Drivers, do you find yourself Googling “cheap parking at Orchard”? We’ve been there. Most Singaporeans, like us, get excited over free parking. It’s not that we can’t afford it, but owning a car isn’t exactly the cheapest thing in Singapore.
So we’d want to save as much as we can on parking fees, especially when we head to town.
The parking charges in Orchard, as we all know, can get crazy expensive, costing up to S$7 an hour (ahem, Hilton Hotel). But because we’re all about being frugal, here is a list of places with cheap and/or free parking in the Orchard Road/ Dhoby Ghaut area.
Cheapest parking in Orchard/Dhoby Ghaut
Image source: iStock
Cheapest parking in Orchard/Dhoby Ghaut: Weekdays before 5/6pm
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| The Cathay |
8am to 9.59am: S$1.40 per 30 minutes
10am to 5.59pm: S$1.40 per hour |
| Plaza Singapura |
12am to 5.59pm: S$1.60 for first hour, S$0.50 for every subsequent 15 minutes |
| Far East Plaza |
8am to 5pm: S$1.61 for first hour, S$1.07 for every subsequent 30 minutes or part thereof |
| The Heeren |
8am to 11pm: S$1.61 per 30 minutes |
| Lucky Plaza |
S$1.93 for the first hour, S$1.28 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Shaw House |
3am to 6.01pm: S$2 for first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| The Centrepoint |
7am to 5pm: S$2 for first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| *SCAPE |
7am to 4.59pm: S$2.05 per hour |
| Wisma Atria |
7am to 5pm: S$2.50 for the first hour, S$1.20 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Orchard Central |
12am to 5.59pm: S$3.10 for the first hour and a half, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
Cheapest parking in Orchard/Dhoby Ghaut: Weekdays after 5/6pm (S$4 or less per entry)
This is the best time to head to Orchard for some dinner and shopping, as most car parks kick in “per entry” fees after 5/6pm. Alternatively, if you’re there for only a short while, there are roadside street parking lots that are relatively affordable as well.
Shaw House and International Building parking both have a per entry cost of S$4 from 6pm onwards and both buildings are well within the Orchard area. The most worthwhile would be parking at ION Orchard, which costs S$3 per entry after 5pm up till 11.59pm.
If you’re planning to head to Dhoby Ghaut, the cheapest parking would be inside Plaza Singapura itself, as it only costs S$3 per entry after 6pm.
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| The Cathay |
6pm to 7.59am: S$3 per entry |
| Wisma Atria |
5pm to 7am: S$3.50 per entry |
| Forum the Shopping Mall |
5pm to 6am: S$3.20 per entry |
| Singapore Shopping Centre |
8.01pm to 8am: S$3 per entry |
| Far East Shopping Centre |
6pm to 12am: S$3.50 per entry
12am to 8am: S$5 per entry |
| Shaw House |
6pm to 3am: S$4 per entry |
| International Building |
6pm to 7am: S$4 per entry |
| Plaza Singapura |
6pm to 11.59pm (Mon to Thurs): S$3 per entry
6pm to 2.59pm (Fri and eve of PH): S$3 per entry |
| ION Orchard |
5pm to 11.59pm (Mon to Thurs): S$3 per entry
12am to 7.59am (Mon to Thurs): S$1.07 per hour
6pm to 11.59pm (Fri to Sun and PH): S$3.74 per entry
12am to 7.59am (Fri to Sun and PH): S$1.07 per hour |
| The Heeren |
8am to 11pm: S$1.61 per 30 minutes |
| The Centrepoint |
5pm to 7am: S$2 for the first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent hour |
| Liat Towers |
6pm to 10.59pm: S$1.10 per 30 minutes
11pm to 6.29am: S$0.90 per 30 minutes |
| Street parking at Penang Road |
5pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes |
| Street parking at Angullia Park |
5pm to 10.30pm: S$0.80 per 30 minutes
10.30pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes, capped at S$5.60 |
Cheapest parking in Orchard/Dhoby Ghaut: Saturdays before 5/6pm
As expected, you’ll have to shell out even more for weekend parking in town. If you’re looking to park there for around three hours on a Saturday, the cheapest and most convenient location to park will be at The Cathay at Dhoby Ghaut, at S$1.40 per hour.
If you are looking to park within the Orchard area, Shaw House has the cheapest parking available at S$2 for the first hour and S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes.
