Parking In Cologne: Finding The Best Spots

If you're driving to Cologne, you'll want to know the best places to park. The German city has a range of parking options, from on-street to car parks and park-and-ride services. On-street parking is unlimited but can be expensive, while car parks in the city centre are cheaper with an hourly rate of €1.50-2.50 and a daily maximum of €10-25. There are also free or cheap park-and-ride services on the outskirts of the city, with public transport into the centre.

Cologne city centre car parks

There are several car parks in Cologne city centre, with parking rates varying from €1.50-2.50 per hour and a daily maximum of €10.00-25.00. Special rates are available for parking in the evening, overnight, and on weekends.

• Parkhaus Kölner Dom: Located directly beneath the Cologne Cathedral, this car park is perfect for those visiting the cathedral and the surrounding area. The address is Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz 2, 50667 Köln.
• Parkhaus Heumarkt Cologne: Located near the Heumarkt square in the Old Town, this car park is convenient for those wanting to explore the historic centre. The address is Markmannsgasse 3, 50667 Köln.
• Parkhaus Gürzenich Cologne: This car park is situated near the Gürzenich event hall, making it a good choice for those attending events or concerts nearby. The address is Quatermarkt 5, 50667 Köln.
• Parkhaus Rheinauhafen Cologne: For those interested in the trendy waterfront area of Rheinauhafen, this car park is just a short walk away. The address is Harry-Blum-Platz 2, 50678 Köln.
• Parkhaus Mediapark Cologne: This car park is located near the Mediapark, the Museum Ludwig, and the Kölner Philharmonie. The address is Im Mediapark 1, 50670 Köln.
• Q-Park: Located in the heart of Cologne, directly on the pedestrian zone Breite Straße, Q-Park is only a five-minute walk from Neumarkt and a ten-minute walk from the main railway station. From here, you can easily access all the major sights and shopping facilities in the city centre.
• Contipark Hauptbahnhof: This car park is situated at Breslauer Platz 1, 50668 Cologne.
• Parkhaus Am Dom: Found at Hackenberg-Platz 2, 50667 Cologne, this car park is close to the Cologne Cathedral.
• Parkhaus Gross Sankt Martin: With an address of Große Neugasse 4, 50667 Cologne, this car park is in the Innenstadt district, known for its 12 Romanesque churches.
• Contipark Philharmonie: Located at Bischofsgartenstraße 1, 50667 Cologne, this car park is near the Kölner Philharmonie.
• Parkhaus Hohe Strasse: Marspfortengasse 10, 50667 Cologne, is the address for this car park.
• Parkhaus An Farina: Head to Laurenzplatz 4, 50667 Cologne, if you're looking for this car park.
• Apcoa Guerzenich: Found at Quatermarkt 5, 50667 Cologne, this car park is close to the Gürzenich event hall.
• Contipark Heumarkt: Situated at Markmannsgasse/Heumarkt, 50667 Cologne, this car park is in the historic centre of the city.
• Parkhaus Maritim: Those visiting the Kölner Maritim hotel can use this car park at Pipinstraße 7, 50667 Cologne.
• Apcoa Galeria Kaufhof: Located at Caecilienstrasse 29, 50667 Cologne, this car park is near the Galeria Kaufhof department store.
• Contipark Schildergasse: Found at Caecilienstrasse 32, 50667 Cologne, this car park is close to the Schildergasse shopping street.
• Parkhaus Bruekenstrasse: This car park can be found at Ludwigstrasse, 50667 Cologne.
• Contipark Opern Passagen: With an address of Schwertnergasse 1, 50667 Cologne, this car park is near the Opera House.
• Qpark Dumont-Carree: Visitors to the Dumont-Carrée shopping centre can use this car park at Neven-DuMont Straße, 50667 Cologne.
• Parkhaus Theater: Found at Krebsgasse / Am alten Posthof, 50667 Cologne, this car park is close to the Cologne Theatre.
• Parkhaus Karstadt: This car park is situated at Richmodstrasse, 50667 Cologne, near the Karstadt department store.
• Parkhaus Wolfstrasse: For those visiting the Cologne City Museum or the Museum of Applied Art, this car park at Wolfsstraße, 50667 Cologne, is a good option.
• Parkhaus Am Neumarkt: Located at Lungengasse 33, 50667 Cologne, this car park is near the Neumarkt square.

In addition to these car parks, there are also some hotel car parks in Cologne that offer 24/7 access, such as the IBIS Budget Köln Messe Hotel Car Park and the IBIS Hotel Köln Centrum Hotel Car Park. These can be great options if you're looking for a convenient place to leave your car while exploring the city.

