Everything you need to know about paid parking in Moscow

Parking options

It is almost impossible to drive around the city without parking. Current parking fees in Moscow depend on zoning and differentiated rates. The city also offers more than 75 open car parks with barriers (gates), with a capacity of 67,000 cars.

Park and ride facilities have been established near some metro stations. Motorists can park for free from 6 am to 2 am as long as they use the metro twice that day.

Parking rates

Within the Boulevard Ring parking rates are as follows:

— General daily rate — 80 roubles per hour;

— variable rate: from 8pm to 8am — 80 roubles per hour; from 8am to 8pm — 50 roubles for the first 30 minutes, and 150 roubles per hour from the 31stminute.

Within the Garden Ring the following parking rates are applicable:

— a general 24-hour rate — 60 roubles per hour;

— a variable rate: from 8pm to 8am — 60 roubles per hour; from 8am to 8pm — 60 roubles for the first hour, and 100 roubles per hour from the 61st minute.

Between the outer Garden Ring and the Third Ring Road (TTR) as well as in some streets beyond the TTR, the general rate — 60 roubles per hour and a reduced 24-hour rate — 40 roubles per hour.

On 133 streets within the TTR, where a higher rate is applicable, parking costs 200 roubles per hour, 24 hours.

How to pay for parking

At car parks with a barrier (gate), hourly and subscription rates are charged. A few offer reduced rates: 50 roubles per hour for the first two hours, then free for another 22 hours of continuous parking.

There are several methods to pay for parking. Moscow drivers can choose the most convenient.

Mobile app

To register For iOS, For Android, For Windows Send the letters PIN in a free text message to 7757. Users can then log in (the username is the mobile number and the password will be received in a return text message), top up the parking account and click To Park. To extend parking time, users must click ► , to terminate parking, the ■ button must be chosen. The app offers per-minute billing.

Text message

Send a text message to 7757 specifying the following: parking lot number, asterisk, the car’s licence plate number, asterisk, the number of hours from one to 24 (for example, 1004*А123АА199*3). The fee will be debited from the mobile account and reserved on the parking account, which is automatically created after the first payment.

To extend parking time, send another SMS message with the following text: X and the number of hours (when renewing for two hours: X2). For early termination of parking, send a text message with the letters S or C to the above number. After that, the unused portion of parking time will be refunded to the parking account. A confirmation text message must be received with a report on the service provided.

Parking metres

To pay for parking with parking metres, in the terminal menu, choose the payment option Payment, enter the car’s licence plate number in the А000АА199 format as well as the parking lot number. Terminals accept credit cards. The card should be pressed against the validator, fee withdrawal will follow. A parking card balance can be checked via a parking metre by selecting Balance in the terminal menu.

QIWI terminals

QIWI terminals accept cash. The locations can be found on the map. 

Voice-activated payment

To pay by voice, call the Moscow Transport hotline using the free number 3210, or the city line +7 (495) 539-54-54, select the option in the voice menu (press 2); and give the parking zone number, the desired parking duration, and the car’s licence plate number. The system will automatically recognise words, repeat them and ask for a confirmation to start the parking time. If the information was not articulated clearly, the answering machine will ask the caller to repeat the data. To terminate or extend parking, call again, or use either of the standard ways — the Moscow Parking app or SMS service, by sending a text message to number 7757 with a letter C.

Who is entitled to free parking?

Residents of the buildings in a metered parking zone can park their cars for free between 8pm and 8am if they have a resident permit.

A permit for one, two or three years can be issued to flat owners or tenants renting flats under social or business lease agreements.

After acquiring a permit, an annual fee of 3,000 roubles (6,000 or 9,000 thousand roubles for two and three years, respectively) can be paid to allow 24 hour parking.

Motorcycles and electric vehicles can park free at all times.

How to apply for a resident parking permit

It is possible to apply for a resident parking permit in person at any My Documents Integrated Government Service Centre.

The following documents must be submitted:

— an ID;

— a vehicle certificate (a scanned copy);

— a notarised consent of all flat owners (tenants under a social lease contract) specifying which vehicle the permit is to be issued for (scanned copy);

— a lease/sublease agreement, a record from the building register or a single housing document (scanned copy).

In addition, there can be no outstanding fines.

Free parking on Sundays and public holidays

Parking is free for everyone on Sundays and public holidays. In this calendar year, the free days are listed here.

Fines for unpaid parking and illegal parking

The fine for failure to pay for parking is 2,500 roubles, the fine for failure to comply with parking regulations — from 3,000 to 5,000 roubles.

The fine for illegal parking in a place reserved for people with disabilities is 5,000 roubles.

A vehicle may be towed in the cases below.

If the car is left:

— on a pedestrian crossing;

— at a bus stop;

— on tram tracks;

— in a tunnel or on the roadway;

— on the pavement;

— in other places where parking is prohibited.

More information on the city’s paid parking is available on mos.ru in the How-to section.