Street Parking, Paid Parking and Parking Garages in Prague

Street parking in Prague seems to be easy because the city is less congested than Paris, or London. But appearances are deceptive. When you are trying to find a parking spot you soon realize that street parking is restricted and limited. You are only allowed to park your car on parking bays with green and orange lines. Parking along blue lines is only permitted with a parking permit. Parking is forbidden along yellow lines. Parking garages in the city centre are often full. Street parking in the wrong place will be penalized with a wheel clamp and your car will be towed away. Your best option is to leave your car in the parking garage of your hotel and use public transport.

Street Parking and Paid Parking

There is no reason to use your car in Prague because public transport is efficient, fast and cheap. Parking in the wrong place results in a fine and in many cases a wheel clamp and towing away. There is no clemency for foreigners.

Most public parking spaces are in Prague 1 (Hradcany, Josefov, Mala Strana, Nove Mesto and Stare Mesto), Prague 2 (Vinohrady), Prague 3 (Zizkov) and Prague 7 (Holesovice).

Generally speaking, Prague centre is for permit holders and easy to recognize by the blue line along the curb. If you do park here, your car will be towed away. If you get a wheel clamp, call the police at number 156. They will remove it and you will pay a fine.

In the above mentioned districts you will also find some ‘paid parking’ places. The price depends on which zone you are in, orange or green. The parking payment machines have green or orange dot so you know in which zone you are.

* Blue zone: permit holders only.

* Orange zone: Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm, maximum 2 hours. Rate: 40 CZK (1.60 EUR) per hour

* Green zone: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (maximum 6 hours). Rate: 30 CZK (EUR 1.25) per hour

Parking Garages

The price starts at CZK 25 to CZK 60 (EUR 1 – EUR 2.50) per hour depending on how central the location is.

* National Theater parking garage (Narodni Divadlo),
Where: below the National Theater, 15 minutes’ walk to the historical centre of Prague
Entrance: Divadelni street

* Central Station (Hlavni nadrazi)
Where: right next to the station, 10 minutes’ walk to Wenceslas Square
Entrance: Wilsonova Street

* Palladium Shopping Centre
Where: below the shopping centre on Republiky namesti (square), in the middle of Nove Mesto
Entrance: Revolucni street

* Kotva parking garage
Where: below Kotva shopping centre on Republiky namesti (square), in the middle of Nove Mesto
Entrance: Kralodvorska street

* Rudolfinum parking garage
Where: Under the Rudolfinum theater, a 5-minute walk to the Old Town Square
Entrance: Jan Palachplein

* Karlovo namesti parking garage
Where: near the Karlovo square, 15 minutes’ walk from the Old Town
Entrance: Vaclavska street

* Malostranska namesti parking lot
Where: Malostranska namesti (square), in the middle of the Malostrana district

* Florenc parking lot
Where: right next to the Florenc bus station and the Florenc metro station, 30 minutes’ walk to the centre.
Entrance: Florenci street

P&R Parking

You can park at the following metro stations: Skalka, Zlicin, Nove Butovice, Opatov, Chodov, Ladvi, Rajska zahrada, Cerny most, Palmovka, Nadrazi Holesovice. These are guarded parking lots. They are open from 04.00 – 01.00 when the metro starts and stops running. If you leave your car after 1 o’clock at night, you will have to pay extra.

Free Street Parking

Free parking spaces can be found in districts other than the above mentioned. The centre is too far to walk, but you can go by tram or metro. However, you will most likely not find an empty place to park. Therefore, it is best to leave your car at your hotel because parking in Prague is a hassle. Take the tram or the metro as Prague’s public transport is well organized, frequent and cheap.

Photos Marianne Crone