Parking at Exeter St David’s train station (safest spots)
One of the busiest stations in Devon, Exeter St David’s has routes to London, Bristol, Birmingham, Newcastle and Penzance.
If you live in or near Exeter, or if you’re staying in the city and taking any of the regional trains to destinations like Exmouth or Okehampton, you may be wondering about Exeter St David’s parking and where the best, but most secure, place to leave your car is.
There is a car park right outside the station, but this is a little expensive if you’re leaving it all day (£12.50 on weekdays), and there are other options.
In this article, I’ll detail where to find the cheapest parking near Exeter St David’s, where to park for free and the most secure parking in the area!
Exeter St David’s Car Park
The most obvious place to park for Exeter St David’s is the car park that’s right outside the station. This is very convenient, as it’s literally seconds from the station entrance!
It’s also quite secure, as there are always lots of people walking around the area and cameras are in place.
So your car will probably be very safe here.
The disadvantages are that you may not always get a space, particularly if you’re parking later on a weekday.
Plus, it’s quite expensive, at £12.50 for an entire day, and £8.80 on Saturdays and Sundays. If you want a weekly rate, it’s £62.50.
Exeter St David’s Overflow Car Park
Right next to Exeter St David’s Car Park, there’s an overflow car park that you can also park in.
This is also under a minute’s walk to the station entrance, but the rates here are much cheaper, coming in at £9.80 for a whole day Monday to Friday or £6.90 at the weekend.
It is slightly less secure, as it’s tucked out of the way a little more, but unless you’re returning to your car very late at night it’s probably fairly safe.
Exeter St David’s Station Wards Yard Car Park
Just past the overflow car park, you’ll find Exeter St David’s Station Wards Yard Car Park.
This option is cheaper again, with day tickets costing just £7.80 and weekly fares at £39.00. If you’re parking during the weekend, a 24 hour rate will set you back just £5.50.
This is a few minute’s walk to the station and it is again, slightly less secure (but the same as leaving your car in any other car park!). For me, the saving of £5 makes it very worth doing!
Just Park near Exeter St David’s
If you want a guaranteed parking space, you can use Just Park to find secure driveways and parking spaces for daily rental.
Think of it as an Airbnb for your car for the day!
I recently used a JustPark space which is a 10 minute walk from Exeter St David’s and it was easy to find (the owner of the driveway will send comprehensive directions) and felt very secure as it was tucked away far from the main road.
I drive a 10-year-old Clio so I’m not too worried about the car being secure, but I can imagine for people who drive more expensive vehicles, it pays to have peace of mind about where they’re leaving their car for a whole day!
However, I did notice that there is free parking on the road below this JustPark space – there are no yellow lines or restrictions.
Personally, I will probably just leave my car here next time! You can see a Google map of where the free parking is here.
I also wouldn’t advise parking here (in either the paid-for Just Park space or on the road) if you’re a woman walking back alone late at night.
When I walked back, there was a drunk man standing on a bridge who, upon seeing me, started mumbling and then followed me – luckily I outpaced him and lost him, but it’s a quiet area at night and it’s not worth the risk.
It’s frustrating that it’s something that we, as women, have to think about, but it’s important to mention in this article.
If you’re getting back late at night, it’s worth just paying for the Exeter St David’s car park to stay safe.
Other ways to get to Exeter St David’s
If you need to be at Exeter St David’s station for whatever reason, you could always think about alternative methods of transport so you don’t need to park – these can often work out cheaper and more convenient!
They include:
- Regional lines to Exmouth, Paignton, Barnstaple and Okehampton
- Buses, like the 56 route that links Exeter St David’s Station with Exmouth
- Apple Taxis is an Exeter taxi firm that I use quite frequently, and their office is at Exeter St David’s
- Uber is also operational around Exeter
If you’re visiting Devon’s capital and need to park at its busiest station, hopefully, this guide has given you some valuable information on where to!
It’s a bit confusing at first, but as long as you know that there are lots of options and give yourself plenty of time to find a space, you should find the right option for you and your car!
