Rick Steves Says This Item Can Get You Free Parking When Renting A Car In Europe

Renting a car is undoubtedly a great way to explore different places in Europe, as it gives you a chance to enjoy scenic towns and coastlines at your own pace. However, one problem that usually comes with this is the cost of parking, which may be reason enough to think twice before renting a car in Europe. Fortunately, veteran travel guide Rick Steves has a simple trick that can essentially get you free parking when using rental cars in Europe — a handy addition to his long list of tips that can help you save money and enjoy exploring Europe even more.

On his website, Steves notes that rental cars in Europe typically come with a cardboard parking clock — also known as a parking disc, or Parkscheibe in German — in the glove compartment. In case your rental car doesn't have it, you can get one at a convenience store or gas station. As he explains, "In many countries, parking signs indicate how long it's free to park providing you place the cardboard clock on your dash set to the time you arrived."

Luckily, the process is pretty straightforward. When you park in a zone where free parking is allowed (often called blue zones), simply set the parking clock to the time you arrived and place it on your dashboard, where it's visible through the windshield. This way, a parking attendant can easily check the clock to confirm whether you're within the official time limit — say, two hours — stated on the nearby parking sign. If your arrival time is within the time limit, you won't have to pay.

It's worth noting that the parking disc system doesn't exist across all of Europe. Even in places where it does operate, each country and city may have its own rules. For instance, the rules in Germany require drivers to set the disc to the next half-hour after arrival, rather than the exact arrival time. In other words, if you get to the parking zone at 10:03, you set the disc to 10:30. That way, if the sign says you've got two hours of free parking, you can stay until 12:30. Switzerland follows this same half-hour system. In Denmark, however, the disc must be set to the nearest quarter-hour. So, if you arrive at 10:07 a.m., you'll need to set the disc to 10:15. This same quarter-hour rule applies to Austria. 

Still, it's always important to check nearby parking signs for instructions, as they indicate the official rules and valid duration for each spot or area. Most importantly, bear in mind that you may get a fine if you forget to display the disc or if you set the wrong time. The same applies if you overstay your allowed time even for just a few minutes. Nonetheless, if you do everything right, parking discs are a great way to save money on parking fees while spending a little more on other experiences that will help you make the most of your time as a traveler in Europe.