It is increasingly difficult to park your car in the center of a big city without having to dig deep into your pocket. The free parking spaces that were available to users a few years ago have been decreasing over time. Environmental policies designed to reduce emissions give rise to a new model of urban mobility where the private vehicle has given prominence to other alternative means of transport, including bicycles and electric scooters.
In this context, parking for free in the center of large Spanish cities is increasingly difficult. The free parking spaces have given rise to new regulated parking service areas (SER), known as the Blue Zone (for rotation) and the Green Zone (for residents), so leaving the car on the street means having to carry out a significant financial outlay.
However, the park-and-ride promoted by some autonomous communities, such as Madrid, allow drivers to park their car for free on their journeys to the center of the city. The trick is to park the vehicle in one of those parking areas and from there use public transport to complete the last part of the journey.
These car parks can be used any day of the week and it is necessary to park the car for a minimum of 5 hours and up to a maximum of 16, then using public transport to travel within the city. When picking up the vehicle, the user must present the ticket that he collected when parking the car together with the ticket or ticket for the collective public transport that he used that same day to take advantage of the advantages offered by the park and ride parks.
The valid transport tickets to validate this type of parking are both single Metro or Light Metro tickets, urban bus, interurban bus and suburban train, as well as monthly or annual passes. Transport tickets for ten trips (Multi Card) are also accepted, one of the most popular among Madrid users.
In the case of not meeting any of the requirements (parking time or use of public transport), the user must pay the full ordinary rate resulting from the stay.
The park and ride parks in Madrid are located next to interchanges or intermodal transport areas with the aim of promoting intermodality between public and private transport. The EMT explains on its website that these infrastructures seek to improve the sustainability of urban mobility, especially at times of greatest traffic intensity, as well as in the urban environment, promoting the use of collective transport to the detriment of private vehicles to access and drive around the city.
The five parking areas that are part of the Aparca T Plan are located next to the Colmenar Viejo station, the Metropolitan Stadium, Ciudad Universitaria, Nuestra Señora del Recuerdo and Avenida de Portugal. In total, 5,840 spaces are offered in the park and ride, which the Community of Madrid wants to increase to 50,000 in the coming years.
