Street parking in Utrecht city centre costs €8.01 an hour in 2026 (zone A1, Monday to Saturday 7:00 to 1:00), while the municipal car parks charge €2.85 to €7.12 an hour. The cheapest way in is P+R: €8 or €8.50 a day including a bus or tram return for up to five people. Diesel cars need emission class 5 or higher to enter the centre. This guide covers the street zones, municipal car parks, P+R, the low emission zone and Parclick garages.
Driving in? Coming by car from abroad? Work out the fuel cost of the journey with our fuel cost calculator, then park it cheaply with the tips below.
Do you need a car? Not for Utrecht itself: the old town is compact, cycling is the norm and Utrecht Centraal is the hub of the Dutch rail network. A car is useful for castles and villages in the countryside or for touring several regions. Compare car rental in Utrecht on DiscoverCars or, if you fly in, car rental at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Our Schiphol Airport parking guide covers the airport car parks.
Utrecht is one of the most expensive Dutch cities to park in. On the street the centre (zone A1) costs €8.01 an hour, the ring around it (A2) €6.94 and the outer paid areas €5.34. The municipal car parks are cheaper, from €2.85 an hour, and the four P+R sites on the edge of the city charge a fixed €8 or €8.50 for a day’s parking plus a bus or tram return for up to five people.
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| Where | Price in 2026 | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Street, zone A1 (centre) | €8.01 per hour | Day card €56.13, evening card €28.07 |
| Street, zone A2 | €6.94 per hour | Day card €48.64, evening card €16.66 |
| Street, zones B and C | €5.34 per hour | Day card €37.54 |
| Municipal car parks | €2.85 to €7.12 per hour | Daily maximum €28.53 to €71.23 |
| P+R with bus or tram | €8 or €8.50 per day | Includes a return for up to 5 people |
| P+R without public transport | €2.50 or €3 per hour | Daily maximum €15 to €30.03 |
Prices from the City of Utrecht’s 2026 tariff page and the P+R operator, checked on 21 October 2026.
What a full day in Utrecht costs
Official 2026 tariffs, 21 October 2026
| Zone | Per hour | Paid times | Day / evening card |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 (city centre) | €8.01 | Mon–Sat 7:00–1:00, Sun 12:00–18:00 | €56.13 / €28.07 (19:00–1:00) |
| A2 | €6.94 | Mon–Sat 9:00–23:00 | €48.64 / €16.66 (19:00–23:00) |
| B and C | €5.34 | Varies by area | €37.54 (9:00–21:00) / €16.00 |
Day and evening cards are only valid on the day you buy them and only in the parking area where you bought them. On Sundays zone A1 is only paid from 12:00 to 18:00. Source: City of Utrecht parking tariffs.
The city’s car parks cost far less than the street. None of them takes cash: pay by debit or credit card, or with a parking app where a zone number is given.
| Car park | Per hour | Max per day | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| De Grifthoek (Wittevrouwensingel 96) | €2.85 | €28.53 | Open 7:00–23:00, max height 2 m, by the Griftpark |
| Berlijnplein (Berlijnplein 4) | €3.00 | €30.03 | Leidsche Rijn Centrum, also a P+R, 2.10 m |
| Kop van Lombok (Vleutenseweg 44) | €3.58 | €35.79 | Walk to Utrecht Centraal, 2 m |
| Vaartsche Rijn (Baden Powellweg 103) | €3.58 | €35.79 | South of the centre, 2.10 m |
| Kruisstraat (Kruisstraat 2) | €4.68 | €46.80 | Near the Stadsschouwburg, 2 m |
| Croeselaan (Croeselaan 14P) | €5.08 | €50.80 | Utrecht Centraal and Jaarbeurs, 778 spaces, 2.10 m |
| Paardenveld (Kroonstraat 9) | €7.12 | €71.23 | Old town, 1.95 m |
| Springweg (Strosteeg 83) | €7.12 | €71.23 | Old town by the Oudegracht and Dom, 2 m |
Sources: 2026 tariffs and car park details on utrecht.nl. All are open 24 hours except De Grifthoek. Croeselaan, De Grifthoek, Kop van Lombok, Kruisstraat, Paardenveld and Springweg lie inside the low emission zone (see below).
