Parking in Downtown Richmond

On-Street Parking in Downtown Richmond

Pay-to-Park Lots and Decks in Downtown Richmond

Parking & Transportation in Downtown Richmond

GRTC Pulse (Bus Rapid Transit)

The GRTC Pulse stops at 14 activity centers along its route with 8 stops throughout downtown. Buses arrive every 15 minutes (or better) from 5:00am – 11:30pm, Monday – Friday and from 6:00am – 11:30pm, Saturday – Sunday. GRTC Pulse buses run seven days a week, 5:00am – 1:00am, Monday – Friday and 6:00am – 1:00am, Saturday – Sunday. The GRTC Pulse is the best option to navigate short trips throughout the city’s core and is made easy and free with zero fare until 2025. Did we mention there’s free Wifi on the bus?

For more information about riding the Pulse here!

Taking the Bus Throughout Downtown Richmond

Downtown's regular public bus service routes, like the 1, 2, 3 and 5, are as convenient and accessible. With 15-minute service running from surrounding neighborhoods, our GRTC bus system makes navigating to and from downtown Richmond stress-free and easy.

GRTC has your public transportation needs covered! With 40 bus routes, the GRTC mobile app provides real-time bus arrival info and a Trip Planner tool and is available on their website. Now through 2025, all passengers can ride the GRTC for FREE thanks to a grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

GRTC's new Downtown Transfer Station makes bus transfers easier! The station accommodates 12 bus bays in a saw-tooth design for more efficient arrivals and departures of up to 10 standard buses and two articulated buses at a time. Features include 24-hour lighting, USB charging ports in sheltered waiting areas, individual and kiosk-style screens with live bus tracking information, and island platforms for quicker and easier transfers between buses.

On-demand service is offered Monday-Sunday, 4:00-6:00am and 11:00pm-2:00am for riders impacted by early morning and late-night service shifts. Riders can request two rides per day from one GRTC bus stop to another.

Explore GRTC's downtown bus service map here!

Access to Downtown Richmond's Riverfront

Free Riverfront Parking

  • On-street parking on S. 2nd Street between Brown’s Island Way and E. Byrd Street (limited daytime parking)
  • On-street parking on S. 5th Street on the west side of the street from Tredegar to E. Byrd Street (limited daytime parking)
  • Belle Isle parking lot located at the corner of Tredegar Street and Brown’s Island Way (limited daytime parking)

Paid Riverfront Parking

  • American Civil War Museum parking lot located at 480 Tredegar Street (limited hours during special events)
  • 5th & Canal Street: public parking after 5:00pm on weekdays, and 24/7 on weekends (Rates: $6.50 for 8 hrs; pay through “ParkMobile” by app or QR code, see signage on-site)
  • 4th & Canal Street: public parking 24/7 (Weekday Rates: $4.50 for 1 hr; $9.00 for 2 hrs; $13.50 for 3 hrs; Evening Rate: $6.50 for 8 hrs; pay through “ParkMobile” by app or QR code, see signage on-site)
  • 1200 E. Byrd Street (Reynolds lot): public parking 24/7 (Rates: see signage and pay-to-park kiosk on-site)
  • Delta Hotels by Marriott parking deck, 555 E. Canal Street (Open 24/7; 1 Hour $7.00; 2 Hours $14.00; Evening $7.00)

Riverfront Bike Parking

  • Bike racks are located along Tredegar Street near 5th Street and at the vehicular bridge on the western end of Brown’s Island nearest historic Tredegar.
  • An RVA Bike Share station is located at 620 Tredegar Street.

Riverfront GRTC Bus Transportation

Getting to Richmond's riverfront is easy when you ride GRTC. Just take the route #87 bus across the Lee Bridge to the new stops at 2nd Street and Brown's Island Way near Tredegar or at 2nd and Spring Street. The route #87 bus runs every 60 minutes. On its way back across the river, the bus stops at 2nd and Spring Street and again at 2nd Street closer to the Virginia War Memorial. Just look for the purple GRTC signs, or track your bus via the free Transit App!

Canal Walk Construction

For the remainder of 2024, Canal Walk access to Brown’s Island from the east will be diverted to Tredegar Street via Haxall Point and 10th Street. Pedestrians will still be able to access the east side of the island using the the pedestrian Bridge located underneath the Manchester bridge off of Tredegar Street. Those with bikes or wheeled mobility devices will most easily access the island via the 5th St. pedestrian bridge. Brown’s Island will still be accessible from all other direction as normal, utilizing the the 5th and 7th Street pedestrian bridges, the vehicular bridge across from the Civil War Museum, and the “TPott” bridge from the south side of the river.

For a description of the project and a detailed map of the detours please visit the Dominion Energy website.

Biking in Downtown Richmond

Protected bike lanes are popping up all over downtown Richmond making biking an easier, safer and a better option to navigate RVA than by car. On Franklin Street the bike lane spans 15 blocks and is a separated lane of travel for two-way bike traffic traveling east and west through downtown Richmond between Belvidere and 9th Streets.

There are over 10 bikeways throughout downtown, explore them with the RVA Bikeways Map.

Parking & Transportation in Downtown Richmond

RVA Bike Share

You can freely leave and take a bike from any docking station during your rental time. You can also make intermediate stops outside of stations by using the secondary lock on the bike. At the end you must return the bike to a station.

  • Free until no later than April 2024
  • Unlimited 2 hour rides. 
  • 1 bike per membership

Have questions? Visit the RVA Bike Share website for more information or download the RVA Bike Share app.

Parking & Transportation in Downtown Richmond

E-Scooters

Bird, Lime and Spin e-scooters are available all across the city! These dockless, electric scooters can be accessed and found when you download the Bird, Lime and Spin apps. Bird scooters cost $1 to start and $0.42/minute, with a $3 minimum. Lime scooters cost $3 for the first 6 minutes, then $0.35/minute. Spin scooters cost $1 to start and $0.39/minute.

Parking & Transportation in Downtown Richmond

Amtrak Station in Downtown Richmond

Ride the train into the heart of downtown at Main Street Station, the newly renovated transportation hub located at 1500 E. Main Street. Main Street Station provides Amtrak service on the Northeast Regional Train. North to south service goes from Richmond to DC, New York, Hartford, Providence/Springfield and Boston and east to west to Norfolk/Newport News and Virginia Beach. Or, of course, you can head to DC and transfer to just about anywhere Amtrak serves. And, Amtrak now offers bike service on trains traveling to Williamsburg.

Find more information about schedules and Main Street Station here!

Richmond International Airport

Richmond International Airport attracts nearly four million passengers traveling across the country each year! The airlines that fly in and out of RIC are Allegiant, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and United making booking your flight to RVA convenient and affordable.

Find more information about RIC here!