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| The Cathay |
8am to 5.59pm: S$1.40 per hour |
| Shaw House |
3am to 6.01pm: S$2.00 for first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Wisma Atria |
7am to 5pm: S$2.40 for the first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Forum the Shopping Mall |
6am to 5pm: S$2.60 for first hour, S$1.40 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Liat Towers |
6.30am to 5.59pm: S$1.50 per 30 minutes |
| Far East Shopping Centre |
8am to 6pm: S$3 for first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Plaza Singapura |
3am to 5.59pm: S$3 for first two hours, S$0.50 for every subsequent 15 minutes |
| Street parking at Penang Road |
7am to 5pm: S$1.20 per 30 minutes |
| Street parking at Angullia Park |
7am to 11am: S$1.30 per 30 minutes
11am to 5pm: S$1.50 per 30 minutes |
Cheapest parking in Orchard/Dhoby Ghaut: Saturdays after 5/6pm
Unlike weekdays, Saturday nights tend to see fewer places imposing “per entry” charges, since that’s when most people are out and about.
However, there are still a handful of places that do offer per entry parking rates, and the cheapest would be at, again, The Cathay and Plaza Singapura.
The only downside is that you may have to walk quite a distance to popular hangouts like Somerset and ION Orchard. But hey, that’s the price you have to pay if you want to save on parking.
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| Plaza Singapura |
6pm to 2.59am: S$3 per entry |
| The Cathay |
6pm to 7.59am: S$3 per entry |
| Forum the Shopping Mall |
5pm to 6am: S$3.20 per entry |
| Wisma Atria |
5pm to 7am: S$3.50 per entry |
| Shaw House |
6.01pm to 3am: S$4 per entry |
| Far East Shopping Centre |
6pm to 12am: S$3.50 per entry
12am to 8am: S$5 per entry |
| Liat Towers |
6pm to 10.59pm: S$1.10 per 30 minutes
11pm to 6.29am: S$0.90 per 30 minutes, capped at S$7.20 |
| Street parking at Penang Road |
5pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes
10.30pm to 7am: capped at S$5.60 |
| Street parking at Angullia Park |
5pm to 10.30pm: S$0.80 per 30 minutes
10.30pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes, capped at S$5.60 |
Cheapest parking in Orchard/Dhoby Ghaut: Sundays before 5/6pm
Like parking on Saturdays, Sundays are no different. Assuming that you are there for a short period, street parking at Penang Road and Angullia Park might be your best bet if you are heading to Somerset and ION Orchard respectively.
The most value-for-money place to park your car the whole day would be Forum the Shopping Mall as they charge only S$3.20 per entry from 6am to 6am the following day on Sundays and Public Holidays.
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| Forum the Shopping Mall |
6am to 6am: S$3.20 per entry |
| Shaw House |
3am to 6pm: S$2 for the first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| The Centrepoint |
7am to 5pm: S$2 for the first two hours, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| The Cathay |
8am to 5.59pm: S$1.40 per hour |
| Lucky Plaza |
7am to 9.59pm: S$1.93 for the first hour, S$1.28 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Liat Towers |
6.30am to 10.59pm: S$1.10 per 30 minutes |
| Singapore Shopping Centre |
8.01am to 8pm: S$2.50 for the first hour, S$1.25 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Plaza Singapura |
3am to 5.59pm: S$3 for the first two hours, S$0.50 for every subsequent 15 minutes |
| Street parking at Penang Road |
7am to 7pm: S$0.70 per 30 minutes
10.30pm to 7am: Charges capped at S$5.60 |
| Street parking at Angullia Park |
7am to 11am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes
11am to 10.30pm: S$0.80 per 30 minutes |
Cheapest parking in Orchard/Dhoby Ghaut: Sundays after 5/6pm (S$4 or less per entry)
Sundays after 5/6pm is probably the cheapest time to park in town. The best place to park while still being in the main Orchard area would be Shaw House at S$4 per entry after 6pm.
