Parking in Philadelphia
Learn more about meters, garages and parking lots
Driving into the city? No problem! We’ve got plenty of places to park your car. From garages and lots, to metered or on-street parking – there are many choices. If you’re only going to be a few hours, street parking may make sense for you. But, if you plan on spending the day exploring our downtown, a garage will be helpful in avoiding having to constantly refill the meter, or even worse, a parking ticket.
On-Street, Metered Parking
Philadelphia recently began getting rid of coin-operated meters, replacing them with multi-space meter kiosks that accept coins, cash, credit/debit cards, or Smart Cards (convenient, prepaid cards that are available in $10, $20, and $50 denominations).
To use the multi-space metered spots, just park in a designated parking area and head to the green kiosk. Next, insert money to cover the amount of time you’ll be parked for (the current cost for meters in downtown Philadelphia is $2/hour) or insert a credit/debit card or Smart Card and select the amount of time you’ll be in the space. Then, hit the button to signal that your transaction is complete. A receipt will be dispensed that you’ll need to place in your windshield, on the curbside of the automobile (so the meter readers can see it).
Parking Lots & Garages
The Philadelphia Parking Authority operates many off-street parking lots and garages throughout the city. For a list of locations, hourly rates, hours of operation, and more, visit www.philapark.org.
Tips for Parking in Philadelphia
- Make sure you check the Parking Signs on any street you’re thinking of parking on. These will tell you the hours and days that parking is allowed, the length of time parking is allowed, and if there’s a meter that has to be paid. You may not have to pay the meter if you’re there on a certain day or at a certain time.
- Don’t want to carry around a bunch of change? Try a Smart Card – you can purchase them directly from the Philadelphia Parking Authority or at retail locations throughout the city, including the Independence Visitor Center.
