In some cities you have to pay to park, but there are a few tips for cheaper parking: we give you our favorite tips! After all: it’s never nice to have to pay if you don’t use the car!
Most car journeys have an important part: parking at your destination. Finding a parking space can sometimes prove to be an exploration in itself, especially in cities where there is paid parking. In Amsterdam, for example, prices rose last year and parking spaces in Amsterdam and Utrecht are becoming increasingly scarce… However, there are solutions that help you with cheaper parking: here are some!
Paid parking: try a different street
You may not know it, but most municipalities have a parking plan with specific prices depending on the streets or neighborhoods. Sometimes you can park a lot cheaper at the end of the street or just around the corner. There are also the famous ‘blue zones’, where parking can be free for a limited time. To find out everything about the prices for every street or neighborhood in a city, just consult a parking app such as ANWB Weg, Yellowbrick or ParkMobile. There you also have an overview with the costs of parking.
Paid parking: discounts at parking garages
Sometimes parking on the street is more expensive: to return to the example of Amsterdam, you now have to charge up to €7.50 per hour in the center to park on the street, which can add up. Besides the fact that it is safer, you can then park cheaper in a parking garage, for example from Q-Park, P1, APCOA or Interparking. They often offer discounted and even decreasing rates over time, as well as day or week packages and discounts for advance reservations. And sometimes you can even rent an e-bike or e-scooter.
There is also ParkBee, which uses less-used parking spaces where you can park cheaply with a parking app such as ParkMobile or Yellowbrick. You must reserve this in advance. You pay very attractive rates per day or per hour.
Park a little further away: P+R
You can also park cheaper, or even for free, if you can travel a bit by public transport. Then you can use a P+R location, often on the outskirts of the cities. You can then enter the city cheaply and quickly by bus, tram or train.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl