Free Parking in Antwerp: 7 Spots That Actually Work

Free parking in Antwerp still exists. Not everywhere, not always, but the locals know where to look. These seven spots and smart tricks save you €15 to €30 per visit — money better spent on Belgian beer and chocolate.

Why hunting for free parking in Antwerp pays off

Street parking in central Antwerp runs €1.50 to €3.00 per hour depending on the zone. A half-day visit easily adds up to €10 to €15 in parking fees alone. Underground garages like Stadspark Garage or Parking Groenplaats charge €20 to €30 per day. That stings.

Yet there are places where you pay nothing at all. Some are within walking distance of the city centre, others a short tram ride away. Most locals know them. Most tourists drive right past them. With some planning, you park for free and reach the Groenplaats in twenty minutes.

One thing to know before you go: Antwerp has a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) covering the entire area inside the Singel ring road and part of Linkeroever. Check lez.antwerpen.be to verify your vehicle is allowed. Fines range from €150 to €350, which quickly erases the savings from your free parking spot.

Linkeroever: Antwerp's worst-kept secret

Across the Scheldt river, directly opposite the historic centre, lies one of the best free parking spots in the city. Linkeroever (Left Bank) offers spacious street parking along Sint-Annalaan and the surrounding residential streets where you can park all day for free.

For free parking in Antwerp, Linkeroever is the easiest option. Drive through the Kennedy Tunnel or Waasland Tunnel, park in the streets near Sint-Annastrand, and you are set. No parking meters, no time limits, and nearly always space available. On a weekday, you will find a spot within two minutes. Weekends can be busier near the beach, but there is always room a street or two further.

What makes this spot special is the connection to the centre. The Sint-Annatunnel, a pedestrian tunnel beneath the Scheldt, takes you from Linkeroever to Het Steen and the historic old town in five minutes on foot. The tunnel is free, the wooden escalators are a quirky attraction in themselves, and you step directly into the heart of Antwerp. Cyclists can use the tunnel too, so a folding bike gets you there even faster.

The best time to park at Linkeroever is early morning on a Saturday or Sunday. Combine a free parking spot with a walk along Sint-Annastrand and breakfast by the water before crossing through the tunnel into the city centre. On warm summer days the beach gets busy after 11 AM, but the streets behind it remain quiet.

P+R Schoonselhof: free parking with a tram connection

Park and Ride Schoonselhof on the Krijgsbaan in Wilrijk offers 116 free parking spaces and a direct tram connection to central Antwerp. Parking costs nothing, regardless of how long you stay. The P+R is accessible via the A12 and the Singel, and lies just outside the Low Emission Zone.

The car park is paved, lit, and monitored by cameras. You drive in, park, and walk to the tram stop right next to the entrance. Tram 24 (toward Silsburg) takes you to Centraal Station or Rooseveltplaats in roughly fifteen minutes. A single trip with De Lijn costs €2.50 via the app or contactless payment, but a day pass at €7.50 is better value if you plan multiple trips. Compare that with €25 for a day ticket in a city centre garage.

What makes this P+R particularly appealing is its location next to Schoonselhof, one of Europe's most beautiful cemeteries. Combine your city visit with a stroll through this 16-hectare green park estate. The monumental grave markers, old trees, and peaceful atmosphere make it a surprisingly lovely stop.

Schoonselhof works best for visitors arriving from the south or southwest. The P+R fills up on busy Saturdays around 11 AM, so leave early. On weekdays, there is almost always space. De Lijn recommends checking current availability at delijn.be.

P+R Luchtbal: the first twelve hours free

P+R Luchtbal, also known as P+R Olympiade, sits on the Noorderlaan in the north of the city. The first twelve hours of parking are completely free. After that, you pay just €1 per 24 hours. For a day trip to Antwerp, you pay nothing here.

The P+R has 1,700 spaces and connects to the Luchtbal tram stop, where tram 6 (toward Olympiade) takes you to the Astrid stop near Centraal Station in about thirty minutes. The site is easily reached via the E19 from Breda and the A12 from Bergen op Zoom, making it a logical choice for Dutch visitors. The parking area is paved, has lighting, and sits outside the LEZ.

The grounds border the Noordkasteel, a former fortress that is now a popular park with an artificial beach, walking paths, and a skatepark. On a sunny day, it is worth arriving an hour early to explore the Noordkasteel before taking the tram into the city. The sunset at Noordkasteel beach is one of the finest in Antwerp.

The twelve-hour free rule makes Luchtbal ideal for day visits but less suited for an Antwerp weekend. Anyone staying longer still pays just €1 per day, keeping it one of the cheapest options in the city. Busiest moments: Saturday mornings during shopping Sundays and major events at the Sportpaleis. Arriving before 10 AM is the key on those days.

P+R Melsele: the largest free car park on the edge

With 365 completely free parking spaces, P+R Melsele is the biggest Park and Ride on the outskirts of Antwerp. The car park sits in Melsele (Beveren), on the N70, and offers a tram connection that takes you to Groenplaats in 25 minutes.

The car park is spaciously laid out, paved, and freely accessible without barriers or registration. You drive in, park, and walk to the tram stop. Tram 3 (toward Merksem) runs every ten minutes toward central Antwerp, taking you to Groenplaats or Meir in 25 minutes.

