Every Belgian municipality has its own parking policy, leading to significant differences in parking fees between municipalities.
A large portion of many cities' revenue comes from parking.
Ghent, Bruges, and Brussels are prime examples of cities where parking demand exceeds supply, making parking revenues a significant contributor to their municipal budgets.
When you think of parking revenue, you might automatically think of day-trippers purchasing tickets while shopping or visiting the city.
However, in addition to earnings from parking meters, cities also generate income from resident permits and parking fines.
More and more major cities are encouraging visitors to avoid driving into the city center. They do this by implementing Low Emission Zones (LEZ) and providing park & ride facilities on the outskirts. Parking in the city center itself is often much more expensive.
As expected, parking fees are highest in major cities such as Brussels and Ghent, particularly in the busiest areas. In Ghent, people refer to "mobility millions," as more than €20 million per year is generated through parking policies.
These revenues are used to further develop the mobility policy, such as creating peripheral parking areas with shuttles, expanding cycling infrastructure, and adding extra parking spaces.
After Ghent and Brussels comes Antwerp, which is no surprise given that all these are high-traffic metropolitan areas. In Bruges, parking revenues in 2023 amounted to €4.5 million. Leuven and Kortrijk are also cities with significant parking income.
Smaller cities are also increasingly charging for parking in busy shopping areas, sometimes offering free short-term parking options.
This approach encourages visitors to use parking spaces while shopping but also motivates them not to stay too long, allowing other shoppers the opportunity to park.
It's a fact that we own more cars today—whereas it used to be common for a household to have just one car, this is now more the exception than the rule.
And how much is a parking fine (retribution) in these cities if you fail to pay for parking?
A parking fine in Brussels is €58.00.
In an underground parking facility in Ghent, you pay €2.40 per hour.
For on-street parking in the busiest zone, you pay €3.00 for the first hour. For 2 hours, it’s €7.00. There is a 3-hour maximum in this zone, which costs €11.50.
A parking fine in Ghent is €40.00.
In the paid parking zone, you can park for free for 1 hour. After that, the cost is €2.00 per hour.
A parking fine in Genk is €20.00 per day.
A parking fine in Hasselt is €25.00 per day.
The Seaside Promenade (Zeedijk) and areas close to the beach tend to be the most expensive, and some areas have a maximum parking duration.
A large portion of many cities' revenue comes from parking.
Ghent, Bruges, and Brussels are prime examples of cities where parking demand exceeds supply, making parking revenues a significant contributor to their municipal budgets.
When you think of parking revenue, you might automatically think of day-trippers purchasing tickets while shopping or visiting the city.
However, in addition to earnings from parking meters, cities also generate income from resident permits and parking fines.
Revenue from parking
More and more major cities are encouraging visitors to avoid driving into the city center. They do this by implementing Low Emission Zones (LEZ) and providing park & ride facilities on the outskirts. Parking in the city center itself is often much more expensive.As expected, parking fees are highest in major cities such as Brussels and Ghent, particularly in the busiest areas. In Ghent, people refer to "mobility millions," as more than €20 million per year is generated through parking policies.
These revenues are used to further develop the mobility policy, such as creating peripheral parking areas with shuttles, expanding cycling infrastructure, and adding extra parking spaces.
After Ghent and Brussels comes Antwerp, which is no surprise given that all these are high-traffic metropolitan areas. In Bruges, parking revenues in 2023 amounted to €4.5 million. Leuven and Kortrijk are also cities with significant parking income.
Smaller cities are also increasingly charging for parking in busy shopping areas, sometimes offering free short-term parking options.
This approach encourages visitors to use parking spaces while shopping but also motivates them not to stay too long, allowing other shoppers the opportunity to park.
It's a fact that we own more cars today—whereas it used to be common for a household to have just one car, this is now more the exception than the rule.
Parking fee comparison
We all know that parking costs are highest in big cities. But what are the maximum parking rates in the most expensive cities?And how much is a parking fine (retribution) in these cities if you fail to pay for parking?
Brussels
In Brussels’ busiest zone, you can park for a maximum of 2 hours. The first hour costs €3.50, and the second hour costs a hefty €5.30.A parking fine in Brussels is €58.00.
Ghent
In an underground parking facility in Ghent, you pay €2.40 per hour.For on-street parking in the busiest zone, you pay €3.00 for the first hour. For 2 hours, it’s €7.00. There is a 3-hour maximum in this zone, which costs €11.50.
A parking fine in Ghent is €40.00.
Bruges
In Bruges’ city center, short-term parking is encouraged. The price increases by €1.00 for each additional hour, with a maximum of 4 hours.- First hour: €2.50
- Second hour: €3.50 (and so on)
Genk
In Genk, parking costs are significantly lower.In the paid parking zone, you can park for free for 1 hour. After that, the cost is €2.00 per hour.
A parking fine in Genk is €20.00 per day.
Hasselt
In Hasselt's paid zone, parking costs €3.00 per hour between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM.A parking fine in Hasselt is €25.00 per day.
Ostend
Many Belgian coastal cities have higher parking fees during peak seasons when visitor numbers surge.The Seaside Promenade (Zeedijk) and areas close to the beach tend to be the most expensive, and some areas have a maximum parking duration.
- In Ostend’s busiest zones, you can park for up to 2 hours. Parking here costs €1.40 per hour, or €3.50 for two hours.
- In the Zeedijk parking lot, where longer parking is allowed, the cost is €2.80 per hour. For 2 hours, it’s €5.70.
- A parking fine in Ostend is €40.00.
An interesting detail: In Ostend, parking fines are issued between 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM, meaning you can potentially receive two fines in a single day.
Conclusion
As you can see, parking policies vary significantly from city to city, with major differences in both parking fees and fines.Beyond these revenues, some cities also earn money through resident parking permits, although this does not apply to all municipalities.
It's not just cities that can profit from parking and mobility—you can also rent out your parking space or garage. And it doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment. Just like municipalities, you can rent out your garage space per day via SparkSpot. Want to know how much you could earn?
