Ipswich Park and Ride

Ipswich Park & Ride from First Bus

Situated at each end of the town, our Park & Ride service is your shortcut to effortless, breezy journeys into the heart of Ipswich. Whether you’re off to work, heading to college or uni, out to snag a bargain, having lunch with friends or cheering on the Tractor Boys, we've got your back. No stress, no fuss - just a fast, frequent, and fun ride straight to wherever you need to be!

Why Choose Ipswich Park & Ride?

Faff-free:

Wave goodbye to the hassle of hunting for a parking space! Park at either one of our easy-to-reach sites on the outskirts of town, and hop aboard one of our buses. It's a smooth ride into the heart of Ipswich - quick, convenient, and absolutely stress-free.

Save time & money:

Forget the traffic jams and sky-high town centre parking fees! Enjoy a FREE, secure parking spot, then pay for your travel with the driver, and glide down the bus lanes into Ipswich in almost no time at all. It's a win for your wallet, and your schedule.

Eco-friendly travel:

Feel good about the journey you're taking. Each bus can take around 40 cars off the road, so with every trip you're cutting down on congestion and reducing pollution. What could be better?

Ideal for all kinds of trips:

From daily commutes to spontaneous shopping sprees, to cheering on the blues at Portman Road, or wandering through Ipswich's numerous shopping streets, the Park & Ride is here to make every trip a breeze. Whatever your plans, we've got the perfect way to get you there!

How it works

Park your car:

Arrive at one of our easy-to-reach Park & Ride locations outside Ipswich, and park in one of the marked bays - parking is on us!

Hop on a bus:

Catch one of our frequent buses and let us handle the rest. We'll whisk you into town in a heartbeat so sit back, relax, and leave the traffic to us - it's all part of the ride!

Enjoy your time in Ipswich:

Get dropped off right where you need to be. Whether it's for shopping, exploring the town's attractions, or enjoying some leisure time. Once you're done, simply catch the bus back!

Park & Ride locations

London Road Park & Ride - IP8 3TQ

• Buses operate 6 days a week
• Parking is free, you pay for your travel on the bus.
• Getting into town usually takes around 15 minutes, depending on how traffic is feeling that day.
• 8 EV charging spaces, 6 family spaces, 6 disabled spaces
• Indoor Waiting Area
• Toilets
• Accessible Toilet
• Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

Martlesham Park & Ride - IP5 3QN

• Buses operate 6 days a week
• Parking is free, you pay for your travel on the bus.
• Getting into town usually takes between 25 and 35 minutes, depending on where you're alighting and how traffic is feeling that day.
• Height Restriction of 2.1m
• 14 EV charging spaces, 15 family spaces, 11 disabled spaces
• Indoor Waiting Area
• Toilets
• Accessible Toilet
• Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

Timetables & Maps

Our buses run frequently throughout the day, ensuring you can always catch one when you need it. Hit the link below to download your PDF timetable.

800 - London Road - Town Centre - Martlesham

Park & Ride buses also stop right next to One Sixth Form College and the University of Suffolk making us the ideal partner to your studies.

Heading to the football? Head over to our dedicated Ipswich Town Football Club webpage with all the information you need for your journey to run smoothly. Come on you blues!

Buses between Martlesham and Rendlesham are funded by HM Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to enhance local bus services for residents.

To find your map, click here to head over to our journey planner. You can expand the map by clicking show map towards the top right of your screen.

Day Tickets

Prices shown below in the all day and after 12 & Saturdays columns are only valid when boarding at the Park & Ride sites. If you catch the 800 bus anywhere else along the route, the Ipswich Zone fares apply.

You can pay with contactless on board the bus, or buy an mTicket on the First Bus App before you go. 

*With a High5 group ticket, *up to 5 people (maximum 2 adults) can save when they travel together. That works out at as little as £1.20 each after 12 and on Saturdays.

Going further? You can also use our Ipswich Zone ticket which allows unlimited travel on all of our other bus services in the Ipswich Zone, as well as Ipswich Park & Ride.

Longer term tickets

5-day, week, month and Unlimited tickets are all valid for unlimited travel on park & ride buses whenever you want.

Please note that you'll only be able to buy 5-day and week tickets from the driver at the prices above when you board the bus at either one of the park & ride car parks. Otherwise, normal Ipswich Zone prices will apply.

You can buy all of the tickets above in a variety of ways:

• on the bus:  5-day and week
• with an mTicket on the First Bus App:  5-day, week, month
• First Ipswich Travel Centre:  5-day, week & month
• Endeavour Card:  week & month tickets*
• online:  First Unlimited

*Please note that from 31st July, customers will no longer be able to apply for or top-up their existing Endeavour Card account. From 31st October, the scheme will end. We recommend customers purchase their tickets on the First Bus App

Download our FREE First Bus App to make your journey more convenient

Have everything you need to travel at your fingertips!

• Plan your journey
• Buy your tickets on the app
• Track the bus to your stop
• See live seat availability on your bus before it arrives at your stop!

Terms & Conditions

Patrons must comply with the Suffolk County Council parking order (Park & Ride Site)(Prohibition of driving with exemptions and off street parking places) Order 2004.

Suffolk County Council and First Eastern Counties Buses Ltd accept no responsibility for the safety of vehicles left at this site. Maximum stay is 24 hours. Any vehicle not complying with the below conditions may be removed.

• All vehicles must park within marked parking bays.
• Customers may not park without using the Park & Ride service
• Vehicles exceeding 3.5 tonnes are not permitted to park within the site.
• Vehicles parked in the disabled bay must have a valid disabled clock displayed on the dashboard.
• Camping, cooking or overnight parking is not permitted.
• Unauthorised trading including instruction of pupils undertaking driving lessons is not permitted.
• Travel is only permitted with the correct bus ticket.
• Vehicles are parked entirely at owners' own risk.