Car parking in Madrid can be a challenge because on-street parking is paid and controlled. Moreover, Madrid Central has a very limited access.
Actually, I don’t recommend using a car in Madrid. It’s often quicker to move around the city using public transport, whether it’s the subway, a bus, or a taxi.
The only reason to rent a car in Madrid is just because you plan to travel out of the city and go to other great destinations in Spain (Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Barcelona or the coast where you can spend a few days at some gorgeous beaches…).
But if you still want to travel by car, check this complete guide on where to book your rental car online.
Parking your rental car in Madrid is complex and demands careful planning if you’re not familiar with the city. So…
Where can you park your rental car in Madrid?
Car parking in Madrid can be a challenge due to fact that the City Hall is implementing all sorts of regulations to deter the use of private vehicles and encourage the use of public transport.
Nevertheless, there are still a few options where you can park your rental car in Madrid.
1. Free car parks in the outskirts
Madrid has 25 dissuasive car parks (and some 70 in the region or Comunidad Autónoma) open to the public (most of them free of charge). They are the best option to avoid entering the city center suing your car. Instead, you can park there and use the public transport.
You’ll avoid the hustle of traffic jams, getting lost and spending a fortune in a paying car park or because of a fine.
The closest free car parks from the city center are the following:
- Las Tablas-Telefónica. 485 car spots. Public transport tariff zone: A. Free.
- Nuestra Señora del Recuerdo. 819 spots (cars, campervans and motorhomes). Free of charge (on working days from Monday to Friday, between 06:00 and 21:30. A minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 16 hours) for users who combine the use of this car park with the use of public transport in the city of Madrid (you must have a monthly pass, a single ticket or a 10-journey Metrobús).
- Avenida de Portugal. 432 spots (cars, campervans and motorhomes). Free of charge (on working days from Monday to Friday, between 06:00 and 21:30. A minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 16 hours) for users who combine the use of this car park with the use of public transport in the city of Madrid (you must have a monthly pass, a single ticket or a 10-journey Metrobús).
You can locate them all in the following map. Look for the blue “P” icons (the other icon shows paid car parks).
2. Paying car parks in the city center
This online tool can prove useful if you’re looking for public paid car parks. Most of them are usually underground.
It’s extremely easy to use. All you have to do is type the location (city, address, zip code…) where you want to park your car. Then, choose the arrival and departure dates and times. Finally, click on the “Find Parking” blue button.
The website will show you the best results according to this particular location. You can sort them by distance or price.
Each result shows the name of the car park, the total number of car spots, how much it will cost you and how far it is. Moreover, if you click on a specific car park and then on the “Get Directions blue button, you’ll be sent to Google Maps.
If you park in any of these subterranean car parks, take note of where you are, and what landmarks there are as you exit. It’s easy to forget where you have left your car.
3. On the street
Sure, you can park your rental car on the street. But…
- Paid parking applies to the center of Madrid. Read the “Zones And Meters” section below for more information.
- Madrid Central has limited access to private vehicles. Read my tips for driving in Madrid to avoid getting fined.
Madrid parking zones and meters
Madrid’s entire street parking is regulated by zones (also called Servicio de Estacionamiento Regulado or SER). There are blue or green dashed painted lines on the side of the road where parking is available.
- Blue. As a visitor, you have priority over these spaces, and you can stay for a maximum of 4 hours. Residents are subjected to the same restrictions to park in these lots and have to pay the same rates.
- Green. Residents who have paid the annual fee have priority over these spaces and are allowed to park here free of time restrictions. As a visitor you can park here for a maximum of 2 hours.
These zones operate during the following times:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 to 21:00
- Saturday: 9:00 to 15:00
- Sunday & public holidays: no service
- August: Monday to Saturday 9:00 to 15:00
You can find parking meters (parquímetros) everywhere in the parking regulated zones. Here is where you must purchase your ticket. Once you have it, place it in a visible area on the dashboard of your car.
You can pay with coins. Note that meters neither accept bills nor provide change. You must have the exact change. Unfortunately, most shops don’t provide change when asked, so make sure you have plenty of coins with you.
Alternatively, you can also pay with:
- A credit card.
- An e-wallet (tarjeta monedero), a special payment card available from the controllers themselves. To charge or top up your e-wallet, use any parking meter.
- A smartphone app.
Currently, the available smartphone apps are:
If you park your car in a blue area, you must purchase your ticket from a blue parking meter. The same goes on for parking in a green area.
Make sure you purchase your ticket from the right meter; otherwise you will get a fine. Some streets have a green area on one side and a blue one on the other.
Avoid fines parking in Madrid
Avoid parking on the Carga y descarga (loading and unloading) areas, unless the times are clearly displayed. The times allowed for parking on these spots are limited and different from the Green and Blue zone hours.
Don’t park in pedestrian crossings, corners, or in front of entrances and exits.
Don’t double park.
As a rule of thumb, avoid committing any offense. In Madrid controllers are everywhere (literally) and you will get fined or your car could be towed away. Better not getting one, traffic fines are heavy!
If you exceed your time in a regulated parking area and are fined, you can often cancel the fine by paying a penalty. You must, however, do it within a limited period.
Purchase a ticket called anulación aviso de sanción from a parking meter. You’re generally asked to ‘post’ it in a special slot in the ticket machine. Read the instructions on the parking meter to learn how to proceed.
Your rental car was impounded
The first thing to do is to make sure that the car has been towed and not stolen.
If that’s the case, you’ll find a yellow plastic triangle with a municipal police department (Policía Municipal) phone number in the place where your car used to be parked. You must call this phone number in order to clarify your next course of action and indicate the license plate number on your car. You’ll be informed exactly which car impound has your towed car.
Keep in mind that the clarifications given on the phone likely will not be in English.
Alternatively, you can call your rental car company and ask for assistance.
In order to be able to retrieve your car from the car impound, it’s of utmost importance to prove that the towed car is really yours. To do this, you just need to show your passport and your driving license (including you International Driver’s Licence, if you need one).
Avoid thefts and break-ins
Having your rental car stolen can ruin your trip, especially if your luggage and personal items were in the vehicle.
Here are some tips to prevent theft and break-ins while you are away. These are valid not only while you’re in Madrid, but at all times should you decide to go on a road trip around Spain.
- Park in well-lit, trafficked areas so your vehicle can be seen at all times.
- Put away all your electronic devices and the GPS. Don’t forget the cables and chargers.
- Put your luggage and other valuables in the trunk, out of sight.
- Turn off the engine, lock all the doors and close the windows at all times while you are not inside the car.
- Don’t leave spare keys in your rental car. Thieves know where to look.
- Always keep the car papers with you.
If by any chance your rental car is stolen, you must report the stolen vehicle as soon as you notice it. Call the police or go to the nearest police station. Give them all the information about your vehicle (model, license plates, color, etc.) and report any stolen items.
If you don’t speak any Spanish, ask a local to help you.
Then, call your insurance company to report your stolen or damaged car.
Finally, call the rental car company to inform them of the situation and ask to get another rental vehicle.
This article is part of a complete tutorial about car rental in Madrid where you can read all the information you need to organize your road trip around the country.
Here is a complete summary of all the guide:
1. Traveling to Madrid by car
2. How to book your rental car online
3. How to find cheap rental rates?
4. Do you need an International Driver’s Licence?
5. Getting around Madrid: rental car
6. 6 tips for driving in Madrid
7. Car parking in Madrid