Park and ride car parks sit further from the terminal and are connected by a shuttle bus — usually free and running around the clock. You keep your keys and park the car yourself.
Examples at UK airports
- Heathrow Park & Ride (formerly Long Stay): free buses to the terminal doors, from about 15 minutes. Priority Park & Ride (formerly Business parking) has more frequent buses — from about 10 minutes.
- JetParks at Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands: free shuttle buses (every 15 minutes at Manchester and Stansted).
- Bristol Silver Zone: Bristol's cheapest car park, with a bus every 15 minutes to the Transport Interchange.
- Edinburgh Plane Parking: a free shuttle about every 18 minutes.
How much time to allow
Add the waiting time for the bus to the journey time. If the bus runs every 15 minutes and the ride takes 10, allow up to 25 minutes plus time to park and unload. Allow the same on the way home.
Not all long-stay car parks have buses: Edinburgh's Long Stay and Liverpool's Long stay are walking-distance only.
Free drop-off in long stay
Several airports let drivers use the long stay or park and ride car park for a short free stop, then passengers take the bus — for example Heathrow Park & Ride (up to 29 minutes), Gatwick Long Stay (up to two hours) and Luton Long Stay (up to two hours). See drop-off charges.