Guide to Parking in Berlin, Germany

If you have decided to go on a trip and visit Berlin, Germany, a great way to get around is by renting a car and driving yourself.

Most travelers find driving in Germany to be relatively easy, and unlike some other cities in Europe, Berlin is an easy city to navigate, and most travelers report that it was easy to find parking for their vehicle. 

Whether you're visiting Berlin for the duration of your trip, or plan to drive there from another city to spend the day, this guide to parking in Berlin, Germany will provide the basic information you need to locate parking and safely park your car in this fantastic German city.

What is Parking Like in Berlin?

Parking in Berlin is unlike other cities in Germany ... in a good way! There is free parking available and that free parking is not incredibly far from the city center, making it very convenient to drive to and in Berlin.

The paid parking within Berlin is specifically in the areas of Unter den Linden, Friedrichstraße, Gendarmenmarkt and Alaxanderplatz.

If you plan to park in these areas of Berlin, then you are required  to pay for parking Monday-Saturday from 9:00am-10pm and sometimes until midnight depending on the zone. Some areas you will have to pay on Sunday as well.

The cost for this parking is .75 euro cents per 15 minutes which is equivalent to 3 euro per hour.

The areas that are directly outside of these zones have a payment period on Monday-Friday from 9am-8pm, Saturday from 9am-2pm (6pm in some areas). The cost for these areas is 25-50 euro cents per 15 minutes.

As we mentioned, if you park in the outer districts such as Mitte-Tiergarten-Wedding, there are plenty of free parking areas available. This is still relatively close to the city center.

What About Parking Garages in Berlin?

Parking garages in Berlin can be tricky to find, but they are available.

There are a few underground garages such as Alexanderplatz, which is near Park Inn Hotel. The cost to park here is 24 euro per 24 hours.

Another option is underneath Kulturbrauerei in Prenzlauer Berg. At Alexanderplatz full-day-tickets are available for 24,- Euro (per 24h).

The city of Berlin provides a good list to recommend parking garages on their official website which you can find here.

Is Parking Free or Paid in Berlin?

Unlike other parts of Germany, there are actually a lot of free parking areas available in Berlin.  

Most places in the outer city districts have a lot of free street parking available. These have no limit for how long you can park and this is a great option for those willing to drop their luggage first, and then proceed to go park their car.

Most of the time these distances are not far at all from the Berlin tourist attractions you're likely to visit, and the distance might even be walk-able if you're in good shape and used to city-life.

Anywhere within the direct inner city area will have paid parking available. This area is known as the “Parkraumbewirtschaftungszone,” which is, in fact, a real word. It roughly translates to “economical cultivation of parking lots.”

This zone exists to maintain the amount of people parking in the inner city areas. If you have the budget to pay for parking in downtown Berlin, it's worth it for the convenience.

Do You Need a Parking Disc in Berlin?

Parking discs are commonly used all over Germany, as well as in Berlin, to monitor how long your car has been parked. Some supermarkets even require the use of a parking disc.

This disc can be obtained at many police stations, grocery stores or tobacco shops, but you shouldn’t be needing to purchase one as it should come with your rental car (just be sure that you ask if you don't immediately see it when you pick up your car).

It will be apparent that you need to use a parking disc based upon a sign indicating this. The sign will also let you know how long you are allowed to park.

Use the disc by setting your time of arrival rounded up to the next half hour and then placing your parking disc on the dashboard of your rental car. Make sure to return within the allotted time to avoid a ticket.

Berlin Parking Zones & Restricted Areas

In Berlin there are a few places in which you are not allowed to park your rental car.

These zones are visible by a sign saying “parken verboten!” meaning “no parking,” or a “Durchfahrt freihalten” meaning “please keep access available.”

Anything that has “freihalten” in it, meaning “forbidden,” should be taken as a no parking zone.

Other places that you should not and are not allowed to park would be anywhere close to a crosswalk (or at least 3 meters away), blocking a driveway, or in a bicycle lane. This should be common sense, but it's worth pointing out because when you're driving in a foreign country it can be easy to get distracted and ignore basic things like this.

Additionally do not park on the sidewalks unless there is a sign with a picture of a car doing that (and you see other cars doing that), and do not park on green areas.

Parking Signs in Berlin to Be Aware of

There are a few road and parking signs in Berlin to be aware of to avoid a ticket.

The first sign to be aware of is the “Parken verboten,” or anything related with “freihalten” which was explained above.

“Feuerwehrzufahrt,” means that the area is a route used by firefighters for emergencies, and you should not block this area.

Handicapped areas are off limits without a permit. These areas are marked by a sign with a wheelchair, similar to what you would find in many other countries. 

There are also a few different types of blue square signs with a large P emblazoned on them.

Each of these blue parking signs have attachments at the bottom of the sign with messages:

• The first sign is a simple P which signifies that the area you will be going into is free to park unless otherwise noted. The flip side of this is that the zone ends when the sign changes to a grey color with a diagonal line through it.
• The first attachment is the need for a parking disc to be used. For a 2 hour time limit it will state “2 Std.” on the attachment at the bottom.
• The next is for when a parking voucher is required, meaning paid parking, it will state “mit Parkschein,” underneath the large P. 
• Finally for residents with permits this sign will state “Bewohner mit Parkausweis,” and state the permit number. If you are not a resident with a permit, then this will become a no parking zone.

Berlin Parking Outside Green Zone

The green zone in Berlin is also known as the environmental zone or “umweltzone.” These areas are zones where only vehicles that meet specific emission standards are allowed to drive.

In Berlin, this area is around the S-Bahn Ring train circle and you must obtain a sticker to drive in this zone. It is recommended to park in the P+R areas near train stations (which stands for “park and ride”). These are all in locations near tram stations, and offer free or very low cost parking. If not free, the rates will be around .50 euro cents-1.50 euro per day. If you don't feel comfortable driving into downtown Berlin, this can be a great option to park your rental car securely and hop a train into the city.

If you have visited any other area in Germany you will find that Berlin is by far one of the easiest cities to park in. Make sure to look out for specific parking signs in German, and that you are not blocking any emergency paths, bike paths or private driveways. You should have no issues and will enjoy free or low cost parking throughout the city. Have a wonderful trip!