Quick answer: parking in central Padua costs €2 per hour ($2.16) in the blue zones, €1.30 to €2.20 per hour ($1.40 to $2.38) in the central APS Holding garages, and there are two excellent free Park-and-Ride lots at Guizza (south) and Pontevigodarzere (north) with shuttle tram service to the centre for €1.30. The historic core is a strict ZTL – drive in without a permit and you get a €107 ($116) fine by mail. This 2026 guide covers Padua's ZTL, the best APS Holding and Interparking garages, the free P+R system, the EasyPark and MyCicero apps, and the cheapest way to combine parking with a day at the Basilica di Sant'Antonio and Cappella degli Scrovegni.
The Comune di Padova runs one of the strictest ZTL systems in Italy. The historic centre – the area inside the Bastioni rampart, including Piazza dei Signori, Caffè Pedrocchi and the Palazzo della Ragione – is closed to non-resident vehicles 24/7. Cameras automatically read every plate at the perimeter. Outside the ZTL, blue-line parking is managed by APS Holding (a company owned by the Comune) and is the standard pay-and-display system found across Veneto.
| Zone | Where it applies | Tariff | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZTL Centro Storico | Inside the Bastioni rampart | Off-limits to non-residents | €107 fine if you enter without permit |
| Strisce blu (blue) | Most streets outside the ZTL | €2/hour ($2.16) · 08:00 to 20:00 | Free Sunday and holidays |
| Strisce blu Zona Stazione | Around train station | €2/hour · until 24:00 | Higher demand zone |
| Free P+R (Guizza, Pontevigodarzere) | City outskirts | Free 24/7 | Tram T1 to centre, €1.30 each way |
For visitors, the safe pattern is: drive to an APS Holding garage or a P+R lot, park, and walk or tram into the historic core. Most tourist sites (Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Cappella degli Scrovegni, Palazzo della Ragione) are within 8 minutes' walk of one of the main central garages.
Verified against APS Holding (parcheggipadova.it), Interparking, Best in Parking and Parkopedia listings in early May 2026. APS Holding's daily rates are particularly attractive for full-day visitors, with several lots capping the day at €10 to €15.
Right next to Prato della Valle – Italy's largest public square and one of the largest in Europe. APS Holding-operated, with both surface (pay-and-display) and underground parking. The closest legal parking to the Basilica di Sant'Antonio (8 minutes' walk).
Modern underground garage 5 minutes from Caffè Pedrocchi and the Palazzo Bo (University of Padua) – the historic core. Operated by Interparking, well-lit, EV charging available, 24/7 access. Excellent for evening dinner stays.
Underneath Padova Centrale train station, operated by FS Park and integrated with EasyPark for automatic plate-reading entry and exit. Direct AVE/Frecciarossa to Venice (25 min), Verona (45 min), Milan (1h 45min). The smart base for a multi-city Veneto trip.
Open-air 200-space lot operated by APS Holding, 5 minutes' walk from the Cappella degli Scrovegni and the city archaeological museum. Same hourly rate as strisce blu (€2/h) but covered open space, fast in-and-out.
Free outdoor lot at the southern terminus of the Padova tram (Capolinea Guizza). Tram T1 runs every 6 to 10 minutes to Piazza Eremitani (Scrovegni Chapel) and on to the railway station. Total tram + parking cost for a full day: €2.60 ($2.80) return tram tickets. This is the smart pick.
During the Sant'Antonio festival (13 June), Veneto Bike Tour and major Padova Calcio matches, central garages fill before noon. Book a guaranteed spot through our partner Parclick to skip the search.
Reserve Padua parkingPadua's free parking strategy is unusually well-designed. The Comune provides two large P+R lots at the tram T1 termini, plus several residential streets outside the ZTL where parking is unrestricted. Combine with the tram and you can spend a full day in the centre for €2.60 in transit.
Large free lot at the south terminus of tram T1. Tram runs every 6 to 10 minutes to Piazza Eremitani, Cappella degli Scrovegni, the railway station and further north. The most reliable Padua parking pattern: free here, €2.60 return tram, full day in the centre.
Mirror of Guizza on the north side of the city. Slightly smaller but also free. Useful if you're approaching from the A4 autostrada coming from Venice or Mestre.
The streets between the Bastioni rampart and the inner ring road – around Via Codalunga, Via Avanzo and Via Beato Pellegrino – have a mix of free unmarked and blue-paid parking. Walk 8 to 12 minutes to the centre, save €15. Watch for the green resident-only zones, which are not the same as strisce blu.
Padua accepts coins at all meters, contactless cards on the newer ones, and three mobile apps. EasyPark dominates locally but MyCicero is the official APS Holding partner and the only app that handles every blue zone reliably.
MyCicero is the official partner for all APS Holding lots and strisce blu zones. Enter your plate, choose the zone code (shown on the meter), pay. Free download on iOS and Android. Slight UI lag compared to EasyPark but covers every Padua zone without gaps.
EasyPark is the most installed app in northern Italy and covers all Padua blue zones in parallel. Same plate and card setup works in Venice, Verona, Milan, Bologna. Slight service-fee premium versus MyCicero (about €0.05 more per session).
Every APS Holding blue zone has at least one meter per block. The newer 2024-25 terminals accept contactless. Older units take only coins from €0.10 to €2. The FS Park under Padova Centrale uses fully automatic ANPR plate-reading – no ticket needed if you're registered with EasyPark.
| Situation | Standard cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Driving into ZTL without permit | €107 ($116) | Camera-enforced 24/7 |
| No ticket displayed (strisce blu) | €42 ($45) | Standard Codice della Strada |
| Ticket displayed but expired | €42 ($45) | No self-cancellation in Padua |
| Parked in disabled space or loading bay | €85 ($92) | Plus tow risk |
| Blocking emergency or fire access | €170 ($184) | Tow + storage |
| Parked on yellow / red kerb | €85 to €170 ($92 to $184) | Tow possible |
The biggest tourist draw. Park at Prato della Valle (€15 per day), 8 minutes' walk to the basilica. Surface lot or underground available. The square itself is closed to cars – never try to drive on it.
Use Piazzale Boschetti, the dedicated APS Holding lot 5 minutes' walk from the chapel entrance. Pre-book your timed chapel ticket (mandatory) and arrive 30 minutes before the slot. Free Guizza P+R + tram T1 to Eremitani works equally well.
Park Padova Centro (Interparking, Via Trieste) is closest. The university tour office is on Via VIII Febbraio – book the Bo guided tour 1-2 days ahead in summer.
FS Park under the station is the seamless choice. Park your car for €18 a day, take the regional train (€4.85, 30 minutes) or Frecciarossa (€9, 14 minutes) to Venezia Santa Lucia. Avoids all Mestre and Venice island parking entirely.
Free parking is generous outside the central area. Combine with tram T1 or bus into the centre. The Padova Sud direction is also the gateway to a day trip to the Euganean Hills wine region.
Two notable updates this year. First, the APS Holding tariff structure was frozen for 2026, with strisce blu confirmed at €2 per hour and the Prato della Valle daily cap kept at €15. Second, the EasyPark integration with the FS Park lot under Padova Centrale went fully automatic in March 2026 – no more tickets if you're registered. The tram T1 fare rose from €1.20 to €1.30 in January 2026; the day pass is €4.50 (€4.85 USD). The ZTL camera network was upgraded in late 2025 with new ANPR units, so accidental entries are now harder to dispute than they were a year ago.