Melsele is the best option for visitors coming from East Flanders or the Waasland region. Its location on the N70 makes it easy to reach from Ghent, Sint-Niklaas, and Lokeren. The tram ride takes slightly longer than from Schoonselhof or Luchtbal, but you will almost always find a spot. Even on the busiest days, Melsele rarely fills up.

Best strategy for Melsele: plan your visit on a weekday and combine it with a stop at Fort Liefkenshoek nearby, a well-preserved 16th-century Spanish fort on the Scheldt. Check the tram timetable at delijn.be and plan your return trip ahead. From our experience at SparkSpot, those who plan ahead nearly always park cheaper and stress-free.

Street parking on Sundays and public holidays: the entire city for free

On every Sunday and on official public holidays, street parking across Antwerp is completely free. No parking disc, no meter, no app. You simply park and walk away. This applies to all paid parking zones in the city, including the centre.

The rules are straightforward. On Sundays and public holidays you do not need to pay at parking meters anywhere in the city of Antwerp. Garages and private car parks charge their normal rates, so this only applies to street parking. The official public holidays with free parking are: New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Labour Day (1 May), Ascension Day, Whit Monday, National Day (21 July), Assumption (15 August), All Saints' Day (1 November), Armistice Day (11 November), and Christmas Day (25 December). Source: antwerpen.be/parkeren.

This is by far the easiest way to park for free in Antwerp's centre. Schedule your visit on a Sunday and you effortlessly save €15 to €20. The downside: demand for street parking in the centre is obviously higher on Sundays. Arrive before 10 AM and you will usually find a spot near the Meir or Het Zuid. After 11 AM, it becomes a search.

The combination of free Sunday parking with a visit to the Sunday market at Theaterplein or the antiques market at Klapdorp is a classic among locals. What we see daily at SparkSpot: parking demand in Antwerp peaks on Saturday, not Sunday. That confirms the Sunday trick remains underused.

Street parking after 10 PM: the evening trick

In most paid parking zones in Antwerp, meters are active between 9:00 AM and 10:00 PM. Anyone parking after 10 PM pays nothing until 9:00 AM the next morning. That is eleven hours of free parking, right in the city centre.

The exact times vary by zone. In the centre (zone 1), paid parking applies Monday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. In zones 2 and 3, the ring around the centre, the payment requirement often ends at 6:00 PM or 8:00 PM. Check the information on the parking meter or the signs on the street, as exceptions exist. The city of Antwerp publishes a full parking zone map at antwerpen.be/parkeren.

This trick is perfect for evenings out, restaurant visits, concerts at the Stadsschouwburg or the Sportpaleis, or a late-night walk along the illuminated Scheldekaaien. Park after 10 PM, enjoy your evening, and drive away before 9 AM without paying a cent. On Friday and Saturday evenings, the most popular streets around Het Zuid and Groenplaats fill up quickly, but side streets almost always have space.

Watch out for a few pitfalls. Some streets with resident parking have different rules, and the city may impose temporary parking bans during events. Always check the street signs. And remember: if you stay past 9 AM the next morning, you will need to buy a ticket or move your car.

Scheldekaaien: free spots along the water

The renovated Scheldekaaien, the stretch between Het Steen and the Eilandje district, offer a handful of free parking options. These are not large car parks but scattered spots along the quays without parking meters.

Specifically, the strips along Bonapartedok and Willemdok in the Eilandje area have parking bays with no payment requirement, though they are limited in number. On weekdays you can sometimes find a spot during the day, but on weekends and summer evenings they are nearly always taken. The MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) is a five-minute walk away, and the view from the museum rooftop is free.

The Scheldekaaien themselves became largely car-free after renovation, but the side streets and docks still offer possibilities. The Eilandje combines old port heritage with modern architecture, and a walk from the MAS to the Red Star Line Museum takes twenty minutes along the water. Anyone who finds free parking here gets Antwerp's most scenic walking route right at their doorstep.

As a free parking option in Antwerp, this is not a spot to count on. The free spaces are limited and variable. Think of it as a bonus: if you find one, great. If not, P+R Luchtbal is a ten-minute drive away and a reliable alternative. The Scheldekaaien work best for a short visit on a weekday afternoon, when the chances of finding a free spot are highest.

Park smart, save more

Free parking in Antwerp is no myth — it is a matter of knowing where to look. From Linkeroever to the P+R sites, from Sundays to evening hours: those who plan smart pay nothing or close to it.

Still, free is not always the most convenient choice. Sometimes you just want to park close to your destination without taking a tram or waiting for Sunday. In that case, a pre-booked private parking spot in Antwerp is often cheaper than a city garage and closer to the centre than a P+R. Check the available spots in Antwerp and book in a few clicks.

Frequently asked questions

Can you really park for free in central Antwerp?

Yes. On Sundays and official public holidays, street parking in all paid zones across Antwerp is free. On other days, you can park for free at Linkeroever and walk through the Sint-Annatunnel to the centre in five minutes. After 10 PM, street parking in the centre is also free until 9 AM the next morning.

Which P+R car parks are free in Antwerp?

P+R Schoonselhof (Wilrijk, 116 spaces) and P+R Melsele (365 spaces) are completely free with no time limit. P+R Luchtbal offers the first twelve hours free, then €1 per 24 hours. All three connect to public transport into the centre.

Do I need a parking disc for free parking in Antwerp?

In Antwerp's blue zones, you need a parking disc and parking is limited to two hours. The free options in this article (P+R, Linkeroever, Sundays, evening hours) do not require a parking disc. Always check the street signs for the specific rules at your parking location.