On weekdays from 07:00 to 20:00, cameras around Abando and Indautxu fine any car not cleared for Bilbao's low-emission zone (ZBE) €200. A foreign plate isn't on Spain's register, so sign the car up first, or drive straight into one of the garages the city exempts.
My plan: park under Plaza Euskadi for the Guggenheim, €16.35 for 24 hours, or at the Arenal for the old town, and walk. The street caps you at three hours.
Parking in Bilbao: Three hours on the street, €16.35 underground
1. Sign a foreign car up first
The ZBE has run since 15 June 2024, with fines since 16 September 2024. It covers about 2 km² of Abando and Indautxu, between the river, Sabino Arana, Avenida del Ferrocarril, Autonomía, San Francisco and Bailén. Cars with no DGT label are out, and label B too since June 2025. The ordinance has a low-emission foreign car register with the zone or request access online, with its technical sheet: Euro standard, fuel, first-registration date. No fee is published. Weekends and holidays are free.
2. Drive straight into an exempt garage
Going directly into an underground car park isn't fined. The city named Pío Baroja, Azkuna Zentroa, Plaza Euskadi, Plaza Indautxu, Instituto Unamuno, Zubiarte and El Corte Inglés. If your hotel is inside the zone, the ordinance lets it register your plate within 48 hours; ask at check-in.
3. Feed the OTA, but watch three hours
The street scheme is the OTA. In the centre it charges Monday–Friday 09:00–20:00 and Saturday 09:00–14:00, with a three-hour cap in both green and blue bays. Outer zones charge 09:00–13:30 and 15:00–19:00 on weekdays only, five hours in green, three in blue. ElParking still shows the pre-2023 lunch break and 120-minute limit; the meter wins.
4. Don't expect a ticket on the glass
No page I could open prints the visitor price, so read the meter. Since October 2023 fines are posted to the owner: €40 up to 30 minutes over, €80 up to an hour, €100 beyond, half if paid early. On a hire car that letter goes to the rental company, and you hear about it weeks later.
5. Park under Plaza Euskadi for the Guggenheim
Interparking's Plaza Euskadi is €3.10 an hour, €10.05 for five, €16.35 for 12 or 24, height 2.10 m. Copark's Pío Baroja and Euskalduna sit nearer the museum, but both are 2.00 m and print no prices.
6. Use Alhóndiga or Arenal for the old town
Telpark's La Alhóndiga is €2.80 the first hour, €16.75 a day, 2.10 m. Parkia's Arenal sits outside the ZBE, 2.15 m, with no walk-in tariff online; ElParking sells it at €3.12 an hour.
Three hours at the kerb, then a fine by post. I'd rather pay €16.35 once and forget the car.
Car parks worth knowing
| Car park | Price | Height | EV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaza Euskadi (Interparking)Plaza Euskadi, entrance from Mazarredo; 403 spaces, open 24/7. On the city's list of ZBE-exempt garages | €3.10 an hour, €10.05 for five hours, €16.35 for 12 or 24 hours; about 10% less in the P-app. Height 2.10 m. | 2.1 m | 16 bays with a charging point, €0.40 per kWh (€0.36 in the app). |
| La Alhóndiga (Telpark)Alameda de Urquijo 43, under Azkuna Zentroa; open 24 hours, phone +34 944 210 653. ZBE-exempt list | €2.80 the first hour, €16.75 day maximum. Height 2.10 m. | 2.1 m | Telpark lists electric charging; number, power and price not published. |
| Pío Baroja (Copark)Plaza Pío Baroja, cars enter from Paseo Uribitarte; between the Guggenheim and Zubizuri, open 24 hours. ZBE-exempt list | No tariff published online. Height 2.00 m. | not published | Not published. |
| Palacio Euskalduna (Copark)Avenida Abandoibarra 4, west of the Guggenheim; open 24 hours | No tariff published online. Height 2.00 m. | not published | Not published. |
| Arenal (Parkia)Paseo del Arenal 1, at the edge of the Casco Viejo and outside the ZBE; open 24 hours | No walk-in tariff published. ElParking sells it at €3.12 an hour booked in its app. Height 2.15 m. | not published | A listing site mentions charging stations; the operator publishes no number or price. |
