Where to park in Madrid

If you've chosen Madrid as your destination for your next vacation or you're traveling there for business, finding parking in Madrid, like in any major city, can be tricky. If you're looking for parking in Madrid, you've come to the right place: at Parkimeter, we're experts in finding parking!

If you're staying at a hotel, it's a good idea to inquire about their parking facilities. If your hotel has parking, it will save you a lot of time searching for a spot and will be much more convenient for getting around during your stay in the city.

Hotels with parking handle their rates differently. Sometimes, it's included when paying for your stay, but other times, you may have to pay extra. Therefore, it's important to inquire in advance to avoid unexpected charges or finding no space to park your car.

The price of parking in Madrid can be quite expensive, but it's possible to find more affordable options. The key is to plan ahead to find the best deals. Additionally, you can use online booking platforms like Parkimeter, which will help you find parking in Madrid quickly.

One important thing to note is that due to levels of air pollution, the Madrid City Council often restricts traffic whenever maximum levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are exceeded. So, before your trip to the capital, we advise you to check if any of the pollution protocol scenarios have been activated. The restricted area is commonly known as Madrid Central as it encompasses the entire center of Madrid.

Parking in Madrid at a public parking

Madrid has a wide range of public parking lots available. If you want to leave your car in a parking lot near where you're staying, Parkimeter's search engine offers you a map where you can locate the one that suits you best. However, it's not easy to find parking near very touristy places such as the Retiro Park, Plaza España, or Plaza Mayor.

That's why we recommend making a prior reservation with Parkimeter, especially if you're looking for parking in the center of Madrid or a parking lot near Madrid Atocha Station.

Parking in downtown Madrid

Madrid is Spain's largest city and its capital. If you're visiting or planning a weekend in Madrid with your car (whether for tourism or business), it's important to know that finding parking in Madrid isn't easy, especially if you're not familiar with the city, its streets, traffic rules, and prohibitions.

To avoid any inconvenience that might jeopardize your stay in this city, such as fines or the inability to find parking, we'll provide you with some recommendations on where to park in downtown Madrid, the most convenient central neighborhoods to move around the city, and the main tourist places you can explore on foot.

Access and circulation in Madrid central

This is the first thing you should know if you're going to drive around the city of Madrid. Madrid Central is an extensive area of 480 hectares where traffic is restricted. In these areas, pedestrian traffic is favored, as well as bicycles or scooters and public transportation. To drive and park in the Madrid Central area, residents of the area will have priority, as well as people with reduced mobility or public service and professional vehicles. However, to drive in Madrid Central, you must have an environmental label issued by the DGT that determines how much your vehicle pollutes.

Parking in a public parking in downtown Madrid

The Centro district of Madrid corresponds to its historical center: multicultural, popular, and elegant. Parking in a public parking in the Centro district is undoubtedly the best choice you can make if you want to visit the city with total comfort. From here, you can choose how you want to get to farther places of interest (the metro service is excellent, and here you'll find countless stations).

However, if you want to stay in the center, you'll find places of interest like Gran Vía, Puerta del Sol, or Plaza Mayor. If you park in a parking lot in downtown Madrid, you can visit on foot the picturesque Malasaña neighborhood and immerse yourself in a lively area full of bars, ateliers, and second-hand shops.

Parking in a public parking in the Chamberi district

The Chamberi district is what is known as the central core of Madrid. It consists of the neighborhoods of Gaztambide, Arapiles, Trafalgar, Almagro, Ríos Rosas, and Vallehermoso. These are residential neighborhoods with small grocery stores, food shops, and bars where you can have a well-poured beer and some tapas.

Unlike Madrid Centro, this area is more authentic and will give you the feeling of being in a small town: this could be the perfect choice for visiting the city, so you'll have a sense of calm and tranquility after spending a day in the bustling and trendy center of Madrid.

If you've chosen to stay in this neighborhood or have decided that this will be your strategic starting point for your city visit, we recommend you reserve a spot at a public parking in Chamberi and secure your parking space in Madrid.

Street parking in downtown Madrid

Finding **street parking in Madrid** isn't an easy task, especially in the center. In downtown Madrid, there are two areas where you can park, the blue zone and the green zone: these areas are paid from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 21:00, Saturdays from 9:00 to 15:00, while Sundays are free.

If you want to avoid paying very high fees, keep in mind that this type of parking has a time limit. Therefore, it's suitable for short stops but not ideal for sightseeing. Finding parking in Madrid is quite a challenge, and it's possible that **you'll come across several areas reserved for residents.** To avoid unexpected fines, we recommend you read our free guide to parking in the green zone of Madrid, it has saved us from more than one scare!

Parking at Madrid Airport - Barajas

Located northeast of Madrid, in the Barajas district, 12 kilometers from the center. Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport has four terminals and is the largest Spanish airport in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. If you're looking for a [**parking at Madrid Airport**](https://parkimeter.com/es/parking-aeropuerto-madrid-barajas) to go to any of its terminals, Parkimeter's platform offers different alternatives at very competitive prices.

Parking at Atocha and Chamartín Train Stations (Cercanías, AVE) and South Bus Station

If you're a regular passenger of Cercanías or AVE trains, Parkimeter offers parking options two minutes away from Atocha Station. The Madrid - Chamartín Station offers long and medium-distance connections, allowing you to reach almost any part of the country. Some connections to the north are only made from that station, so if your destination is in the northern part of the peninsula, you may have to pass through there. Currently, there is a project underway that will link both stations so that high-speed trains will also pass through Chamartín, not just through Atocha as it is now.

For those who prefer buses for convenience and convenience, on Méndez Álvaro street is the South Bus Station, the most important of all the long-distance bus stations in the city. This station, also known as Méndez Álvaro Station, gathers the most traffic in the entire capital. There you will find buses that pass through numerous towns throughout the country, a more economical option that is usually preferred by people who do not travel to major cities.

Parking in Madrid for long stays

If you're planning to stay in Madrid for a few weeks, you might prefer to find a long-stay parking in Madrid, also known as low-cost parking or park and ride. This option is highly recommended if you've decided not to use your car often since, if it's not a nearby parking, you'll spend the difference on public transportation.

The 21 districts of Madrid

The city of Madrid is divided into 21 districts: Fuencarral-El Pardo, Moncloa-Aravaca, Tetuán, Hortaleza, Chamartín, Ciudad Lineal, Chamberí, Barrio de Salamanca, San Blas, Barajas, Centro, Retiro, Arganzuela, Moratalaz, Villaverde, Usera, Latina, Carabanchel, Vicálvaro, Puente de Vallecas, and Villa de Vallecas. Among these, Chamberí and the Centro are the most challenging areas to find parking in Madrid.

Alcalá Street

It's one of the longest streets in Madrid, built during the times of Carlos III. The Alcalá Street starts at Puerta del Sol, in the heart of Madrid, and extends east-northeast from there. Along its route, we find several tourist attractions, such as the Cibeles Fountain and the Puerta de Alcalá, as well as many shops and stores for all tastes. The name of this street comes from historically connecting the city of Madrid with Alcalá de Henares, one of the municipalities in the east, and also with Aragon.

The Markets of Madrid

Increasingly, the concept of "market," once related to street and neighborhood markets, is becoming a trendy place. Among the best markets in Madrid that you should visit at least once in your life are: the San Miguel Market, in the heart of the city; the San Antón Market in the Chueca neighborhood, and the San Ildefonso Market, located on the cosmopolitan Fuencarral street. In them, you'll find bars to have a vermouth or a beer and enjoy the best tapas.