How to park for free in Bilbao?
How to park for free in Bilbao, in the most famous city in the north of Spain, may seem like a question that is difficult to answer, as even the locals know. But there is some useful information you will find in this article that will help you find an answer to this question.
How to park for free in Bilbao, in the most famous city in the north of Spain, may seem like a question that is difficult to answer, as even the locals know. But there is some useful information you will find in this article that will help you find an answer to this question.
Bilbao is located in Euskadi, the Basque Country, a city with a very special and unique culture that makes it attractive. Not in vain, it is the only region of the Iberian Peninsula that managed to resist the Roman invasions, allowing them to maintain their language, Euskera, which has no roots in common with any other known language, becoming a fundamental element that distinguishes this region that every year attracts thousands of tourists as well as students who choose to carry out their studies here.
Free parking in Bilbao
Bilbao offers free parking for your car, but unfortunately these options are not very central. If you choose to use one of the following car parks, unless you like long walks, you will have to rely on public transport.
Below is a list of neighbourhoods where you can find free parking and their characteristics:
Deusto: Area away from the centre, about 25 minutes walk, and known for its prestigious university, has some free parking spaces. San Ignacio: Area a little further away from the more touristy parts of the city, has many free parking spaces. Although Bilbao is not a big city, it is not advisable to go to the centre from San Ignacio, as it would be much more than half an hour. Txurdinaga: A case very similar to the other areas, although a bit further away from the central part of the city. It is an area with few people, so although it may be relatively easy to find a parking space, we will leave our vehicle fairly unprotected in the face of possible threats. Artxanda: Area on the outskirts of the city where the mountain range of the same name is located. It is the furthest option to find free parking in Bilbao. Its connections with the centre are more limited, so the only option will be to go on foot.
Low-cost alternative to park for free in Bilbao
The historic centre of Bilbao is regulated by OTA in 12 zones. In these areas you will find ticket machines. This system has different forms of payment, and offers many options, including remote parking renewal and even reimbursement of the hours you don't park if you pick up your car before the end of the paid time.
It runs from 9:00 to 13:30 and from 15:00 to 20:00 from Monday to Friday, and on Saturdays in more central areas. On streets where the OTA system operates, you can only park your car for 2 or 5 hours, depending on whether the zone is marked blue or green. However, the main difficulty with this type of choice is that it is difficult to find free spaces due to the high usage, especially by locals.
Below we show you the rates according to the zone in which you may park:
Green zone: - 0,0€ por 15 minutes. - 0,52€ for 30 minutes. - 1,27€ for 1 hour. - 3,15€ for 2 hours. - 6,15€ for 3 hours. - 9,45€ for 4 hours. - 13,00€ por 5 horas. Blue zone: - 0,0€ por 15 minutos. - 0,52€ for 30 minutes. - 1,27€ for 1 hour. - 2,06€ for 1 hour and 30 minutes. - 3,15€ por 2 hours.
Worry-free alternatives?
Of course, parking for free in Bilbao is not as difficult as it seemed before you started reading this article, but these solutions do involve a certain amount of stress: firstly, finding a free parking space, and secondly, even when you do find one, the worry of finding unpleasant surprises when you get back to your car may distract you from enjoying your trip.
That's why our advice doesn't stop there, because there's another cheap, quick and safe alternative that could solve all your parking and stress problems. By using Parkimeter's services you can park in the city centre at a price of your choice.
Just follow these simple steps:
- Download the Parkimeter app or visit the website;
- Compare the prices of car parks in your chosen area;
- Choose the one that best suits your needs;
- Reserve your parking space.
Remember that all the car parks in Bilbao on the platform are guarded, so you can enjoy your stay in the city without any worries.