Parking a van in Prague: where you can stop and where you can't

Parking a van in Prague: how it differs from a car

Parking a van in Prague runs into three things: the length of the vehicle, its height and paid parking zones. Each of them can be dealt with, but you need to plan for them in advance. The worst option is to arrive at your destination with a loaded van and only then start working out where to put it.

Length decides where you'll fit

A longer van needs a much bigger space than a car. A space you'd get into in one go with a car isn't enough for a van even in two attempts. So when looking for a spot, skip the shorter gaps straight away and head for the ends of rows, the edges of car parks and places where nobody parks because they're unnecessarily big for an ordinary car. Find out the length of the specific model you're taking in advance — you'll find an overview in our fleet.

Height rules out most underground car parks

Height barriers at car park entrances are the most common surprise with vans. Shopping centres and residential buildings often have an entrance restricted by a ramp or a barrier with a fixed height, and a taller van won't fit under it. Find out the van's height in advance and remember that a roof rack or an aerial adds to it. If you're not sure, plan to park outside.

Paid parking zones

Blue zones are for residents, and our vans don't have parking permits for them. Parking in blue zones is not part of the service, so keep that in mind when planning. Short-term zones are paid for at a parking machine or through a mobile app and often have a limited maximum parking time, which may not be enough for a full day of unloading. Always read what's on the upright sign and the supplementary plate — the rules differ from street to street.

Reserved spaces aren't free spaces

A space marked as reserved belongs to a specific user, even if it happens to be empty. The same goes for areas reserved for deliveries and for entrances that look unused. In densely built-up neighbourhoods, these are exactly the places that most often lead to a driver coming back to an empty kerb. So read the whole supplementary plate, not just its first line.

Park and ride car parks

At park and ride car parks, check the conditions in advance. Some have restrictions for longer or taller vehicles, while elsewhere the capacity on weekdays is used up by mid-morning. If you're heading into the centre, it's usually safer to park just beyond the busiest streets and walk the last stretch.

How to plan a stop outside your building

Unloading isn't parking

Stopping for as long as is strictly necessary to load and unload is different from parking. It's governed by road traffic rules, so no-stopping restrictions apply even when unloading, and you mustn't block a tram lane, a cycle lane, a pedestrian crossing or an entrance. The sensible approach is to stop as close as possible, quickly carry the load to the door and only then go and park the van somewhere quieter.

Think about height too, not just the footprint. At courtyard entrances, under awnings and under low tree branches, a van gets damaged more easily than you'd expect, because the driver is mainly watching the wheels. Before you reverse under anything hanging over the road, get out and have a look.

Arrange it with someone in advance

The easiest thing is to have someone at the building who can keep the space for you. When moving, it pays to arrive an hour earlier, when the street is quieter, and claim the spot. In inner courtyards, ask the building manager whether the gate can be opened and whether the van will fit through — courtyard entrances tend to be low and narrow.

Shopping centres and DIY stores

At large stores, vans head to the goods collection points, not the car parks. Collection points usually have a dedicated loading area where you can get a tall vehicle right up to the door. Ask on site which way a goods vehicle should go and you'll save yourself driving round the whole site.

Before you set off and before you return the van

Go through the route on a map in advance. Satellite view these days even shows whether there's a kerb, a bollard or a reserved space in front of the building. Ten minutes at the computer replaces half an hour of circling the block.

Allow extra time. In the centre, add a good twenty minutes for finding a spot. So don't plan your booking right up to the limit, and you won't have to rush when returning the van.

The van goes back where you got it from. You return it to the same location with a full tank, so build the last petrol station into your plan before you arrive. You can leave your own car parked at the location free of charge for the duration of the rental, which takes care of a large part of the parking worries when moving. You'll find details about pick-up and return in the FAQ section, and more tips on driving around the city on our blog.