| Plaza Indautxu (Telpark)Plaza Indautxu 2, in the Ensanche shopping streets. ZBE-exempt list | Telpark gives "from €2.80"; no day price or height published on the page I read. | not published | Not published by the operator. |
The cheapest way to park, by how long you stay
| If you stay | Cheapest | Cost | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours in the centre | Ibarbengoa park and ride (metro line 1, Getxo) | €0.70 | Run by the Bizkaia transport consortium (CTB): 295 covered spaces, €0.70 a day when it opened in 2020, but only if you ride the metro and keep to its hours. The current tariff isn't on any page I could open. The metro fare is extra. Bilbao itself runs no official park and ride that I found. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | La Alhóndiga (Telpark) | €5.60 | height 2.10 m |
| A full day (10 h) | Ibarbengoa park and ride (metro line 1, Getxo) | €0.70 | Run by the Bizkaia transport consortium (CTB): 295 covered spaces, €0.70 a day when it opened in 2020, but only if you ride the metro and keep to its hours. The current tariff isn't on any page I could open. The metro fare is extra. Bilbao itself runs no official park and ride that I found. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Plaza Euskadi (Interparking) | €16.35 | height 2.10 m · €16.35 covers 12 or 24 hours |
| 24 hours | Plaza Euskadi (Interparking) | €16.35 | height 2.10 m · €16.35 covers 12 or 24 hours |
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Towed in Bilbao: The grúa takes €114, and the pound has no address
1. Ring 010 before you panic
The city's information line is 010, or +34 944 010 000 from a foreign phone. The OTA line is +34 647 301 875 on weekdays 09:00–20:00 and Saturday 09:00–14:00. If you think the car was stolen, ring 112.
2. Don't drive to a guessed address
No city page I could open gives the car pound's address. A 2019 Deia headline said the pound was moving to Zorrotza. Ask on the phone where your car actually is.
3. Budget €125 for one night
Motor.es listed Bilbao at €114 for the tow and €11 a day in 2020; OCU had €100 in 2012. The 2026 tariff isn't published where I looked. One night is €125, before the €40–€100 parking fine. That's nearly eight days in Plaza Euskadi.
4. Bring the papers
The city lists nothing for visitors. I'd bring my driving licence, passport, the car's registration document and the rental agreement.
Bilbao doesn't need to leave a ticket to fine you. Count your hours.
If your car has disappeared
- Who took it
- The city's grúa (tow truck) lifts cars for the Policía Municipal. Since October 2023 OTA tickets are no longer left on the windscreen but posted to the registered owner, which for a hire car is the rental company
- Phone
- City information line (010 from a local phone): +34 944 010 000
OTA phone line, Mon–Fri 09:00–20:00, Sat 09:00–14:00: +34 647 301 875
General emergency, if you think the car was stolen: 112 - Collect it at
- The car pound's address is not published on any city page I could open. A 2019 Deia headline reported the pound moving to Zorrotza. Ring 010 and ask where your car went before you drive anywhere.
- Hours
- Not published.
- What it costs
- Motor.es listed €114 to tow and €11 a day in 2020 (OCU had €100 for the tow in 2012); the 2026 tariff isn't published where I looked. One night: €125, plus the parking fine. OTA overstay fines: €40 up to 30 minutes, €80 up to an hour, €100 beyond, halved for early payment.
- Bring
- The city lists nothing for visitors. I would bring my driving licence, passport, the car's registration document and, for a hire car, the rental agreement.
EV charging in Bilbao: 40 cents a kWh under Plaza Euskadi
1. Charge where the price is posted
Plaza Euskadi has 16 bays with a charging point at €0.40 per kWh, or €0.36 in Interparking's app. It's the only garage price I found.
2. Fast-charge on Sabino Arana
Ibil opened a 50 kW charger at Avenida Sabino Arana 53 in 2018, with the city and the Basque energy agency: CHAdeMO, CCS and Type 2, no contract. Ibil publishes no price there; read the screen.
