Kraków paid parking 2026: zones, hours, fines and permits
Short answer: In Kraków you pay 9:00 to 22:00 in subzones A, B and C. Subzone A also charges on Sundays except trading Sundays. Not paying costs 400 zl, or 200 zl within seven days.
Parking in central Kraków is paid, and the rules changed in 2026. Since 31 January 2026 the paid parking area (Obszar Płatnego Parkowania, OPP) charges for longer hours, subzone A charges on Sundays too, and the penalty for not paying went up to 400 zl. This guide uses the official pages of the Kraków road authority (Zarząd Dróg Miasta Krakowa, ZDMK), read in October 2026. The hourly rates are published by ZDMK as a table that changes with city decisions, so check the current rate table on the ZDMK site before you park.
Where and when you pay
The paid parking area is divided into subzones A, B and C. ZDMK lists the rules in force since 30 April 2026:
- Subzone A: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 to 22:00.
- Subzone B: Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 22:00.
- Subzone C: Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 22:00.
ZDMK says the change from 31 January 2026 did not alter the hourly rates. Its stated aim was to improve turnover of cars and limit the blocking of spaces. You pay for parking on public roads in the designated spaces. The area is marked by D-44 signs (paid parking zone) on the entry streets and D-45 signs where it ends.
Free days
In all subzones, ZDMK says you do not pay on these days: 1 January, 6 January, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, 1 May, 3 May, Pentecost (Zielone Świątki), Corpus Christi (Boże Ciało), 15 August, 1 November, 11 November, 24 December, 25 December and 26 December.
In subzone A, parking is also free on trading Sundays, the Sundays when shops can open under the Sunday trading law. On other Sundays you pay in subzone A, unless you hold an active Kraków Card (Karta Krakowska) status and have entered your car's plate number in your Kraków Card account. See our guide to Sunday shopping in Poland for the dates.
How to pay
ZDMK lists several ways to pay: parking meters, mobile apps, and contactless cards at the meter (the ZDMK FAQ mentions PayPass and PayWave type cards). A payment is made for a chosen subzone at that subzone's rate. According to the FAQ, it can also cover parking in subzones with lower hourly rates. It does not work the other way round.
If you want to extend a payment, do it within 10 minutes of its expiry. ZDMK gives the example of a payment valid until 12:00, which must be extended by 12:10 at the latest. A gap of more than 10 minutes between two payments can lead to a penalty notice.
The penalty for not paying
If you do not pay, you get a notice for an additional fee of 400 zl. ZDMK says that if the money reaches its account within seven days of the notice being issued, the fee drops to 200 zl. What counts is the date the money arrives, not the date you send the transfer. You can pay by bank transfer to the individual account number printed on the notice, or at the Parking Zone Office at ul. Reymonta 20.
If the fee is not paid within 14 days of the event, ZDMK says it starts reminder proceedings and then enforcement. You can complain, and the fee can be cancelled if you show during the complaint procedure that you paid for the time of parking. ZDMK also says a notice is not cancelled just because you were looking for change, unless you paid within 10 minutes of parking.
Permits (abonament)
ZDMK sells permits online at eabonament.zdmk.pl or in its customer office. Each permit is issued for one registration number and works only for that car. There are several types:
- Type "O": open to anyone, including people who work in the area, for a chosen subzone or the whole area. People employed in the paid area get no discount on it.
- Type "KR" (residents): a discounted permit for a person registered at a permanent or temporary address in the paid area who pays income tax in Kraków or has Kraków Card status, and who has a car under a listed legal title such as ownership or leasing. You get only one, and you can park only in the sector of your registered address. Renting or owning a flat there is not enough without registration (meldunek).
- Types "N" and "DOA": valid in the whole area, per the FAQ.
- Type "M": for businesses based in the area, with a revenue limit.
To get the "KR" permit you show an ID document or passport and proof of the right to the discount, such as the first page of last year's PIT with its UPO confirmation, or a Kraków Card status. For the tax side, see our guide to the Polish annual tax return.
Disabled parking
ZDMK says free parking applies only to holders of a valid disabled parking card, only on marked disabled spaces, with the card visible behind the windscreen. In other spaces the standard fee applies.
Frequently asked questions
Is parking in Kraków free on Sundays?
In subzones B and C, yes, because they charge Monday to Saturday. In subzone A you pay on Sundays, except trading Sundays, and Kraków Card holders with a registered plate are exempt.
How much is the fine for not paying?
400 zl, reduced to 200 zl if the money reaches ZDMK within seven days of the notice, according to ZDMK.
Can I get a resident permit if I rent a flat in the zone?
Not just by renting. ZDMK says the "KR" permit needs registration at an address in the paid area, and the other conditions in the rules.
Who do I call about problems?
ZDMK lists a 24-hour intervention number: 12 616 7555.
