Parking and getting around
Parking in Chapel Hill.
Downtown decks and lots, UNC visitor parking, game-day rates, park-and-ride, EV charging and the free town bus.
Town of Chapel Hill
Downtown parking
Pay by the ParkMobile app or at pay stations or meters. Paid hours are Mon to Sat; the Town lists meters as free on Town holidays and on all Saturdays in July and December.
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On-street meters$2.00 per hour, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday.
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James Wallace Parking DeckTown of Chapel Hill public parking. $1.50/hour (0-10 hours); 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon-Sat. 150 E Rosemary St
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140 West Parking DeckTown of Chapel Hill public parking. $1.50/hour (0-10 hours); 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon-Sat. 201 W Rosemary St
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125 East Rosemary Parking DeckTown of Chapel Hill public parking. 30 min free; $1/hr (1-2 hrs); $2/hr (3-9 hrs); 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon-Sat. 125 E Rosemary St
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Rosemary/Columbia Parking LotTown of Chapel Hill public parking. $2.00/hour (0-12 hours); 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon-Sat. 100 E Rosemary St
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Other Town lotsOther standard-rate Town lots and decks are $1.50 per hour for 0 to 10 hours, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon to Sat. Mobile pay adds a $0.45 vendor fee. The two Town pages give slightly different street numbers for the Rosemary St lot: follow the signs.
Rates and hours from the Town of Chapel Hill's parking site, parkonthehill.com, checked Oct 2, 2026. Parking Services: 919-968-2758.
University of North Carolina
UNC visitor parking
UNC says there is no parking validation at the Visitors Center. Use these visitor options and pay with ParkMobile.
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UNC Ram's Head Deck (visitor parking)$1.75/hr visitor rate (UNC Transportation & Parking). Ridge Rd, on campus
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UNC Morehead Planetarium lot (visitor parking)34 visitor spaces. $1.75/hr weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free Friday 5 p.m. to Monday 7:30 a.m. unless reserved for events. 250 E Franklin St
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UNC Raleigh Road Visitor Lot$1.75/hr visitor rate (UNC Transportation & Parking). 580 Raleigh Rd
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Other UNC ratesDogwood Deck, ACC Lot and Hospital Drive Lot: $1.50 per hour, $10 daily maximum, free under 15 minutes. Metered spaces: $1.75 per hour, $14 daily maximum. Visitor lots are free under 5 minutes.
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Evenings and weekendsMon to Thu after 5 p.m., designated unreserved lots are $1 per space through ParkMobile zone 4500. Many lots are free from Friday 5 p.m. to Monday 7:30 a.m. unless reserved for events.
From UNC Transportation & Parking and UNC Visitors pages, move.unc.edu, checked Oct 2, 2026.
Special events
Game-day and event rates
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Downtown$30 flat in select lots and decks and $3 per hour on-street during special events. The 415 and 425 W Franklin St lots stay hourly. Reserve through ParkMobile.
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CampusUNC advises transit instead. Game-day permit zones apply on South Rd and Stadium Dr.
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Tar Heel Express$10 round trip from the free Friday Center and Southern Village lots.
Chapel Hill Transit
The bus is free
Chapel Hill Transit is fare-free, covering Chapel Hill, Carrboro and UNC. Track buses in the Transit app.
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Routes visitors useNU, N, U and CCX to the UNC campus; C, D and J on Franklin Street and downtown; A, B and others to Carrboro; CW to Southern Village; S to Friday Center. On football game days routes A, N, NU and U run modified schedules with detours on South Rd and Stadium Dr.
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Park and rideEubanks Road (routes NS and CRX), Jones Ferry (CM, F, JFX) and Southern Village (NS): $2 daily, Mon to Fri 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Permits are not required during Tar Heel sporting events when using the designated express transportation.
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EZ RiderA specialized Chapel Hill Transit service for riders who need accessibility accommodations. See the Town bus page for contact details.
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From the airportGoTriangle's RDU Shuttle runs Mon to Sat, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., about every 30 minutes, to the Regional Transit Center; Routes 800 and 805 then run to Chapel Hill. Details in the questions below.
Electric vehicles
EV charging
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Town of Chapel Hill networkChargePoint stations at Eubanks Rd, 140 West and Town Hall are $0.20 per kWh plus processing fees. NovaCHARGE at 125 East Rosemary has 20 ports on levels P2 and P3, with variable fees through the app. Free: the Aquatics Center JuiceBox and both stations at 140 W Eaton. You have 30 minutes to move after charging, then a $1 per hour dwell fee. Parking fees are separate at Eubanks, 140 West and 125 E Rosemary.
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Other chargers on our map4 more charging locations from each operator's own page.
Flying or taking the train
Getting here from RDU and Amtrak
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RDU airportChapel Hill is within 20 miles of RDU. Taxis wait in the taxi zones at both terminals. Ride apps use the prearranged pickup zones outside baggage claim: Zone 1 at Terminal 1, Zone 8 at Terminal 2.
