Parking in Amsterdam can be a real challenge, especially if you’re looking to park you vehicle in the center of town. There is very few space allocated for parking spots and parking garages are often full.

If you do find a spot, prepare to pay up to €5 per hour. Parking garages typically charge around €30 to €40 a day. If you arrive by car and you really want to park it in the center of town, a good option is to reserve a spot at the P1 Parking Amsterdam Centre. It’s located opposite Amsterdam Central train station and it will only set you back €20 a day if you book it online.

Another good option is to park your car in one of the Park & Ride locations. They are conveniently located near the highway that encircles Amsterdam. You can park your car for only €8 per day and you’ll receive a special OV card that entitles you to free public transport to the centre of town for up to five people. The cards are valid for four days. You can only use it to get to the centre of town and back. If you wish to use other public transport routes you’ll have to buy a separate card. Check out the official Park & Ride website for more information.

Although the options above are very affordable, the best thing to do is to visit Amsterdam by train or plane. You really don’t need a car in Amsterdam. The city is pretty small, you can easily get around the city centre by foot, or, even better, when in Dutchland do like the Dutch and ride a bike! You can rent bikes almost everywhere in Amsterdam and with the small streets and canals they are by far the best way to get around in Amsterdam. Public transportation is also very good, with the bus and tram network covering every part of town.

Parking in Amsterdam on the street can be quite risky 🙂