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| Plaza Singapura |
6pm to 11.59pm: S$3 per entry |
| The Cathay |
6pm to 7.59am: S$3 per entry |
| Singapore Shopping Centre |
8.01pm to 8am: S$3 per entry |
| Forum the Shopping Mall |
6am to 6am: S$3.20 per entry |
| Wisma Atria |
5pm to 7am: S$3.50 per entry |
| Shaw House |
6.01pm to 3am: S$4 per entry |
| Liat Towers |
11pm to 6.29am: S$0.90 per 30 minutes, capped at S$7.20 |
| Lucky Plaza |
10pm to 6.59am: S$3.38 per entry
7am to 6.59am (the next day on PH): S$4 per entry |
| The Centrepoint |
5pm to 7am: S$2 for the first hour, S$1.50 for every subsequent 30 minutes |
| Street parking at Penang Road |
7am to 7pm: S$0.70 per 30 minutes
10.30pm to 7am: Charges capped at S$5.60 |
| Street parking at Angullia Park |
10.30pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes Capped at $5.60 |
Free parking in Orchard — ongoing promotion at Takashimaya
Heading to Takashimaya? You’re in luck. From now till 31 July 2021, get two hours of free parking at Ngee Ann City (10am to 10pm daily) with no minimum spend.
Here’s the best part: The cheapest parking in Orchard Road is… free 24/7
If you’ve scrolled all the way here, congratulations. Here’s my secret to free parking all day, every day in Orchard Road: along the GCBs (Good Class Bungalow) at Jln Kelawar. It’s around a 10-minute walk from ION Orchard, but since it’s free, let’s not complain.
Should you choose to park there, do always be mindful of and considerate to the residents.
The next best part: The cheapest paid parking in Orchard Road is… at Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
It doesn’t matter what Google says — sometimes, you just have to scout around the area yourself. Online information about parking charges doesn’t necessarily reflect what it is in reality.
Take Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre, for example. Located just behind Centrepoint and Cuppage Terrace, parking here is great for people going to Orchard Central and 313 Somerset.
Online states that parking there is S$1.20 per hour every day (HDB price, still not too bad). Weekdays are capped at $13.90 per day, while weekends are capped at S$4.90 per day. Not bad when you consider some nearby areas, such as Paya Lebar, can go upwards of S$20+ on weekdays.
Don’t believe us? Take a look at this:
Free parking after 7pm on weekdays, and all day on Sundays and Public Holidays
- Single yellow line at Exeter Road (Opp. Singtel building)
In the case of a single continuous yellow line along the side of a road, you are allowed to park there from 7pm to 7am. On Sundays and Public Holidays, you will be able to park there for the whole day.
Conclusion
Cheapest parking in Orchard Road/Dhoby Ghaut on weekdays
Weekdays before 5/6pm, if there for around an hour: The Cathay, S$1.40 per 30 minutes (8am to 9.59am), S$1.40 per hour (10am to 5.59pm)
Weekdays before 5/6pm, many hours: The Cathay, S$1.40 per 30 minutes (8am to 9.59am), S$1.40 per hour (10am to 5.59pm)
Weekdays after 5/6pm, if there for around an hour:
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| Street parking at Penang Road |
5pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes |
| Street parking at Angullia Park |
5pm to 10.30pm: S$0.80 per 30 minutes
10.30pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes, capped at S$5.60 |
Weekdays after 5/6pm, many hours:
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| The Cathay |
6pm to 7.59am: S$3 per entry |
| Forum the Shopping Mall |
5pm to 6am: S$3.20 per entry |
| Singapore Shopping Centre |
8.01pm to 8am: S$3 per entry |
| Plaza Singapura |
6pm to 11.59pm (Mon to Thurs): S$3 per entry |
| ION Orchard |
5pm to 11.59pm (Mon to Thurs): S$3 per entry |
Cheapest parking in Orchard Road/Dhoby Ghaut on weekends and Public holidays
Saturdays before 5/6pm, if there for around an hour: The Cathay, S$1.40 per hour
Saturdays before 5/6pm, many hours: The Cathay, S$1.40 per hour
Saturdays after 5/6pm, if there for around an hour:
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| Street parking at Penang Road |
5pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes |
| Street parking at Angullia Park |
5pm to 10.30pm: S$0.80 per 30 minutes
10.30pm to 7am: S$0.70 per 30 minutes, capped at S$5.60
|
Saturdays after 5/6pm, many hours:
|
|---|
| Where to park in Orchard/ Dhoby Ghaut |
Parking rates |
| Plaza Singapura |
6pm to 2.59am: S$3 per entry |
| Forum the Shopping Mall |
5pm to 6am: S$3.20 per entry |
| Wisma Atria |
5pm to 7am: S$3.50 per entry |
Sundays after 5/6pm, if there for around an hour: Street parking at Penang Road, S$0.70 per 30 minutes.
