Though Berlin has a very well connected public transport system, including buses and an extensive metro, you may still want to hire a car if you’d like to explore the countryside more freely. Alternatively, you may also be travelling to Berlin by car. Either way, you’re going to need to park your car somewhere. Today, we’ll take a look at how much that’s going to cost you in Berlin.
Car parks fees
Where to look for free car parks?
Firstly, you can find free parking spots in Berlin, though the vast majority of these are on the outskirts of the city. If you simply want to drop off the car somewhere and not have to worry about it afterwards, that’s a great option, as there’s no limit to how long you can keep the car there. These also tend to have some tourist attractions around them, so you can even find things to do around those free parking areas. The idea behind these “Park and Ride” zones is that you can leave your car behind, switch to public transport for the time of your exploration or errands around the city and you don’t have to add another vehicle into the city bloodstream – this, then, reduces overall emissions.
Apart from that, most other parts of Berlin have charged parking zones – these typically range from €0.25 – €0.75 per 15 minutes, meaning from €1 to €3 per hour. Some of these zones, however, are free on weekends and during holidays. To use them correctly, you have to draw a parking ticket from a vending machine in the zone. Otherwise, you can also book a parking spot by calling in for it, though this may carry a bit of an extra charge for the ‘holding’ of the spot.
There are also parking garages in Berlin, though they’re quite rare. You’ll typically find them near malls, train stations or really major tourist attractions, as these will typically be very busy places. These typically cost about €24 per 24 hours, so a decent rate compared to the €3 per hour in parking zones near the centre.
If you leave the vehicle in the wrong spot or you don’t get a ticket, your vehicle may get towed and the car owner can be charged for €100 – €200 or even more sometimes. If the vehicle does not get towed away but you didn’t get a ticket, you may need to pay about €100, so it’s no trifling business.
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