Utrecht’s four P+R sites charge a fixed price for a day’s parking plus public transport. Take a ticket on entry, buy a €5.50 U-OV ticket at the yellow machine (valid for up to five people) and ride the bus or tram to the centre and back the same day. Travelling alone, your own OV-chipkaart works out cheaper. Back at the car park, insert your parking ticket at the pay machine and scan your U-OV ticket or OV-chipkaart: the discounted parking price is then applied.
| P+R | Parking + transport | Without public transport | Connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westraven (Griffioenlaan 1 bis) | €8.50 (€3 + €5.50) | €3/h, max €15.02 | Fast tram, 12 minutes to the centre |
| Utrecht Science Park (Universiteitsweg, exit 28) | €8.50 (€3 + €5.50) | €2.50/h, max €15 | Trams 20/21/22, bus 28 |
| Papendorp (Mercatorlaan) | €8.50 (€3 + €5.50) | €3/h, max €15.02 | Bus, about 20 minutes |
| Berlijnplein (Leidsche Rijn) | €8.00 (€2.50 + €5.50) | €3/h, max €30.03 | Buses 28 and 73, about 15 minutes |
Utrecht’s city centre is a milieuzone for diesel cars: a diesel passenger car needs at least emission class 5 to enter. Petrol, hybrid and electric cars may drive in. The city’s online plate check does not work for foreign number plates, so drivers of foreign diesel cars must check the emission class themselves using the tables on the national milieuzones.nl site. Several central car parks (Croeselaan, Springweg, Paardenveld, La Vie, Hoog Catharijne) lie inside the zone. A planned extension to the whole built-up area on 1 January 2027 cannot go ahead for now. Source: City of Utrecht milieuzone page.
Utrecht keeps extending paid parking (more districts such as parts of Lunetten and Zuilen are being added), so we do not name free streets. Check the sign or the parking app before you leave the car.
Parclick lists mainly ParkBee car parks in and around the old town. Prices depend on your dates and duration and are shown before you pay.
Covered car park at Jansdam 14, in the old town near the Oudegracht. See ParkBee Jansdam on Parclick.
Covered car park at Lange Nieuwstraat 119, in the museum quarter south of the Dom. See ParkBee Lange Nieuwstraat on Parclick.
Covered car park at Daalseplein 101, between Utrecht Centraal and the old town. See ParkBee Daalseplein on Parclick.
Utrecht parking cost estimator
Compare Utrecht car parks on Parclick →Pre-filled with €3.58 an hour, the rate of the Kop van Lombok and Vaartsche Rijn municipal car parks (max €35.79 a day). Street parking in the centre costs €8.01 an hour; P+R is €8 to €8.50 a day with transport.
In 2026 the city centre (zone A1) costs €8.01 an hour, zone A2 €6.94 and zones B and C €5.34. A day card in A1 costs €56.13.
Zone A1 is paid Monday to Saturday from 7:00 to 1:00 and on Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00. Zone A2 is paid Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 23:00. In zones B and C the times vary by area.
Among the municipal car parks, De Grifthoek on Wittevrouwensingel costs €2.85 an hour with a daily maximum of €28.53, and Kop van Lombok near Utrecht Centraal costs €3.58 an hour. The P+R sites are cheaper still.
At Westraven, Utrecht Science Park, Papendorp and Berlijnplein you pay €2.50 or €3 for parking plus €5.50 for a U-OV return ticket for up to five people. Your last check-in must be in the centre, you must check out at the P+R stop and leave before 1:00. OVpay does not give the discount.
Only if it has at least emission class 5. The city centre is a low emission zone for diesel cars; petrol, hybrid and electric cars may enter. The online plate check does not work for foreign plates, so check your car’s class yourself before you go.
No. The municipal car parks accept debit and credit cards and, at most of them, a parking app. Coins are not accepted.
Rental desks are at Utrecht itself and at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, the nearest major airport. Compare both on DiscoverCars before you book.
