Carlton is an inner-northern suburb of Melbourne known for its fabulous food and entertainment options (and, of course, its football club). However, it’s probably most visited for its Little Italy precinct of Lygon Street.

You can get to Carlton easily by tram or train from the CBD. Look for tram number 1 or 8 heading north from Swanston Street, or bus numbers 200, 201, 203, 205, 207, and 253 from Melbourne Central. There’s also a range of public transport options from other suburbs around Melbourne too.

If you need to drive into Carlton though, there are parking options available. Keep reading to find out where to park your car – so you can get to the Gelato, pronto.

Lygon Street Car Park

For secure parking complete with CCTV and a manned parking office, try Lygon Street Car Park. Whether you’re going to dinner or a meeting, parking here will have you in prime position for the best Carlton has to offer. It’s also within walking distance of scenic Carlton Gardens.

Park here Monday to Friday for an Early Bird rate of $13 – if you enter before 9.30am and exit by 6.00pm.

Casual parking rates for Monday-Friday are:

• 0-1 hour: $5.00

• 1-2 hours: $10.00

• 2-3 hours: $15.00

• 3+ hours: $18.00

Evening parking rates for weekdays are a flat rate of $10.00. Those apply if you enter after 5.00pm and exit by midnight on Monday-Thursday, or leave before 2.00am on Saturday and Sunday.

You can park here on a weekend for a flat rate of $10.00 (exit by 2.00am) or $64.00 per 24-hour period.

Clocktower Car Park

Operated by Carepark, Clocktower car park is located at 247-255 Drummond Street, Carlton. This one is open from 6.00am to midnight Monday to Thursday, and 6.00am to 2.00am on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Parking rates are as follows:

• 0-1 hour: $7.00

• 1-2 hours: $14.00

• 2-3 hours: $21.00

• 3+ hours: $28.00

Early bird parking (arrive by 10.00am and exit before 7.00pm): $13.00 flat rate.

Evening parking (after 5pm): $11.00 flat rate.

Saturday and Sunday: $12.00 flat rate.

Lygon Court Car Park (The cheapest parking in Carlton!)

Lygon Court Car Park can be accessed via 333 Drummond St Carlton and offers a very cheap hourly rate for casual parking.

The hourly rate to park here is just $3. If you spend $25 at Lygon Court shops you can receive your 1st hour of parking for free. If you spend $50, you’ll also receive your 2nd hour of parking for free.

The carpark operates from 6.30am to 1am every day and payment is cash only, so make sure you have some handy if you’re going to park here.

Elgin Street Car Park (fairly cheap Carlton parking)

Elgin Street car park, located at 215 Elgin Street, is operated by Greenco Parking. It’s nice and close to Lygon Street and offers affordable casual parking options.

Parking rates are:

• 0-1 hour: $3.00

• 1-2 hours: $5.00

• 2-3 hours: $8.00

• 3-4 hours: $10.00

• 4 – 4.5 hours: $12.00

• 4.5 – 5 hours: $13.00

• Maximum: $14.00

Night Rates (enter after 5:00pm, exit before closing time): $8.00 flat rate

Melbourne Museum

It’s not the cheapest place to park, but if you’re heading out for a day at Melbourne Museum you might find it convenient to park there.

Take advantage of the Early Bird parking, night and weekend rates for the best value for money. If you’re a member of the museum, you’re also entitled to discounted car parking, so make sure you take advantage of that.

Parking rates are:

• 0-1 hour: $13.00

• 1-2 hours: $23.00

• 2-3 hours: $28.00

• 3-4 hours: $33.00

• 4-5 hours: $38.00

• 5-6 hours: $43.00

Early bird Monday – Friday (enter before 9.30am, exit after 2.30pm): $17.00        

Night rate (enter after 4.00pm, exit before closing): $7.00 flat rate

Weekend/public holiday: $17.00 flat rate

Book and pay for your parking online to save time and guarantee you get a spot.

Street Parking

You might be able to find yourself a street park in Carlton but, chances are, you’ll need to pay for it. Time limits for street parking vary depending on the availability and demand for parking in the area. You should expect to pay $4 per hour for a 1-2 hr space, $2.50 per hour for a 3-4 hr space, and $1 per hour for an all-day space.

You can pay for street parking with cash, credit card or using the PayStay app on your phone. Time limits are regularly enforced throughout Melbourne and its suburbs so make sure you keep track of when you need to leave.

Street parking in the CBD and inner-city areas is now largely managed by in-ground sensors that detect and record each vehicle’s arrival and departure. This means you can use the parking availability map to see which parking bays are currently occupied and view the time restriction for each parking bay. The map is updated every three to five minutes. Use it to find out if there are street parking options available before you leave home and, as always, don’t forget to read the street signs before you park.

Share with Oscar, book Carlton parking online

If you don’t want to try your luck with street parking, Share with Oscar allows you to book cheap parking in the city in advance from just $15 a day or $4 per hour.

Share with Oscar offers rates that are over 30% cheaper than booking somewhere else. There’s hundreds of options available in most parts of the city. The best part? Once you’ve booked, you can rest assured you’ll have guaranteed parking in the city for the day.

Book on the web here or download the app.

University of Melbourne: Eastern Precinct Car Park

If you’re headed to the University of Melbourne, or somewhere close by, you can park at the Eastern Precinct Car Park located at 375 Cardigan Street, near the corner of Elgin Street. Parking is available every day from 6.00am to 10.00pm.

Parking rates are as follows:

4 hours: $8.50 flat rate

All day parking: $17.00 flat rate

Evening parking (after 5.00pm): $8.00 flat rate

Weekends: $5.00 flat rate

To pay, you’ll need to scan your debit or credit card on entry and use it to pay when you leave. You can’t pay cash at this location.

Carlton – a little Italy in the heart of Melbourne

No matter what your plans in Carlton involve, you’ll love the charm of Lygon Street and the energy of the people you’ll meet. Plan ahead to maximise your enjoyment, whether you drive or catch public transport.

If you find working out where to park in Carlton a pain, remember – it’s optional for the most part! With Melbourne’s excellent public transport service, you can avoid the cost and hassles of owning a car without inconveniencing yourself. Just use GoGet whenever you need to drive!

GoGet has hundreds of vehicles all over Melbourne, including hatchbacks, vans, SUVs, and even luxury cars! So instead of owning just one car, GoGet gives you access to multiple vehicles you can book by the hour or the day. Join the car share movement today!