Winter Break parking and transit updates
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 12, 2025) — Cue the snowflakes. The University of Kentucky is closing in on Winter Break, which will affect campus parking and transit options.
This year, Winter Break for students begins Saturday, Dec. 20, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. Winter Break for UK employees is Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 4.
UK Employee parking lots and structures
In general, all employee lots remain on control for permits over the break, except for Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 4.
Student parking lots and structures
Students with residential, periphery and remote permits will be able to leave their vehicles in place over winter break if they choose.
All student residential (R) lots remain on control for valid UK permits over the break. However, any valid UK permit will suffice for many residential areas.
There are some exceptions which continue to require the specific permit type. These exceptions include:
- Seminary residential lots (R29 and R30)
- Wildcat Coal Lodge lot (R17)
- Hilltop Avenue Garage (R2)
- German House area (R18)
- Shawneetown signed (R19) spaces
- Greek Park (R11-R15) (R22)
Sports Center Garage (PS #7) will close over Winter Break to allow contractors to work freely throughout the structure to support the expansion project. From Saturday, Dec. 20, through Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, permit holders with R7, C7 and E7 permits are authorized to park in Hilltop Avenue Garage (PS#2).
Holiday Parking Passes
Students can take advantage of a covered parking option to protect their vehicles from winter weather over the break. UK Transportation Services is offering free holiday parking passes for students who have a valid UK permit and would like to park and store their vehicle on campus while they’re away on break. More information about this option is available online.
UK Transportation Services office hours
UK Transportation Services’ office will be closed during Winter Break, from Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. Many online services will remain available during this time, but emails to transportation-related listservs and telephone calls to the office will not be monitored. The customer service center will reopen at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.
UK HealthCare parking structures
With the exception of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, there are no changes to UK HealthCare policy which restricts employee parking in UK HealthCare patient/visitor parking garages and lots.
Attendants will not be on duty on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. To ensure adequate parking for patients and visitors, employees are encouraged to use the Kentucky Clinic Parking Garage (PS #3) on those days instead of the UK HealthCare Garage (PS #8).
Campus Bus Service
The weekday campus Blue, White and Green bus routes will operate on a normal schedule through Friday, Dec. 19.
They will operate on a modified “limited” schedule of 6:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the following dates:
- Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 22-23
- Monday, Jan. 5, through Friday, Jan. 9
These buses will not be in service Dec. 24 through Jan. 2.
The weekend Yellow Route will not be in service starting Saturday, Dec. 20, through Sunday, Jan. 4. Weekend service will begin again on Saturday, Jan. 10.
The Orange Route (UK HealthCare) will not run on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
Orange Route buses will run from 5:30 a.m. to midnight on Dec. 24, 26, 29-31 and Jan. 2, but will operate with a reduced fleet consisting of two to three buses in the morning and two to three in the afternoon and evening.
The Orange Route will return to its normal service schedule beginning on Monday, Jan. 5.
The On-Demand Night Bus will not be in service Wednesday, Dec. 24, through Friday, Jan. 2. Service will resume on the evening of Monday, Jan. 5.
Additional items of note
- Wildcat Wheels Bicycle Library will be closed over Winter Break.
- Motorist assistance services remain available over the break. Visit this page for details about the motorist assistance program, which provides free on-campus battery jumpstarts, among other things.
- Email UK Transportation Services with any nonemergency transportation-related questions. These emails will be answered as quickly as possible beginning Monday, Jan. 5.
If you have questions or need more information about winter break changes as it relates to parking and transportation, email transportation@uky.edu or call customer service center at 859-257-5757.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.