On this page (5 sections)
Is it free? And how to book
No, Blue Badge parking at Stansted is not free. It is charged at the standard rate for whichever car park you choose, with no disabled discount and no exemption. This catches people out, because on-street Blue Badge parking is often free, but at the airport the badge buys you a well-placed bay, not a free one. The shuttle buses from the car parks are free, but the parking is not.
Book through the airport's dedicated Blue Badge parking website, which is separate from the standard booking. As with any Stansted parking the price is dynamic, so book the car park you need in advance to keep the cost down. The parking hub compares the car parks on price and distance.
Where the Blue Badge bays are
Blue Badge bays sit in several car parks, so you can choose closeness or price as any driver would.
- Short Stay, orange and green zones. The bays closest to the terminal, a short step-free walk to check-in, with help points in each payment booth and along the walkway. Best for the shortest distance.
- Mid Stay, Zone Q. A short ride from the terminal on a free, fully accessible shuttle bus. A middle option on price and distance.
- Long Stay, Zone L. The budget choice for a longer trip, with a free accessible shuttle to the terminal.
- Express Set Down, at the front. Blue Badge spaces at the front of the drop-off zone, for a quick set-down rather than parking. The drop-off charge still applies, covered below.
For the layout of the Short Stay zones, see the Short Stay parking page, and for the shuttle car parks, Mid Stay and Long Stay.
Getting to the terminal
From the Short Stay orange and green zones it is a short, step-free walk to check-in, with help points along the way if you need assistance once parked.
From Mid Stay and Long Stay, the free shuttle buses are fully accessible, with dedicated wheelchair points on board. Blue Badge holders usually board before other passengers and are given seating priority. To call a bus, press the help button in the bus shelter and tell the controller you need a transfer bus to the terminal. If you need a wheelchair or assistance after parking, the help points in each car park connect you to the assistance team.
Dropping off with a Blue Badge
There are Blue Badge spaces at the front of the Express Set Down, but the charge is the same as for any driver: £10 for up to 15 minutes. A Blue Badge does not make the drop-off free or exempt. The one concession is time: if the passenger being dropped off or collected holds a valid Blue Badge and needs longer than 15 minutes, speak to a marshal in the Express Set Down and they can arrange an extension. The fee is still payable, and vehicles cannot be left unattended.
The full mechanics of the Express Set Down, including how and when to pay, are on the drop-off charges page, and collecting an arriving passenger is covered on the picking someone up page.
Requesting assistance
Help through the airport, from the car park or kerb all the way to your seat, is a separate service from parking, and it is free. Arrange it through your airline or travel agent at least 48 hours before you travel, and they pass the details to the airport assistance team. On the day, arrive about 2 hours before your flight and make yourself known at the assistance desk at the front of the terminal, or at one of the help points across the forecourt, the Express Set Down, the Short Stay car parks and the bus station.
The team meets reduced-mobility passengers and takes them through to the aircraft, with accessible minibuses and Ambulift vehicles at the gates where needed. The full process, including arriving passengers, is on the special assistance page.