Parking next to Amsterdam Centraal is possible, but the city would much rather you left the car at the edge. A Park and Ride costs €6 per 24 hours (€13 if you arrive on a weekday before 10:00) when you continue by public transport, while a day in the Oosterdok car park beside the station starts at €25 pre-booked. This guide explains the P+R rules that trip visitors up, the car parks near the station, street parking and the diesel low-emission zone.
Amsterdam deliberately makes it expensive to bring a car into the centre. Around Centraal Station you have three realistic choices: a Park and Ride (P+R) on the edge of the city, a car park within walking distance of the station, or a short stop at a street bay paid by card or app.
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| Option | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| P+R on the city edge + public transport | €6 per 24 hours (€13 for the first 24 hours if you arrive on a weekday before 10:00) | Day visits and stays of up to 4 days |
| Parking Centrum Oosterdok | Day ticket from €25 when booked online; maximum day rate €45 | Parking within walking distance of Centraal |
| Street parking in the centre | The city’s highest tariff band; rate and hours differ per street | Short stops only |
The city runs P+R car parks near the ring road. The reduced rate is €6 per 24 hours if you arrive on a weekday after 10:00, at the weekend or on a public holiday. If you arrive Monday to Friday before 10:00, the first 24 hours cost €13 and each following 24 hours €6. The maximum stay is 4 days (96 hours); at P+R RAI it is 24 hours.
To get the P+R rate you must follow the rules:
If you miss one of these conditions, you are charged the normal – much higher – parking rate. P+R Sloterdijk is the handiest for Centraal because trains run straight to Centraal in a few minutes; at P+R Boven ’t Y and P+R Zeeburg 2 you can rent a bike instead of using public transport. Live availability for every P+R is shown on the city’s website.
With 1,369 spaces this is the largest car park in the city centre, on the Oosterdok island east of the station, a short walk from Centraal. Booking online is cheaper than driving up.
Q-Park operates several garages around the station and the Nieuwendijk and Bijenkorf shopping area. Drive-up day rates are higher than at Oosterdok; pre-booking on the operator’s site lowers the price.
A full day at a P+R costs €6 (or €13 on a weekday morning) plus your public-transport tickets. A full day within walking distance of Centraal costs from €25 pre-booked. Street parking for a whole day in the centre costs more than either.
You have to pay to park on most streets in Amsterdam, and the price and paid hours depend on the street. The centre has the highest tariff in the city, so a street bay only makes sense for a short stop. Look up the exact rate and hours on the municipal parking map before you set off. Parking is registered by number plate and paid by bank card at the machine or with a parking app; there is no cash payment.
Amsterdam Centraal parking cost estimator
Reserve a parking spot →Enter the hourly rate of your car park or street. As a guide: a P+R costs €6 per 24 hours, Parking Centrum Oosterdok from €25 per day pre-booked.
A P+R car park: €6 per 24 hours if you arrive on a weekday after 10:00 or at the weekend, provided you travel to and from the centre by public transport with an accepted ticket.
€6 per 24 hours, or €13 for the first 24 hours if you arrive Monday to Friday before 10:00. The maximum stay is 96 hours (24 hours at P+R RAI).
The discount only applies if your return trip was made with an OV-chipkaart, a paper GVB ticket or a P+R GVB ticket, your last check-in was in the city-centre zone and you paid within one hour of that trip.
Parking Centrum Oosterdok (1,369 spaces) is a short walk east of the station, and Q-Park has garages at the station and near Nieuwendijk. Oosterdok day tickets start at €25 when booked online.
Only if it meets Euro 5 or better. The low-emission zone covers everything inside the A10 ring road; the ring road itself is not included. No sticker is needed.
No. Street parking is paid by bank card at the machine or with a parking app, using your number plate.