Free parking

There are also a few hidden gems for free or cheap parking in the city, but these are often well-known to locals and require some luck to find an available space. One option is to look for loading zones that are time-bound, such as the one behind Früh Brauhaus. These are free outside of specific days/hours. Another option is to park in a public parking space without paying, but this is illegal and you run the risk of getting fined or towed.

For very cheap parking near the city centre, try "Venloer Wall”, which is about 10 minutes from Friesenplatz. It costs only 4€ / day.

Another option for cheap parking is the "Parkplatz unter der Severinsbrücke", which is about a 20-minute walk to the Dom and usually very busy. It costs 5€/day.

The cheapest option mentioned is on ‘große Neustrasse’, next to Mondial hotel. The name of the parking place is CONTIPARK Tiefgarage Groß Sankt Martin.

On-street parking

Some areas of Cologne require a Parkscheibe (parking disc), which can be identified by a blue sign with a white 'P'. These are often time-restricted, and you will need to display an arrival time on your parking disc to show that you are within the permitted parking time.

There is also a Low Emission Zone (Umweltzone) in the city centre area of Cologne, where only vehicles with low emissions are permitted to enter. To enter this zone, you will need a Umweltzone sticker.

Park and Ride

If you're looking for a Park and Ride option in Cologne, there are several P+R locations on the outskirts of the city where you can park your car for free or at a very low cost and then take public transportation into the city centre. The parking rates at these P+R locations range from €1.00 to €2.50 per day. However, at P+R Parkhaus Zoo, the rate is €8.60 per day. Here are the addresses of some of the P+R locations:

• P+R Parkhaus Zoo, Riehler Straße 190, 50735 Köln
• P+R Stammheim, Dünnwalder Kommunalweg, 50161 Köln
• P+R Dellbrück, Möhlstraße, 51069 Köln
• P+R Brück, Brücker Mauspfad 705, 51109 Köln
• P+R Königsforst, Rather Mauspfad, 51107 Köln
• P+R Zündorf, Gartenweg, 51143 Köln
• P+R Godorf, Muehlenhof, 50997 Köln
• P+R Hürth-Kiebitzweg, Luxemburger Straße, 50354 Hürth
• P+R Marsdorf, Emmy-Noether-Straße, 50858 Köln
• P+R Stadion, Aachener Strasse 1003, 50933 Köln
• P+R Weiden West, Bonnstraße, 50859 Köln
• P+R Bocklemünd, Venloer Straße, 50829 Köln

Keep in mind that Cologne has a Low Emission Zone (Umweltzone) in the city centre area. To enter this zone, your vehicle is required to have a Umweltzone sticker.

Parking for disabled people

Parking in Cologne can be challenging, especially when looking for free parking spaces near popular attractions such as the cathedral and old town. On-street parking is unlimited but tends to be more expensive than car parks. The city centre's public car parks offer hourly rates ranging from €1.50 to €2.50, with daily maximums between €10.00 and €25.00. Special rates may apply for evenings, weekends, and overnight stays.

For disabled people, several parking options are available:

Cologne Bonn Airport

Cologne Bonn Airport offers parking spaces specifically for disabled individuals. These spaces can be found in three different car parks:

• Car Park 1 (upper level)
• Car Park 2 (level 4, sector A)
• Car Park 3 (level 1, sector A)

Disabled persons with a blue EU parking permit or whose official disabled person's pass is marked "aG", "H", "B", or "Bl" can avail of a 100% discount for parking for up to one hour in Car Park 2, the short-term Car Park P1K, or P1A. This offer stands when presenting the permit at the ticket office in P2 (Level 4) or the Information Desk in Terminal 1. If your parking exceeds one hour, you are still eligible for a 50% discount on the current Car Park 2 parking rate as a goodwill gesture.

Please note that the presence of the disabled person is necessary to avail of these discounts, and you may be asked to provide personal data for auditing purposes. The cardholder must be present, as the EU parking permit is non-transferable.

APCOA Parking

APCOA offers special parking spaces for disabled individuals in several of their car parks in Cologne. These spaces are accessible by elevator or lift and are located in the following areas:

• MediaPark - Cinedom P1+2 (underground car park)
• MediaPark - MEAG - P6 (underground car park)

Parkhaus Kölner Dom

Parkhaus Kölner Dom is a parking garage located directly beneath the Cologne Cathedral, making it an ideal option for those looking to visit the cathedral and the surrounding area. This garage provides disabled parking spaces, and its address is Kurt-Hackenberg-Platz 2, 50667 Köln, Duitsland.

Frequently asked questions