Winter Break Parking & Transit Updates
Cue the snowflakes! We’re closing in on winter break, which will affect campus parking and transit options.
This year, winter academic break begins on Saturday, December 20, and runs through Sunday, January 11, 2026. Winter break holiday for UK employees is Wednesday, December 24, through Sunday, January 4.
UK Employee Parking Lots & Structures
In general, all employee lots remain on control for permits over the break, except for Wednesday, December 24, through Sunday, January 4.
Student Parking Lots & Structures
Students with residential, periphery, and remote permits will be able to leave their vehicles in place over winter break if they would like to do so.
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 & 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, December 20, through Friday, January 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. Learn more about this option here.
UK Transportation Services Office Hours
UK Transportation Services’ office will be closed during winter break, from Wednesday, December 24, through Sunday, January 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, January 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
Blue, White, & Green Routes
The weekday campus Blue, White, and Green bus routes will operate on a normal schedule through Friday, December 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, December 22-23
- Monday, January 5, through Friday, January 9
These buses will not be in service December 24 through January 2.
Yellow Route
The weekend Yellow Route will not be in service starting Saturday, December 20, through Sunday, January 4. Weekend service will begin again on Saturday, January 10.
Orange Route
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 December 24, 26, 29-31, and January 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, January 5.
On-Demand Night Bus
The On-Demand Night Bus will not be in service Wednesday, December 24, through Friday, January 2. Service will resume on the evening of Monday, January 5.
Additional items of note:
- Wildcat Wheels Bicycle Library will be closed over winter break.
- Motorist assistance services remain available over the break. Please see this page for details about the motorist assistance program, which provides free on-campus battery jumpstarts, among other things.
- Please continue to email UK Transportation Services with any non-emergency transportation-related questions. These emails will be answered as quickly as possible beginning on Monday, January 5.
If you have questions or need more information about winter break changes as it relates to parking and transportation, please email us or call our customer service center at 859-257-5757.