Sandbanks parking: car parks, roads and prices by season

Sandbanks car parks and roads compared

Every car park and pay-and-display road on the Sandbanks peninsula is run by BCP Council. Prices come from each road’s or car park’s BCP page, checked on 11 October 2026. Summer here means 15 March to 31 October, and winter 1 November to 14 March.

Shorter summer stays cost the same across the peninsula: £3.20 for 1 hour, £6.30 for 2, £9.60 for 3 and £13.70 for 4. The 14-hour ticket at the car parks and on Banks Road and Shore Road runs to 10pm. The six other roads stop charging at 6pm, so their longest ticket is 10 hours.

Can you park for free at Sandbanks?

Yes, in three cases:

• In winter, on six roads. Panorama Road, Seacombe Road, Brownsea Road, Grasmere Road, Salter Road and Chaddesley Glen are free all day from 1 November to 14 March. Together they hold 281 bays.
• Overnight in winter. From 1 November to 14 March, the Sandbanks and Shore Road car parks and the Banks Road and Shore Road bays are free from 10pm to 8am.
• With a Blue Badge. The 12-bay Shore Road disabled car park is free all year.

In summer, Seacombe Road is free from 6pm to 8am, the only peninsula road where BCP states a free overnight period. Every other pay-and-display spot on the peninsula charges in the daytime from 15 March to 31 October.

Where is the best place to park at Sandbanks?

It depends on the vehicle and the length of stay. The Sandbanks surface car park is the largest, with 532 spaces, and the only one on the peninsula that lists motorhomes and coaches among its accepted vehicles. It also has 8 electric vehicle charging points, 11 disabled bays and takes cash, card, phone and app payment.

Banks Road has the most on-street bays, 194, at the car park’s prices. For a short stop, Ferry Way allows one hour for £2.50, with no return within the hour. Shore Road’s on-street bays do not currently take cash, according to BCP.

Coaches pay £20.40 for up to 4 hours or £34.50 for longer at the Sandbanks car park, plus a £12.80 booking fee. Bookings are made by phone on 01202 123 911, at least 48 hours ahead, and are not taken in July or August, when coach spaces are first come, first served.

When does Sandbanks car park fill up?

BCP Council publishes no occupancy figures or typical full times for the Sandbanks car parks, so there is no sourced answer to give. Two things on BCP’s own page are worth knowing before a summer trip. It says the car park may have to shut at short notice. And it names Beach Road surface car park as the place to go when Sandbanks is full, but Beach Road is closed from 1 October to 31 March (BCP Council: Beach Road).

Beach Road (BH13 7BD) has 115 spaces when it opens on 1 April, at £21.40 for 16 hours between 6am and 10pm. It also takes motorhomes.

Nearby car parks at Canford Cliffs and Branksome

The beaches between Sandbanks and Bournemouth have their own council car parks. Branksome Chine (104 spaces), Branksome Dene (135) and Western Road (52) all charge the Sandbanks prices, including the £3.50 summer overnight fee and free winter nights (BCP Council: Branksome Chine).

Ravine Road car park (66 spaces, BH13 7HY) is far cheaper: £4.50 for 4 hours and £6.40 for 14 hours, with no seasonal change listed (BCP Council: Ravine Road). For Bournemouth’s own seafront, from Alum Chine eastward, see Bournemouth beach parking.

Getting to Sandbanks without parking

The morebus Purbeck Breezer 50 runs from Bournemouth to Swanage via West Cliff, Westbourne, Sandbanks, Shell Bay and Studland (morebus: Purbeck Breezer 50). Check its timetable for Sandbanks stops and times before relying on it, as the route crosses on the Sandbanks chain ferry.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sandbanks car park open 24 hours?

Yes. BCP lists the Sandbanks surface car park as open 24 hours, with daytime charges from 8am to 10pm and a separate £3.50 charge from 10pm to 8am in summer. In winter there is no charge from 10pm to 8am.

Can I stay overnight in a motorhome at Sandbanks?

The Sandbanks surface car park accepts motorhomes, and in summer an overnight stay from 10pm to 8am costs £3.50 on top of daytime parking. BCP’s page says nothing either way about sleeping in a vehicle overnight.

Is it cheaper to park in Bournemouth and travel in?

In summer, a 24-hour ticket at Bournemouth’s cheapest town-centre car parks is £6.40, compared with £25 for 14 hours at Sandbanks. They are set out on the Bournemouth town centre parking page.

Related guides

• Bournemouth beach parking
• Bournemouth town centre parking
• Bournemouth hotels with parking: including Sandbanks and Poole hotels
• Dog-friendly beaches in Bournemouth
• Holiday parks near Bournemouth and Poole