There are so many great things to do in Auckland’s CBD, whether it’s watching an outdoor movie at Silo Park, indulging in a spot of retail therapy on Queen Street, grabbing dinner at one of the amazing eateries, or heading to Spark Arena for a gig.

Public transport links to Auckland City are good, but sometimes driving there is just more practical, especially outside business hours when services are more limited. In which case – where do you leave your car? Parking in the CBD can be extremely expensive – sometimes more than $30 for a two-hour stay. But with a bit of planning, you can avoid the car parks most likely to hit you in the pocket. Here are our top suggestions for budget-friendly parking in Auckland City.

Downtown Car Park

Located on the corners of Hobson and Quay Street, Downtown Car Park is perfectly positioned for visitors to lower Queen Street, the waterfront, the viaduct, Commercial Bay and Silo Park. You can park there on evenings, weekends and public holidays for just $2 per hour, capped at $10 total spend. It also has a $22 special if you’re parking there while you spend the weekend at Waiheke. Total parking spaces = 1944.

Civic Car Park

If you’re visiting central city locations like Aotea Square, Auckland Town Hall, Smith & Caughey or The Civic Theatre, the Civic Car Park delivers you right to the heart of the action. There’s a flat fee of $12 to park on weekday evenings, and on weekends and public holidays, it’s $2 an hour to a maximum of $12. Total parking spaces = 928.

Victoria Street Car Park

Also centrally-located, the Victoria Street Car Park is close to Albert Park, the Auckland Art Gallery and Chancery Square. Like the Downtown Car Park, Victoria Street charges just $2 per hour for evenings, weekends and public holidays. Total parking spaces = 895.

Jellicoe Street Car Park

This open-air car park is a good choice if you’re visiting Silo Park or Wynyard Quarter for less than an hour – your first 60 minutes is free. However, if you exceed that time limit, it’ll cost you $6 for each subsequent hour. The price drops to $2 per hour on Sundays and public holidays, but there is a four-hour limit during that time. Total parking spaces = 176.

Street Parking

On-street parking is available throughout the city and pricing is dependent on where you park, getting cheaper as you get further from the city centre. On weekends or public holidays, you’ll pay anywhere from $1.50 to $2.50 an hour for the first two hours and then from $3 to $5 per hour after that. Check the nearest pay-by-plate machine or use the AT app to confirm the price for the area you have parked.

Auckland Transport manages all of the above parking facilities. You can check current pricing and live parking space availability by visiting the AT website. Another option is Secure Parking, a service that locates you a car park and provides discounts if you are a member or book in advance online. To find available parking across several different providers, try Parkopedia, a service that shows you parking close to your destination, the number of available car parks and the price. You can also book online through the Parkopedia app.

Note: Prices are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change at any time.

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