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By bus from RDUGoTriangle's RDU Shuttle links RDU and the Regional Transit Center Monday to Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. GoTriangle Routes 800 and 805 then link the Regional Transit Center and Chapel Hill every 30 minutes. Chapel Hill Transit buses are fare-free.
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AmtrakThere is no Amtrak station in Chapel Hill or Carrboro. The nearest stop is Durham, 601 W. Main St. UNC says to take GoTriangle Route 400 from UNC to Durham Station.
Without a car
Getting here and park-and-ride
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How do I get from RDU airport to Chapel Hill?RDU lists taxis, rideshare (pickup Zone 1 at Terminal 1, Zone 8 at Terminal 2), rental cars and hotel shuttles. By bus, GoTriangle's RDU Shuttle links the Regional Transit Center (RTC) and RDU Monday to Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., about every 30 minutes; after 6 p.m. and all day Sunday take Route 100 from the RTC. Routes 800 and 805 link Chapel Hill and the RTC about every 30 minutes; Route 800 weekday trips from the RTC to UNC Hospitals run from about 5:15 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. (schedule updated Aug. 28, 2026). Fares are on GoTriangle's page (full fare $2.50). UNC's P2P airport shuttle is a reserved fall-break service, not an everyday public bus.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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How much does GoTriangle cost compared with Chapel Hill Transit?GoTriangle's full fare is $2.50 with a $5 daily cap, $20 weekly and $80 monthly caps; the discount fare is $1.25 (GoTriangle fares page, May 29, 2026). Youth 13 to 18 and seniors 65 and over ride free per that page. Pay with exact cash or the Umo app or a GoPass card (GoTriangle FAQ, updated Sept. 27, 2026). Chapel Hill Transit's own buses are fare-free, so the two systems differ.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Is there an Amtrak station in Chapel Hill or Carrboro?No. The nearest stop is Durham (DNC), 601 W. Main St., served by the Piedmont and Carolinian; the station page was last modified June 24, 2026 and lists limited free parking. UNC says to take GoTriangle Route 400 from UNC to Durham Station (UNC, Oct. 1, 2026); we did not find an official ride time or a separate Route 400 fare. Burlington (BNC), 101 N. Main St., is also on both routes. Check current train times with Amtrak: the timetable printed on the Durham station page is marked effective May 27, 2025.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Can visitors use the Friday Center park-and-ride?On ordinary days the Town says UNC's lots, including Friday Center, are for university or hospital employees and students, and Town permits are not valid there. Chapel Hill Transit routes FCX (Friday Center) and S (Friday Center South) serve the lot, and conference guest permits are not valid in the park-and-ride lot. On football and basketball days the lot is free for the Tar Heel Express ($10 round trip). The Town's $2 daily park-and-ride rate applies to its own lots (Eubanks Road, Jones Ferry Road and Southern Village), not Friday Center.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
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Is downtown Carrboro parking free?Yes. The Town of Carrboro's downtown page says all Town public parking downtown is free with a 2-hour limit, and cars may not stay in public lots past 3:00 a.m. That includes the Drakeford Library Complex garage (203 S. Greensboro St., entrance on Roberson St.). The Weaver Street public lot (303 W. Weaver St.) is named as event parking. Carr Mill Mall's lot, including Harris Teeter and CVS, is not public and towing is possible. The split Sunset Drive and Rosemary Street lot is paid on the Chapel Hill side and free on the Carrboro side. A paid-parking proposal (about $1.50 an hour after the first 30 minutes in listed lots and on-street spaces) went to Council on Sept. 12, 2024 and was still only a proposal when The Local Reporter wrote about it on May 29, 2025; we found no record that it was adopted, so free 2-hour parking is the posted rule today.
SourceChecked Oct 2, 2026
Accessible parking
Accessible parking, tickets and lot rules
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DowntownValid ADA plates or placards park in Town downtown spaces with no time limit and no payment, except at the gated 125 East Rosemary Deck, which requires payment. Placards are issued by NCDMV, not the Town.
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Parking ticketsCitations must be paid within 21 calendar days. A $10 late fee is added after that and another $10 after 14 more days. Pay online, by mail or at the dropbox. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted, not Discover.
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Lot rulesPosted rules in all Town lots and decks: no grills or open flames, no alcohol, drugs, firearms or knives. Park at your own risk; the Town is not responsible for theft or damage.
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CarrboroDowntown Carrboro public lots are free with a 2-hour limit and no parking after 3 a.m.; Carr Mill Mall lots are private and towing is possible. A paid-parking idea was proposed but we found no sign it was adopted. Free Chapel Hill Transit routes also serve Carrboro.
Checked Oct 2, 2026. Accessible game-day parking and shuttles: see the game-day questions.