Many people have asked me about car parks in Barcelona, so I'm here with your answers.
In this article, I will open all doors to information, whether you are looking for a free parking in the suburbs, central paid parking, long-term parking or even hotels with parking included.
Then I'll explain all the associated costs so you can keep that Cheap.
Let's find out where to park in Barcelona!
Get to Barcelona by car
First of all, let me tell you that parking in Barcelona is a bit complicated. If you can avoid it, do it.
Flights connect Barcelona to most major cities and if you really want to explore parts of the city that cannot be reached by the metro or more remote places like the Costa Brava, you will need them.
Especially if you are considering excursions out of town (for example to get to Sitges, La Garrotxa, Montserrat, etc) renting a car is a great option for sightseeing.
I always book with Rentalcars.com at the best price, but if you're curious, you can compare their rates with the rest of the means of transport that my Barcelona transport guide offers.
In any case, if you have decided to travel to Barcelona with a car, I am going to guide you step by step through the parking options in the city.
Where to park in Barcelona?
Parking areas
If you just want to park on the street, you first need to know what different line colors that define each parking space.
As in your city, seats can be free, paid or reserved for residents, depending on their location.
- Blue lines: It is a paid car park for everyone, but limited in time (from 1 to 4 hours depending on the district).
- Green lines:
- "Resident area". These are reserved for residents of Barcelona (indicated by license plates). They are charged between 8 am and 20 pm, Monday through Friday. If you are traveling with a friend who has a car registered in Barcelona this is an option.
- "Preferred area". These spaces are accessible to everyone, although non-residents pay a higher price than locals and cannot stay for more than one hour between 08:20 am and XNUMX:XNUMX pm from Monday to Friday. The cost will be paid at the parking meters. Make sure you read all the instructions and restrictions there to make sure there are no exceptions.
- White lines: it's free parking for everyone. There is no time limit, but if you want to leave your car for a long time, check it and move it from time to time.
- Yellow line: They are not parking spaces and these spaces are reserved for emergency vehicles.
All the central districts of Barcelona are paid (blue or green).
Hourly rates are not cheap, especially in central Barcelona. This is the reason why I suggest you park on the street only for short periods of time (unload your luggage or quickly visit one of the best attractions in Barcelona).
Tips for parking in Barcelona
My discouraging advice for people arriving in Barcelona by car is drop it off in one of the free parking lots On the outskirts of the city. Preferably near a metro station. You can leave it here without problems and save money, especially if you get a discounted transportation card like Hola BCN.
If you plan to do this, I suggest the area called Royal Palace.
This area is mainly for offices and there is not much local traffic. In addition, with access to the green line (L3) of the metro, you will be in the center in about 10 minutes.
You can also leave your vehicle in the vicinity of Sagrera (red line L1, blue line L5, orange line L9N). This up and coming residential area near the Sagrada Familia is another quiet place to leave a car.
Again, look at the location of your hotel or hostel to determine which is the closest.
This is common sense, but be sure not to leave any valuables in the car, even if these areas are safe. Barcelona has a petty crime problem and there is no point risking spoiling your vacation.
Long-Term Parking
If you don't want to leave your car on the street, there are convenient long-term parking options.
However, many options are Really expensive. So if you plan to cut costs, the battle could be tough. Prices are typically between € 2,00 to € 4,00 per hour, depending on whether the place is covered and the neighborhood in which it is located.
The cheapest long-stay car parks are those of Parque del Foro te de Zona Franca, but they are quite separate. For the best prices and the most flexibility, I recommend booking online.
Parclick - cheap parking in Barcelona
To find cheap parking in Barcelona, I suggest Parclick.
Ce parking reservation system online in Barcelona is very easy. Once you have found your accommodation, simply enter the address, the type of vehicle and the duration of the trip. Below you will get a list of the best parking spaces nearby.
At prices Cheap.
Everything is done online and compatible with a code that is sent to you after purchase.
For more information, click the blue button below:
Barcelona hotels with parking
There are a lot of hotels with parking in Barcelona.
I suggest using Booking.com's advanced search feature - there you can select your dates and use the filter to list hotels with parking. Be careful because sometimes parking is not included in the price.
