Where to park near Reading Terminal Market

One of the biggest and oldest public markets in the country, Reading Terminal Market attracts locals and tourists alike. But that popularity coupled with its location — right in the middle of the bustle of Market Street, the Convention Center, and so many hotels — can make it hard to find a parking spot.

Whether you’re coming to the market for a meal or to get groceries, here are your best (and cheapest) bets to park your car, and still have enough cash left to spend on all the market’s delicious food.

These are your cheapest bet for parking near the Market. To make parking more affordable, the market has a partnership with two parking lots less than two blocks away. Spend more than $10 in any of the market’s shops and the vendor will validate your parking ticket.

Hilton Garage: Located between 11th and Arch Streets, this self-parking lot at the Hilton Garden Inn is a three-minute walk from the market. The normal cost per hour is $14, but get your ticket validated and you’ll only pay $4 for two hours.

📍 11th and Arch Streets, 💰$4 for 2 hours, 🚶‍♀️ 2-3 minutes

Parkway Garage: This parking lot, between 12th and Filbert Streets, is right across the street from Reading Terminal Market’s 12th Street entrance. The self-parking lot has parking for all vehicles, including for people with disabilities, and EV chargers for electrical vehicles. Their normal rate is $16 per hour, but get your ticket validated inside the market and you’ll only pay $5 for two hours.

📍12th and Filbert Streets, 💰$5 for 2 hours, 🚶‍♀️ 2 minutes

Parking is not often free in Center City, but on Camac Street, from Race to Summer Streets, which is about a six-minute walk from Reading Terminal, you can find free street parking Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for up to two hours. Outside of those times and on Sundays, there is no two-hour time limit

📍North Camac Street from Race to Summer Streets., 💰 free,🚶‍♀️ 6 minutes

The green pay-by-plate parking kiosks are run by the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) and allow you to pay for your parking via the touch-screen kiosks (where you can pay by credit card) or via the MeterUp app.

Both the app and the kiosk track your payment by license plate, so there’s no need to put a receipt on the dashboard. Pay-by-plate prices differ by zone.

North 12th Street: There is very limited parking in the zone right in front of Reading Terminal Market, along North 12th Street between Arch and Market Streets. You can park Monday through Sunday, but how long you can stay depends on the time you are there. Expect to pay $6.40 for two hours. If you hit 12th and Arch Streets, the zone changes, but the price is the same.

📍North 12th Street from Arch to Market Streets, 💰$6.40 for 2 hours

12th and Race Streets: Along 12th and Race Streets, there are pay-by-plate parking spots where you can park Monday through Sunday. This specific location will cost you about $5.40 for two hours.

📍12th and Race Streets, 💰$5.40 for 2 hours, 🚶‍♀️ 4 minutes

These are more expensive options, sure, but if you can’t find a spot elsewhere, they are available. The PPA has 10 parking garages and over 40 off-street parking lots citywide; four are within a 10-minute walk of the market.