Parking in Leiden: rates, zones and hours
On-street parking in Leiden costs €3.10 to €4.00 per hour, depending on the area. Paid parking applies zone A Mon–Sat 9:00–21:00 and Sunday 13:00–21:00. SimplePark knows all 37 parking zones of Leiden: start your session in the app, stop it when you leave and pay only for the time you parked. Covered parking is available at Lammermarkt car park. The rates come from the municipality and were checked on September 7, 2026. With SimplePark you start and stop the parking session in the app and pay by the minute, plus €0.29 in service costs per parking action.
Where to park in Leiden
Leiden has a low-traffic city centre and deliberately sends visitors to the car parks. That is also the cheapest route: in the car parks you pay less than on the street, and with Reserveer & Parkeer you book a space in advance in Lammermarkt, Garenmarkt or Morspoort for € 12.50 per part of the day or € 16.65 for a full day, instead of € 25. Your licence plate is recognised at the barrier, and during your reservation you may drive in and out as often as you like. Haarlemmerstraat car park is for now closed to incoming traffic.
On the street Leiden is split into zones. Zone A is the centre and there everything is on permit 24 hours a day, with the exception of eight short-stay locations where you may stand for a maximum of two hours at € 4.00 per hour. In the neighbourhoods around it, zone B and C, the hourly rate is € 3.10.
Until when you pay per zone
The times differ per zone, and that is the detail visitors trip over. In zone A and zone B1 the clock runs from Monday through Saturday from 9.00 to 21.00; in zone A you also pay on Sunday between 13.00 and 21.00, while zone B1 is then free. In zone B2 and zone C you only pay from Monday through Friday, from 9.00 to 19.30, and Saturday and Sunday are free. On public holidays the normal rates and times apply everywhere.
If you are quickly picking something up, check whether there is a short-stay spot nearby. Outside the centre the first two hours there cost € 0.20 per hour. Watch the meters with a red hood: parking permits are not valid there.
Paying by phone
On the street you pay at the nearest meter or via mobile parking. Because the rates and times differ per zone, a session on your phone is extra practical in Leiden: with SimplePark you start it as soon as you stop and stop it when you drive off, and you pay per minute exactly the time you stood in that zone.
Rates and paid hours in Leiden
Zone A, the centre
€4.00 per hour
Paid hours
Maximum
Zone B1
€3.10 per hour
Paid hours
Zone B2 and zone C
€3.10 per hour
Paid hours
Rates as of September 7, 2026, source: Leiden municipality.
Car parks in Leiden
Lammermarkt car park
Garenmarkt car park
Morspoort car park
Haarlemmerstraat car park
Ringkade car park
Soestdijkkade car park
How to pay with SimplePark in Leiden
- Open the app: it finds the zone you are in, or you enter the zone code from the meter.
- Pick your plate and start your session. You see the Leiden rate right away.
- Stop the session when you leave. You pay only for the time you parked.
FAQ about parking in Leiden
What does parking in Leiden cost?
Zone A, the centre: €4.00 per hour, short-stay parking maximum 2 hours; Zone B1: €3.10 per hour; Zone B2 and zone C: €3.10 per hour
On top of that SimplePark charges a €0.29 service fee per session.
Until what time is parking paid in Leiden?
Paid parking in Leiden applies zone A Mon–Sat 9:00–21:00 and Sunday 13:00–21:00.
Can you park on the street as a visitor in Leiden city centre?
Only at eight short-stay locations, and then for a maximum of 2 hours at the normal zone A rate. The rest of the on-street spaces in the centre are 24/7 for permit holders; without a permit you need a day, week, month or year ticket there. For a longer stay a car park is intended, and cheaper.
What is short-stay parking in Leiden's neighbourhoods?
At short-stay locations in zone B and C you pay € 0.20 per hour for the first two hours, then the normal rate of € 3.10. You often find them at shopping centres, swimming pools and business parks, recognisable by the short-stay teardrop sign.