Your Ultimate Guide to Navigating Northwestern University Parking

The Tale of Two Campuses: Evanston vs. Chicago

Evanston Campus: The Classic College Town Vibe

On-Campus Parking: The Permit Game

• Students: Generally, only seniors & graduate students living on campus are eligible for a full permit. Commuting students who live outside the walking zone can also apply. Freshmen, sophomores, & juniors living on campus are usually out of luck.
• Faculty & Staff: If you work at the university & live outside the walking zone, you're eligible to purchase a permit.

• Annual Permits: These are your golden ticket for parking on campus. For the 2024-2025 academic year, student permits have a certain rate, but the price decreases each month after the start of the academic year. These are typically billed to your student account.
• Ryan Field Permit: This is a more budget-friendly option. It allows you to park in the remote lots at Ryan Field & then take a free shuttle to the main campus. It's a great choice if you don't mind the extra travel time & want to save some cash.
• Daily Permits: If you only need to park occasionally, you can buy a daily permit for $9.00. These are available to students, faculty, staff, & visitors.
• Motorcycle & Scooter Permits: Got a two-wheeler? You'll need a specific permit for it, but the good news is that if you already have an annual car permit, you can often get the motorcycle one for free.

Street Parking in Evanston: A Whole Other Ballgame

• Metered Parking: You'll find plenty of metered spots around campus & in the downtown area. Rates are typically around $2 per hour, & enforcement usually runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Sundays & holidays are often free, except for the lakefront area. The ParkEvanston app is your best friend here – it lets you pay from your phone & even extend your time remotely.
• Residential Permit Zones: Many of the streets immediately surrounding campus are residential permit zones. This means you can only park there for a short period (usually 2 hours) unless you have a specific zone permit from the city. This is a way to keep the streets from being clogged with student cars all day.
• Free Parking (Yes, it exists!): Some students have found free parking on streets a bit further from campus, like on parts of Colfax, Hinman, or near Long Field. The trade-off is a longer walk to campus, & you have to be REALLY careful about street cleaning days. They will ticket & tow you without hesitation.

Visitor Parking: For Your Friends & Family

• Visitor Permits: The easiest option is to get a daily visitor permit from the Parking Office for $9.00. This lets them park in most campus lots.
• Parking Garages: Northwestern has two main public parking garages on the Evanston campus: the North Campus Parking Garage & the South Campus Parking Garage. These have pay stations, & a daily fee is assessed. If your visitors are there for an official Undergraduate Admissions tour, they can often get their parking validated at the Segal Visitors Center.

Chicago Campus: Big City, Big Parking Challenges

• Campus Garages: Northwestern has several parking garages for its Chicago campus, including the Huron Superior garage & the Erie Ontario garage. These are used by students, faculty, staff, & visitors to the medical facilities.
• Discounted Rates: The key to parking on the Chicago campus is validation. Patients & visitors to Northwestern Medicine facilities can get their parking tickets validated to receive a significant discount on the garage rates. For example, self-parking for up to 7 hours can be as low as $14 with validation.
• Finding a Spot: Because the campus is so integrated with the city, there are numerous other public parking garages nearby. Using an app to pre-book a spot can often save you money compared to the drive-up rates. There are several garages within a few minutes' walk of the campus.

Special Events: When the Normal Rules Go Out the Window

Game Day Parking: Go 'Cats!

• Ryan Field Lots: On home football game days, the lots at Ryan Field are reserved for season ticket holders with special permits. Your regular Ryan Field permit won't work.
• Campus Lots: Your best bet is to park in one of the main campus lots (if you have a permit or if it's a weekend) & then walk or take a shuttle to the stadium.
• Public Transit: Honestly, public transit is a fantastic option. The CTA Purple Line has stops near campus, & the Metra Union Pacific North Line stops at Central Street, which is a short walk to the stadium.
• Shuttles: The university runs free game day shuttles from campus to the stadium, which are a super convenient way to get to the game without worrying about parking.

Move-In & Move-Out: Organized Chaos

• Scheduled Unloading: For move-in, you'll typically be assigned a specific date & time slot to unload your vehicle near your dorm. You'll get a temporary unloading permit to print out.
• Long-Term Parking: Once you're done unloading, you'll need to move your car to a designated long-term parking lot, like the garages on campus or even the remote lot at Ryan Field. There are usually shuttles running from these lots back to the dorms.
• Be Patient: The key to move-in day is patience. There will be a lot of cars & a lot of people. Follow the directions of the staff & volunteers, & you'll get through it.

The Unofficial Guide: Pro-Tips & Insider Knowledge

• The Early Bird Gets the Spot: This is true for both on-campus lots & street parking. If you have an early class, you'll have a much easier time finding a good spot.
• Think About Storage: If you're a student who doesn't need your car every day, parking can be a real hassle & expense. Honestly, a lot of students find that it's just not worth it. Some people even rent out their car for short periods, but what about just storing it? Or what if you're a local resident with an empty garage or driveway? This is where a service like Prked comes in. It’s a pretty cool platform that connects people who need parking with homeowners who have extra space. You can find a secure, affordable spot in someone's driveway or garage for the semester, which can be WAY cheaper & less stressful than dealing with permits or street parking.
• Beyond Parking - Storage Solutions: The need for space doesn't just stop with cars. Dorm rooms & apartments are small, & sometimes you just have too much stuff. Whether it's furniture over the summer, boxes of winter clothes, or just general clutter, finding storage can be a pain. Here again, Prked offers a neat solution. It's not just for cars; it's a marketplace for storage space. You can find a spot in someone’s garage, attic, or basement to store your belongings. It's often much more convenient & affordable than a traditional storage unit.
• Know the Street Cleaning Schedule: If you're parking on the street in Evanston, you MUST know the street cleaning schedule. It's usually posted on signs, but it's a good idea to check the City of Evanston's website. A ticket for a street cleaning violation is a rite of passage for many students, but it's one you can easily avoid.
• Appeal Your Tickets: If you do get a ticket that you think is unfair, you can appeal it. Both the university & the City of Evanston have appeal processes. It's not a guarantee, but it's worth a shot.