Getting Around Penn & the City

Penn’s campus is walkable and bike-friendly. Students also have access to great public transportation, including Penn Transit, the University's own dedicated transit system!
If you're going to be commuting regularly, take advantage of student discounts on SEPTA (Philly’s transit system) or NJ Transit. 
Prefer biking? Bring your own bike and use the many covered and uncovered bike racks across campus. Or try Indego Bike Share. With six stations right on campus, it’s an easy and affordable way to get around!

Penn Buses & Evening Safety Shuttle

Penn Transit—the University’s own easy-to-use transit system—is FREE to ride with your PennCard. It operates three services designed for safe, efficient travel on and around campus.
  1. Penn Bus runs in four loops from campus to nearby neighborhoods on set schedules throughout the week. 
  2. Evening Safety Shuttle is an on-demand rideshare that runs daily from evening through 3 AM, ensuring students travel safely at night. 
  3. Penn Accessible Transit (PAT) offers rides to students with ongoing or temporary mobility needs. To get started, submit an accessibility request with the Office of Disability Services.
Download the PennTransit Mobile app and log in with your PennKey to:
  • Find your best route with the “Plan My Trip” feature. 
  • Request an Evening Safety Shuttle.
  • Check maps and schedules.
  • Track vehicles in real time.

Student Parking

Student parking permits will be available at select parking locations for the 2026-27 academic year to both graduate students and undergraduate juniors and seniors*. 

Applications will open on a staggered basis in Campus Express at 12:01 AM on the following dates. 

  • Graduate students: July 28, 2026 
  • Undergraduate juniors and seniors: August 4, 2026 

Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee the issuance of a parking permit. Permits will be issued within one business day of application submission on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to space availability. 

*Eligible students have completed the first four semesters of undergraduate study (excluding summer terms)—regardless of course credits (CU) earned or official class standing—or are part-time students.

STUDENT PARKING PERMIT RATES

Permit Type What it offers Fall 2026 Spring 2027 Academic Year 2026-27 Annual Permit 2026-27 Winter Break
    Permit period: 8/25/26-12/17/26 Permit period: 1/20/27-5/25/27 Permit period: 8/25/26-5/25/27 Permit period: 8/21/26-8/31/27 Permit period: 12/18/26-1/19/27
Everyday Commuter Parking  Enter after 
6 AM/
leave by 
6 PM		 $1,507 $1,651 $2,248 $3,000 $825
Evening Commuter Parking Park from 
2 PM-
6 AM		 $713 $781 $1,699 $2,331 $594
24/7 Parking 24/7 access $1,788 $1,959 $2,747 $3,732 $990

 

Student Parking FAQ

Please note that student permits are subject to all standard Parking Services terms and conditions.

Graduate students as well as undergraduate juniors and seniors* may apply for a parking permit for the 2026–27 academic year. 

*Eligible students have completed the first four semesters of undergraduate study (excluding summer terms)—regardless of course credits (CU) earned or official class standing—or are part-time students.

No. Applications are PennKey-protected on Campus Express and must be submitted by the student. 

Applications are submitted through Campus Express and will open on a staggered basis at 12:01 AM on the following dates. 

  • Graduate students: July 28, 2026
  • Undergraduate juniors and seniors: August 4, 2026

Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to space availability. 

No. Applications are reviewed daily, with permits issued on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to space availability. Applicants will know if they will receive a permit within one business day of application submission. 

Student parking permits will be available at two garages and one surface lot. A PennCard is required to access all three locations.

  • Walnut 40 Garage (northwest corner of Walnut Street and South 40th Street)
  • Spruce 38 Garage (northwest corner of Spruce Street and South 38th Street)
  • Penn Park Lot (Lower Walnut Street and South 31st Street)

No, your permit will be active at only one location. You will rank your preferences when you apply. 

Not necessarily. Depending on space availability, you may be assigned a permit in a lower-ranked location.

Permit options cover a full year or specific academic periods and can be purchased for daytime or 24/7 use. Available permit periods include:

  • Annual year: 8/21/26-8/31/27
  • Academic year: 8/25/26-5/25/27
  • Fall semester: 8/25/26-12/17/26
  • Winter break: 12/18/26-1/19/27
  • Spring semester: 1/20/27-5/25/27

Scenario 1: I live on or off-campus and plan to use my car mostly on weekends for the full academic year.

  • Best option: 24/7 academic year permit, good from August 25, 2026–May 25, 2027. Overnight parking is allowed. 

