride

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Getting here by coach: St. Margaret’s Bus Station is a few minutes walk to the shops and Highcross Leicester. National Express offer national coach services to Leicester. London to Leicester takes just under 3 hours.

Ashby de la Zouch, Coalville, Kegworth, Market Harborough, Loughborough and East Midlands Airport are also served by National Express.

National Express: 08717 81 81 81 (call costs, including mobiles, may vary)

Further information: www.nationalexpress.com, St Margaret’s Bus Station *

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Getting here by train: Leicester Railway Station is ideally situated to start your day in Leicester City Centre. Based on the A6 London Road, you can walk straight out of the station and into the main shopping area of the city within 5 minutes.

For Rail enquiries contact:

• National Rail: 08457 48 49 50

• TrainTracker™: 0871 200 49 50

• TrainTracker™ Text - text “Leicester” to: 8 49 50

Visit Leicester by train, or for further information and a journey planner visit: *www.nationalrail.co.uk

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Getting about by bicycle: Cyclists are welcome into Leicester City Centre, which is less than a 30 minute cycle ride from anywhere in Leicester. There are signed National Cycle Network Routes to and from the city centre. Follow NCN 6 routes from North & South. Follow NCN 63 from East & West.

Cycle racks are provided on most city centre streets, within Highcross Leicester and the Cultural Quarter. High security cycle parking and changing facilities are available at the Town Hall for £1 per day. For more details tel: (0116) 255 9717 bike park

Get Cycling: Find out more about cycle training, bike maintenance, clubs and bike shops at: www.leicester.gov.uk/cycle-city

For a free guide to cycling and using your bike see; *www.sustrans.org.uk

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Getting around by Egocab: Take in the sights as you’re taken around the city centre in one of five clean and green pedal powered cabs - the unique, ultra-modern style rickshaws enlivening the city centre - for FREE!

For more information visit: www.egocabs.com 

Getting here by car: If you have to come in by car, please use all of the city's car parks.

The M1, Junction 21, or 22, provide good access to Leicester city centre. The M69 and M6 also offer easy access from Birmingham, Wales and the Southwest. Getting into the city couldn’t be easier, with over 9,500 parking spaces available in the city centre, and 1,500 additional car parking spaces available at the Park & Rides.

Follow the simple car park zone signs to find a space at one of the city’s many car parks. All of the multi-storey car parks in the city centre are extremely well sign-posted and have up to date real time availability clearly shown, so if your first choice is full, carry on to the next car park with spaces.

You can also get updates from the traffic bulletins on BBC Radio Leicester - 104.9FM

City Centre Car Parking Zones - if you are travelling into Leicester city centre from the...

• North of Leicestershire (A6, A607) - follow 'North Zone' car parking signs for Abbey Street* (LE1 3UA), Haymarket (LE1 3XJ) and Lee Circle* (LE1 3RE) car parks. (*park all day for JUST £4!)

• East of Leicestershire or Rutland (A47) - follow 'East Zone' car parking signs for East Street (LE1 6NB), Rutland Centre (LE1 1TQ) and Lee Circle (LE1 3RE) car parks

• South of Leicestershire (A6, A5199, A426)  - follow 'South Zone' car parking signs for East Street (LE1 6NB), Newarke Street (LE1 5SP), Welford Road (LE2 7AD) and Rutland Centre (LE1 1TQ) Car Parks

• West of Leicestershire (A47) follow 'West Zone' car parking signs for Highcross John Lewis Car Park (LE1 4QJ), Highcross Rooftop (LE1 4FY) and St. Nicholas Circle (LE1 4LF) car parks.

Please note: car parking charges vary according to time, season and car park. 

If you arrive and find this car park full, please use the relevant information for each of the city centre car parks listed below to find your way to others:

For a route planner click here: http://www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_main.jsp

Please note: Car parking charges vary according to time, season and car park.

Getting here by motorcycle: FREE motorcycle parking is also available on Millstone Lane, Bowling Green Street and Abbey Street in the city centre.

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Shopmobility & disabled persons travel: Shopmobility is a FREE loan service providing scooters, powerchairs and wheelchairs, available to anyone who struggles to walk around the city centre. You will need to join to use the service - please call for details.

Highcross Shopmobility (Rooftop car park level 2):
Open Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 4pm
Saturdays: 9.30am - 3.30pm

Christmas period (mid November - December): late night Wednesdays until 7pm and also Sundays: 11am - 3pm (pre-bookable services only)
Tel: (0116) 253 2596

Haymarket Shopmobility (Charles Street, in the Haymarket Bus Station):
Open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4pm
Saturdays from 9.30am to 3.30pm
Tel: (0116) 253 7125

Dial-a-Ride: greater Leicester area door to door service into the city and back:

(0116) 221 1457

Disabled Persons Travel Helpline: 08717 81 81 79

A textphone is provided for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing on: 0121 45 50 086

Further information on Shopmobility

Further information on disabled access in the city centre

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Other useful traffic & travel information:

Leicester City Council Customer Services:
Tel: (0116) 252 7000 (Mon - Sat, 8am - 8pm)

Traveline: 0871 200 22 33

Bus services, car parks, jam cams, traffic & roadworks information: www.leicester.gov.uk/traffic  

Detailed information about roadworks in and around Leicester: www.leicester.elgin.gov.uk
 
Traffic news from AA Roadwatch:
www.theaa.com/traffic-news

Highways Agency:
www.highways.gov.uk

BBC Leicester website: up-to-date travel information:
www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/travel

Staying overnight - for great city hotel offers,
visit: www.goleicestershire.com

Find out what's on in Leicester: www.oneleicester.com