Istanbul’s public parking fees are set for a dramatic increase in 2025, with proposed hikes of up to 115%. These increases, approved by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Council, will affect İSPARK-operated parking lots in key districts, like Fatih, Kadıköy and several other central areas.
The proposed tariff changes, presented during the December session of the IBB Council, will significantly impact parking costs for vehicle owners. For example, the parking fee for one hour in covered and open-air parking lots in high-demand areas like Fatih and Kadıköy will rise from TL 70 ($2) to TL 150. The rate for parking for one to two hours will increase from TL 90 to TL 180, and parking for up to four hours will see an increase from TL 110 to TL 220. Additionally, the price for a full 24-hour parking period will surge to TL 500 from the previous fee of TL 270.
This sharp increase is part of Istanbul’s broader Sustainable Urban Transportation Plan, which seeks to manage the city’s ever-growing traffic congestion. The city’s parking policy aims to make parking in central areas more expensive, thus encouraging residents and visitors to use public transportation instead of private vehicles. While this approach may help reduce congestion, it has raised concerns among local drivers, particularly those who rely on their cars to navigate the city.
The fee increases will also affect street parking in districts such as Beşiktaş, Şişli, Üsküdar and several others. In these areas, the price for parking for one hour will increase from TL 70 to TL 120, while daily street parking fees will rise from TL 195 to TL 300. These hikes are likely to place an additional burden on residents in these busy neighborhoods, where parking space is already scarce.
In addition to parking fees, the city is also looking at raising charges for access to forested areas, picnic spots and even taxi-related services. Entry fees to green areas, which are popular for weekend trips, will see an increase. For example, the cost of entry for a car will rise from TL 141 to TL 170, and for buses, it will increase from TL 1,418 to TL 1,500.
Moreover, taxi-related fees are set to rise as well. The entry fee for taxis to use stands will increase from TL 19 to TL 25, while the daily taxi stand fee will rise from TL 80 to TL 100.
These new rates will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. This is the latest in a series of parking fee increases, following hikes in October 2023 and June 2024, which saw rates increase by up to 57% and 50%, respectively. Despite these changes, the IBB has defended the increases as necessary for improving urban transportation infrastructure and addressing the city’s chronic parking issues.