Scenario 2: I live off-campus and plan to use my car mostly on weekends for the duration of my apartment lease, August to August.

  • Best option: 24/7 annual year permit, good from August 21, 2026–August 31, 2027. Overnight parking is allowed.

Scenario 3: I will be commuting to classes during the academic year from suburban Pennsylvania/New Jersey. 

  • Best option: Daytime academic year permit, good from August 25, 2026–May 25, 2027. Park from 6 AM to 11 PM daily. 

Scenario 4: I am studying abroad in the spring but will have my car with me during the fall semester at my off-campus residence.

  • Best option: 24/7 Fall permit, good from August 25, 2026–December 17, 2026. 

Scenario 5: I am studying abroad in the fall but will have my car with me during the spring semester at my off-campus residence.

  • Best option: 24/7 Spring permit, good from January 20, 2027–May 25, 2027.

Scenario 6: I am studying abroad in the spring but need parking at my off-campus residence over the holidays before I leave. 

  • Best option: 24/7Fall permit, good from August 25, 2026–December 17, 2026 + Winter permit, good from December 18, 2026–January 19, 2027. 

Scenario 7: I am studying abroad in the fall but will have my car with me during the spring semester at my off-campus residence. However, I’m moving in at the beginning of January.

  • Best option: 24/7 Winter permit, good from December 18, 2026–January 19, 2027 + 24/7 Spring permit, good from January 20, 2027–May 25, 2027.

All permit types have a start and end date. You may begin parking on your permit’s start date or once you receive your permit confirmation email, whichever is later. 

Parking permits are activated digitally on your PennCard. Once your permit activates on its start date, simply tap your PennCard to a lane kiosk to enter and exit your parking location. 

No. Permit dates cannot be adjusted.  Daily parking is offered at Walnut 40 Garage, Walnut 38 Garage, Chestnut 34 Garage, or Penn Park Lot.   

Please note that the availability of daily parking at these facilities can vary and is not guaranteed.

You may purchase the annual parking permit or choose to pay a daily rate to park outside your permit duration. Daily parking is offered at Walnut 40 Garage, Walnut 38 Garage, Chestnut 34 Garage, or Penn Park Lot.  

Please note that the availability of daily parking at these facilities can vary and is not guaranteed. 

Overnight parking is available with the 24/7 permit option. The daytime permit option allows for daily in/out parking from 6 AM until 11 PM. 

Pricing varies based on the type and duration of permit purchased. See the chart on this page for detailed pricing.

Once issued, parking permits are charged to your SFS account, which can be viewed and paid on the online Penn.Pay platform. 

Permits are billed to your student SFS account. Within Penn.Pay, you may pay your parking permit SFS balance via ACH or credit card.

Yes. You may hold both a student parking permit and a student SEPTA pass. 

No. Parking permits are issued only to the applicant and may not be used by or transferred to anyone else, per our terms and conditions. Fraudulent use of a parking permit may result in suspension of parking privileges with no refund.

Most passenger cars are permissible with a student parking permit, provided that they meet the applicable height clearance of 6'6" for the Walnut 38 Garage and 6'3" for the Spruce 38 Garage. The Penn Park Lot does not have a height restriction.

Motorcycles are not permissible with a student parking permit.

No, only one car at a time may be registered on your parking permit. 

Yes. If you change cars, update your vehicle information (model, make, color, license plate state and number) at any time via the Park@Penn portal, and use your PennKey to enter your account (automatically set up by Parking when you are issued a permit). 

If you study abroad or take a leave of absence, you must contact Parking at parking@upenn.edu to cancel your permit. Otherwise, you will remain responsible for the full permit cost.

Yes. You may cancel your permit at any time in one of two ways:

  1. Through the Park@Penn portal; use your PennKey to enter your account (set up automatically by Parking when you are issued a permit). 
  2. Email written notification to parking@upenn.edu. 

Prorated refunds are effective on the first business day that your cancellation request is received or on the day you stop parking, whichever is later. A $50 cancellation fee applies and is deducted from the refund amount. 

Applications will remain open until the number of spaces allotted to students is reached.

Please note: If you apply for a permit after its start date, the amount due is prorated effective the date your application is approved, not the date that you first begin parking. Parking can begin on the same day that the permit is issued via your PennCard.

Students who aren’t issued a permit will enter a queue to be contacted should a space become available. 

Yes, summer 2027 parking passes will be available to purchase in Campus Express toward the end of the spring semester.