Sundays after 5/6pm, many hours: Plaza Singapura, The Cathay and Singapore Shopping Centre have a per entry fee of S$3.
Parking mobile apps and websites to help you save time and money
Besides the aforementioned parking spots, there are a few other ways that you can find cheap parking locations in Singapore at the tip of your fingers (literally), and all you need to do is download a few mobile apps:
Carparkwhere.com
The developers had one main goal: provide a free service that helps drivers find the cheapest and nearest parking spots in Singapore.
From shopping malls to URA car parks to even HDB car parks, carparkwhere searches the rates of these car parks and also lot availability so you never have to worry if you will have to waste time in the car park waiting. They also take away the math by calculating your potential final fee when you key in the period of time that you are going to be parking there.
SGCarMart’s Carpark Rates
The app with over 700 car parks listed, SGCarMart’s Carpark Rates app allows you to search for parking spots based on GPS location or by building name.
In addition, you can also check lot availability in real-time (so that you don’t enter a car park that is already full), and the app is frequently updated with the latest car park rates.
OneService
Yes, it is that app you use to report municipal issues that happen within your neighbourhood. But that’s not all it does, the OneService app is also filled with handy information about public car parks.
From location to parking rates, availability and operating hours, this app makes finding cheap parking spots a breeze.
Parking.sg
Gone are the days where you pay for parking at public car parks with a physical coupon. In today’s digital world, all you need is the Parking.sg app.
This convenient app gives you information regarding car park rates, allows you to pay for parking by the minute, get notifications before your parking session expires, extend parking sessions, get refunds if your parking session ends earlier than expected, and more.
Image source: iStock
Other parking hacks to help you save more
1. Head out after 6pm and park at car parks that charge per entry
If you’re heading out for an entire day or spending a couple of hours at a particular location, the best way to save is to find a car park that changes per entry instead of per hour.
Typically, you can find per-entry parking options at office buildings or at smaller shopping malls after office hours or on weekends.
2. Check out the malls’ parking rebates
Malls such as ION Orchard have parking rebates that allow you to save on parking if you spend in their malls. This could be great for those who are looking to splurge as Singapore slowly reopens its economy.
With Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) in full swing, malls are also offering free parking. Here are some current free parking promotions:
1. Orchard Gateway
Free two hour parking with S$10 spend from 1 Aug to 31 Aug 2021.
2. Wisma Atria
Free parking from 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm daily. No minimum spend required.
3. Charge your parking to a credit card
Besides the convenience and flexibility, Parking.sg also allows you to make payments digitally. This means that you can tag your preferred air miles or cashback credit card to your account for payment to make your money work harder for you.
Charge your car park fees to the right credit card and earn cashback, air miles and points that go into offsetting your car park fees, car insurance or even petrol. Simply use our credit card comparison tool to find the best credit card deals within minutes, and apply for one through us to get rewarded with cash and prizes*.
SingSaver is a personal finance comparison platform which provides free, quick and easily accessible resources to help consumers understand personal finance products in Singapore; including credit cards, personal loans and travel insurance.
Your Stress-Free Parking Experience Starts Here
Let’s face it, circling around busy streets looking for parking can take the fun out of our city adventures. But guess what? With a little planning and some insider info — like the one above, we can turn that parking headache into a walk in the park.
Our guide is packed with all the tips and tricks you need to land those budget-friendly spots, and yes, even those hidden gems where parking is absolutely free! We’ve done the homework so you can focus on what really matters — enjoying your day out.
So next time you’re hitting the shops in Orchard, having a family day out in Dhoby Ghaut, or just running errands, you can breathe easy knowing you’ve got the parking situation under control.
Imagine the joy of easily sliding into a parking spot, right where and when you need it. No more frantic searching, no more exorbitant parking fees, and most importantly, no more unnecessary stress — just simple, stress-free parking.
We all deserve to enjoy our city adventures without fretting over parking. And with this guide, we’re making that dream a reality. So here’s to saying goodbye to parking troubles and hello to more fun and relaxing city experiences.
Travel safe, folks! Remember, life’s a journey, and with a bit of prep, every part of that journey can be a joy ride.
This article was first published in SingSaver and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
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