In the meantime, I have compiled a list of good hotels with parking in Barcelona below:
Bird house
Neighborhood: Eixample | Calle del Comte Urgell 51 bis | Metro: Urgell | Note: 8.2
This very central hotel is clean, comfortable and modernwhether you are looking for private rooms, dorms or even your own apartment. It even has its own bar and games room.
The Magic Fountain and the eclectic Raval district are within walking distance.
Hotel Catalonia Atenas
Neighborhood: Sant Marti | Avenida Meridiana 151 | Metro: Clot | Note: 8.0
Although this 4-star hotel is located a bit away from the main tourist areas, it is still well connected to the city by metro. What you get here is a quality modern hotel with a spectacular rooftop pool, a gym and a spa with Turkish bath.
Here you will have private parking from just € 20,00 per day.
Hostal Balmes Centro
Neighborhood: Eixample | Calle Balmes 83 | Metro: Paseo de Gracia | Note: 7.6
You will find it in the heart of the Eixample, near places like Casa Batlló: the best starting point to visit the city. This Shop It has very helpful staff and flat screen tv.
The cost of on-site parking is € 25,00 per day.
Parking at the Barcelona cruise port
If you arrive by cruise ship by car, you can drop it off near the Barcelona cruise port. There are many car parks around the different terminals and it all depends on the length of your stay.
Right next to the World Trade Center and a few steps from the famous Rambla you will find a parking lot with 900 spaces reserved for cruise passengers. On Paseo de Colon Nearby you will find parking at BSM Moll de la Fusta, but the prices are high.
Again, I suggest anyone looking at the port options on Parclick's cheap parking site.
Fines and seizure in Barcelona
Parking in Barcelona is complicated since the agents do not skimp on fines and embargoes.
In the unfortunate case, if you return to your seat and cannot find your vehicle, but a triangular sticker on the ground, it means your car has been removed.
This is where you will get the address to pick it up, the documents you need, and a number to call for more information.
The minimum price to tow is 170,00€.
You can get a 15% discount if you have a clean criminal record and cooperate, but I don't know if this applies to foreigners. In any case, make sure you are not in this situation!
Also remember that fines increase day by day. Therefore, you will need to pick it up as soon as possible at the following central tow stations, which are open 24 hours a day, 24 days a week for payment:
- Carrer Badajoz 168 (metro: Gloriès)
- Joan Miro Park, Tarragona Street (metro: Spain)
- Paseo del Valle de Hebrón 138 (metro: Vall d'Hebron)
There are also two locations that do not accept payments 24/24 and you will likely have to pay at the above locations before you can pick up your vehicle. Check your ticket for the location. These are as follows:
- Asunción City Street (metro: Torres y Bages)
- Avenida del Ferrocarril 11-13 (in the industrial area of Can Estapé, accessible by train FGC Rubí or Sarbus nº 2, both in the direction of Pol. Ind Rubí Sud).
Parking in Barcelona for the disabled
If you have the European disabled parking card, you can park for free in Barcelona.
As in your own country, you can park your car anywhere reserved for disabled drivers, indicated as always by the wheelchair symbol, as well as by the blue and green lines.
For more information on how to visit Barcelona with a disability, see my Access Guide for people with reduced mobility.
Traffic restrictions in Barcelona
From 1er January 2020, with an ecological objective, Barcelona is creating a restricted traffic zone 95 km, is the ZBE Zone. A period ofthree-month adaptation It is scheduled for full application of the regulations, that is, until April 2020.
After this period, you risk between € 200 and € 1800 fine if your vehicle is not registered and, even more so, if it is considered polluting.
Vehicles will be controlled automatically with around one hundred license plate reading cameras in the area but also with occasional physical checks.
There are traffic restrictions for the most polluting vehicles Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 20 p.m..
Medical Attention: This restriction also applies to foreign vehicles.
Foreign drivers must Sign up to determine if your vehicle can circulate in the area or not. If allowed, a long-term leave will be issued (for a period of 2 years), if the vehicle is considered too polluting, a 24h authorization can be issued (renewable 10 times a year).
A long-term permit costs € 5 versus € 2 for daily permits, this corresponds to Administration fees because the registration of foreign vehicles is done manually by the authorities.
For your information, a request puts Day 15 to be accepted, rejected or declared incomplete, so please do so well in advance?
Click here to apply online.
Park in the comments below.
Still haven't found what you need in this article? So write me below to receive personalized advice on parking in Barcelona or anything else related to your holidays.
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