Big price differences In a small town you pay 1000 francs for a parking card

The costs for residents' parking permits in Switzerland vary widely: while La Chaux-de-Fonds charges just 20 francs, an annual permit in Wetzikon costs 960 francs.

The price differences for long-term parking cards in Switzerland are large: in La Chaux-de-Fonds, residents can park for a year for 20 francs, while in Wetzikon an annual parking card costs 960 francs. This is shown by a Comparis comparison of long-term parking permits in the 40 largest Swiss cities.

Wide price range between Swiss cities

A recent analysis by the online comparison service comparis.ch shows huge price differences for residents' parking permits in the 40 largest Swiss municipalities. While an annual parking permit in La Chaux-de-Fonds costs just 20 francs, Wetzikon charges 960 francs.

"As in many other areas, Switzerland is a patchwork quilt when it comes to parking permits. This is reflected both in the hugely differing tariffs and in the various guidelines for issuing residents' parking permits," observes Comparis mobility expert Adi Kolecic.

Cheap parking in cities in western Switzerland

Western regions are more generous than cities in eastern Switzerland. For example, a long-term parking permit costs 200 francs in all Geneva municipalities and only 110 francs in Neuchâtel. Residents of La Chaux-de-Fonds even receive an annual parking permit free of charge. They only have to pay a processing fee of 20 francs. The Bernese cities of Thun (CHF 220) and Bern (CHF 264) are also remarkably cheap.

"The cheapest long-term parking permits are often available in cities with high taxes - so they tend to be in western Switzerland," says the Comparis expert. Geneva, for example, has the highest income tax rate at over 43 percent, while in Zug it is significantly lower at just under 23 percent.

Parking fees independent of environmental policy

However, regional pricing cannot be directly linked to the political orientation of the cities. While left-green dominated cities often pursue a stricter environmental policy, there is no clear correlation in the fees for long-term parking permits. Cities such as La Chaux-de-Fonds (64 percent left-green seats in the municipal parliament), Geneva (55 percent) and Bern (55 percent) are among the most favorable. At the same time, bourgeois majorities tend to predominate in cities with comparatively high parking fees. These include Wetzikon, for example, where the left-green share is just 36%, Wil SG (33%) and Zug (31%).

"The prices for long-term parking permits depend less on the political color of a city than on economic conditions," says mobility expert Adi Kolecic. "High fees are often found in financially strong municipalities."

Residents have to dig deeper and deeper into their pockets for parking permits

The still inexpensive long-term parking permits in Bern will no longer be around for long. In 2023, voters approved an increase from CHF 264 to CHF 492. However, implementation is being delayed due to ongoing complaints. In Basel, prices have already risen sharply: from 2025, a resident parking permit there will cost up to CHF 512 instead of the previous CHF 284. A significant increase in charges is planned in Zurich. Stricter conditions are also to apply.

However, a referendum was held against the decision in Zurich. A referendum will be held in the fall of 2025.

These developments show that long-term parking permits are becoming increasingly expensive in many cities. This is a particular burden for drivers without their own parking space. "The rising fees for long-term parking permits are a clear sign that public space is becoming more and more expensive and parking spaces are increasingly being treated as a valuable resource," says Kolecic.

The price increases for long-term parking permits are not going unnoticed. The price watchdog has developed a cost model for long-term parking spaces. In order to determine fair prices, land costs, production and management of public parking spaces are taken into account. The municipalities must obtain a recommendation from the price watchdog before any increase in charges.

More hurdles for car owners in the city

More and more Swiss municipalities are only issuing parking permits if no private parking space is available. Cities such as Biel, Winterthur and Lucerne already apply this regulation, and it is planned in Zurich. The reason: private parking spaces are often lucratively rented out to commuters instead of being used by the vehicle owners themselves.

However, this practice also poses challenges: "In many large cities, private parking spaces are expensive - the monthly costs can amount to several hundred francs. This is particularly problematic for low-income households that rely on a car despite high housing costs - whether for work or to care for relatives," says the mobility expert.

The increasing popularity of SUVs in Switzerland is not only leading to a greater need for space on the roads, but also to a growing parking problem in cities. Basel was the first Swiss city to respond to this by introducing a graduated parking fee system in 2025: While the parking card for small cars costs CHF 332, drivers of larger vehicles will have to pay CHF 512 per year. Zurich is planning a similar regulation.

The Comparis expert welcomes the staggered parking fee regulation. "Larger vehicles take up more space. A differentiated fee structure creates a financial incentive to use smaller and more space-saving cars." This measure could also help to reduce the pressure on scarce parking spaces in cities.

Free parking spaces are a rarity

In Switzerland, free parking spaces are increasingly becoming the exception. While parking is free in residential areas in Rapperswil-Jona, Winterthur abolished free parking in the white zone in 2024.

Free parking is still available in other municipalities such as Wädenswil. But anyone who parks their car overnight in the Lake Zurich municipality will pay a night parking fee of CHF 540 per year.