3. Register the EV anyway
A zero or ECO label enters the ZBE freely, but a foreign EV has no Spanish label. The foreign-plate rule in the ordinance is written for low-emission cars, so it covers yours.
My pick is Plaza Euskadi: a posted price, and the Guggenheim a short walk away.
Where to charge
- Plaza Euskadi, 16 bays — Plaza Euskadi, open 24/7. Interparking prints €0.40 per kWh, €0.36 in its P-app; the only posted garage price I found
- Ibil fast charger, Sabino Arana — Avenida Sabino Arana 53, on the street. Opened in 2018 with the city and the Basque energy agency: up to 50 kW, CHAdeMO, CCS and Type 2. No contract needed; price not published
- La Alhóndiga (Telpark) — La Alhóndiga, under Azkuna Zentroa. Telpark lists charging but no count, power or price
Free parking in Bilbao: A funicular from Artxanda, a metro from Getxo
1. Park on Artxanda, ride down
A local guide lists free car parks on top of Monte Artxanda. The funicular runs every 15 minutes and drops you by Zubizuri in 3 minutes.
2. Take the metro from Ibarbengoa
Bilbao runs no official park and ride that I found. The Bizkaia transport consortium's Ibarbengoa car park, at the metro line 1 station in Getxo, has 295 covered spaces. It was €0.70 a day in 2020 if you rode the metro; today's price isn't published. Add the fare.
3. Try Monte Ganeta in Deusto
A 2023 local guide counts 354 free spaces at Monte Ganeta, above Deusto, with the metro or tram below.
4. Come at the weekend
The ZBE is off at weekends, the OTA stops at 14:00 on Saturday in the centre, and Sunday is free. In summer 2025 every July and August Saturday was free too. I found no hotel whose own site says parking is free.
Every price here was checked on 13 October 2026; where Bilbao publishes nothing, I've said so.
Free or nearly-free spots
Monte Artxanda, then the funicular
A local guide lists several free car parks on top of Artxanda. The funicular runs every 15 minutes and takes 3 minutes down to the river by Zubizuri.
Ibarbengoa park and ride, Getxo
295 covered spaces at the metro line 1 station, €0.70 a day in 2020 if you take the metro; current price not published.
Monte Ganeta, Deusto
354 free spaces in Arangoiti, above Deusto, according to a 2023 local guide; metro or tram into the centre.
Weekends on the OTA
The OTA stops at 14:00 on Saturday in the centre, doesn't run on Saturday elsewhere, and isn't charged on Sunday. In July and August 2025 every Saturday and every August afternoon were free.
⚠ The small print on 'free' parking
- ZBE: in force since 15 June 2024, fines since 16 September 2024, about 2 km² of Abando and Indautxu. Cars with no DGT label are banned on weekdays 07:00–20:00, and label B since June 2025. €200, €100 if paid early.
- A foreign plate has no DGT label. The ordinance says a foreign low-emission car registers with the zone, or requests access online, with its technical sheet (Euro standard, fuel, first-registration date). No fee is published.
- Driving straight into an underground car park isn't fined. The city named Pío Baroja, Azkuna Zentroa, Plaza Euskadi, Plaza Indautxu, Instituto Unamuno, Zubiarte and El Corte Inglés.
- The OTA price for visitors isn't printed on any page I could open; read the meter or the app. ElParking adds a 12.4% fee plus VAT on top of the city rate.
- ElParking still shows the pre-2023 OTA rules (a 13:30–15:00 break, 120 and 300-minute limits). Since 30 October 2023 the centre charges straight through 09:00–20:00 with a three-hour cap; the meter wins.
- Copark's Pío Baroja and Euskalduna garages, the closest to the Guggenheim, are 2.00 m and publish no prices. A roof box fits Arenal (2.15 m) better.
- I found no Bilbao hotel whose own site says parking is free.
Take these places with you
Every place on this page as a file you can keep — car parks with their prices, the free and park-and-ride spots, the chargers and the pound.