Amsterdam parking fee to rise sharply from July 3; Some areas with 24-hour paid parking

The municipality of Amsterdam is implementing a new parking policy starting from July 3, a plan which was approved by the city council in April but is drawing criticism as the date draws near. The plan includes sharply higher rates increasing by about 12 percent for on-street parking, much higher rates at P+R locations, extended hours for paid parking, including 24-hour paid parking on city center streets, and increased parking permit fees in most districts of the city, with some shooting up by 25 percent. Hourly street parking just south of the Zuidas will shoot up by 56 percent. The city's political leaders said the plan is an effort to reduce congestion in an increasingly crowded city.

New measures starting from July 3

Hourly on-street parking rates are set to increase by rates of between 0.20 to 0.50 euros, depending on the city district. The highest rate of 7.50 euros per hour currently applies to parts of the city center and is set to remain unchanged. Just south of the Zuidas, a part of the Buitenveldert neighborhood that had been in a different tariff class will see parking rates jump from 2.50 euros per hour up to 3.90 euros per hour.

Amsterdam Alderman Melanie van der Horst for Traffic and Transport justified this raise by pointing at the lack of space in the city. In a letter to the city council, she wrote, "Parked cars take up a lot of space in public spaces, while we have less and less space because the city is growing and getting busier. This is why we are asking car users to pay an extra fee for the maintenance of the city.”

Expanding paid parking should create additional parking spaces, according to Van der Horst. "Many cars are now parked in some neighborhoods for long periods of time, even though the owner does not live in the neighborhood, but has to go to Schiphol Airport or the city center, for example. Introducing paid parking will make these spots available again for residents,” she wrote.

In many neighborhoods, paid parking will also apply for longer periods. In most areas in Oost and Zuid, paid parking currently applies until nine in the evening, but this will be extended until midnight. In Buitenveldert and the Zuidas, parking will no longer be free on Saturdays.

Paid parking all day, all night in Amsterdam Centrum

In the city center, parking will no longer be free between midnight and 8 a.m. This means a shift to 24/7 paid parking. According to Van der Horst, this is an effort to discourage tourists from sleeping in their cars. This phenomenon was already addressed by the municipality in 2021 with the creation of a special "sleeper team" carrying out regular checks with the ability to impose on-the-spot fines to anyone caught sleeping in their car.

Another measure that is part of the new plan concerns hiked parking permit fees for residents living within the A10 ring. People living in areas including Bos en Lommer, De Baarsjes, Rivierenbuurt, Prinses Irenebuurt, Riekerhaven, Hoofddorppleinbuurt, Apollobuurt, Olympisch Stadion, and in Amsterdam-Oost are set to see their six-month permit rates rise from 142 to 177 euros, an increase of about 25 percent in one go. The city center is also due for an adjustment, with the six-month permit rates increasing from 287 to 300 euros. Some neighborhoods such as Westerpark, Oud-West, De Pijp, and De Oostelijke Eilanden will maintain their current rates, the city claimed. In Nieuw West, Zuidoost, and Noord, permit rates will only be adjusted for inflation.

Weekly and monthly parking passes will be discontinued starting July 3, making long-term street parking in Amsterdam more expensive. However, the day pass (“dagkaart”) and the annual entrepreneur pass (“ondernemersjaarkaart”) will remain available. This allows for short-term parking options. With a day pass, you get 40 percent off the regular rate.

Parking rates for the Park+Ride facilities located outside the city center are also set to rise. Starting in July, the off-peak rates at the P+R locations will increase from one euro per day to six euros per day. During peak hours, prices will also jump by five euros to 13 euros, a 63 percent increase. The off-peak rates apply from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. It is also valid all weekend and on public holidays.

Contacted by NL Times, a spokesperson for Alderman Melanie van der Horst said the increase is necessary because parking rates at these locations have not increased in line with inflation for almost a decade, which “costs us a lot of money,” the spokesperson said, adding that the rate increase s necessary to keep "a relatively low price." P+R rates remain far lower than on-street parking in Amsterdam.

Criticisms mount over Amsterdam's parking policy

Amsterdam's drive to become traffic-free is not a recent development; the announcement was made in 2022 as part of the coalition agreement of the newly formed city government, consisting of PvdA, GroenLinks, and D66. This plan is projected to bring annual revenue of 35.7 million euros into the city's municipal funds.

The plan has faced opposition in the city council, notably from political parties DENK, JA21, and VVD. These parties usually view cars as an integral part of the city, believing that residents and visitors have the right to use their vehicles. They argue that these measures will disproportionately affect people with lower incomes.

Van der Horst's spokesperson pointed out that the increases will primarily affect visitors, not locals. “Residents can apply for a permit. That is a lot cheaper than the street rate,” she noted. She also said that public transport remains the best way to travel in Amsterdam.

It was announced last month that the Amsterdam public transport company GVB must make significant cuts. For example, trams, buses, and metros could run less often starting in the summer. In 2024, less popular bus or tram lines that use the same stops could be canceled, and two metro lines may also be merged. Travelers would then have to transfer more frequently and account for longer travel times.

NL Times spoke with residents this week and received varying opinions on the matter. Marco, a 47-year-old city center resident, expressed dissatisfaction with the new parking policy, saying that “it’s just about money.” He does not believe this new plan will solve anything, labeling the plan as a “cash cow” for the municipality.

The changes are also stirring up concerns about the potential impact on social interactions. Afra (66), who lives in Oost, said she has many friends around the city. “A visit will become quite expensive!” While recognizing that she could be using public transport or the bike, she remarked that these alternatives could be challenging for some people, especially the elderly.

"You have to invest in public transport"

Residents often mentioned the lack of improvement in public transport accessibility and affordability to express their disagreement with the new parking policy plan. Thomas (28), who lives in Amsterdam Zuidoost, expressed his confusion. “I get it, Amsterdam needs fewer autos, but then you have to invest in public transport, but this is not getting better; on the contrary,” he said. “It doesn't really make sense," he added.

Yse, a 25-year-old student in sustainable urban development, said she believes that raising parking rates is a good idea, although she acknowledged that it might not sit well with everyone. She drew a comparison to the anti-tobacco policy, advocating for a gradual transition with minor price alterations. “That’s the best way to do it,” she said. While she firmly believes that public transportation is the answer, she also concedes that "it should be cheaper, way cheaper."

The timing of these new measures is proving to be less than ideal. As of last week, the city has been attempting to curb traffic influx into the city center with a daytime closure of the Weesperstraat, one of the city's major roads to reach the city center. This move has resulted in chaotic traffic, causing frustration for many car drivers.

Amsterdam's summer traffic woes continue

The closure of Weesperstraat is a six-week pilot program currently led by Van der Horst after the controversial experiment was postponed during the coronavirus pandemic. The city justified pressing ahead with the project claiming that research monitoring license plate numbers showed that over 40 percent of the cars that drive on the heavily-used Weesperstraat would reach their destination just as fast, or faster, by using other routes. Another 40 percent would be delayed by only five minutes.

Amsterdam is not the only city trying to reduce car traffic by changing their parking policy. In more and more cities, the municipal authorities have tried different policies to keep cars out of the city center. For example, day tickets have been introduced in Leiden, Amstelveen, Alkmaar, Delft, Dordrecht, Deventer, and Tilburg. Buying a day ticket is mandatory for people without a parking permit to park in the city center.