Rotterdam P+R parking now free with shared bikes

ROTTERDAM, 29 June 2026 – Visitors parking at selected Rotterdam P+R sites can now continue their journey by shared bike or shared scooter and still park for free. The new option works through the Gaiyo app, making Rotterdam the first city in the Netherlands to link free P+R parking to shared mobility in this way.

_{Image: The shared mobility hub at the new P+R Blijdorp. Photo: Rhalda Jansen.}

Until now, free parking at P+R locations was mainly linked to continuing your trip by public transport. With this change, visitors heading into the city can also choose a shared bike or scooter on five Rotterdam P+R sites.

More ways into the city

The measure is part of Rotterdam’s P+R strategy, which aims to make Park and Ride locations more attractive while keeping the city centre accessible. With several major roadworks expected to increase pressure on roads in and around Rotterdam in the coming years, the municipality wants more visitors to leave their cars at the edge of the city.

“Because of the many roadworks, traffic on the roads in and around Rotterdam will only get busier in the coming years,” says councillor Pascal Lansink-Bastemeijer, whose portfolio includes mobility. “That is why we are doing everything we can to expand our P+R facilities and make them as attractive as possible. With this new measure, you no longer park for free only when you continue by public transport, but also when you take a shared bike or scooter. It is easy, saves high parking costs and gets you into the city centre in no time.”

The new option gives visitors more flexibility, especially outside peak public transport hours or when their final destination is easier to reach by bike or scooter than by metro, tram or bus. Public transport remains the reliable choice for many journeys, while shared mobility (deelvervoer) can help cover shorter or less direct routes.

For Rotterdam, the aim is practical: fewer cars moving into the busy centre, more use of sustainable transport and a city that remains reachable during construction works.

Five P+R locations included

The shared mobility parking arrangement currently applies at five P+R sites: Alexander, Kralingse Zoom, Noorderhelling, Slinge and Blijdorp. The Blijdorp location is new and opened on 1 June on the P1 car park of Diergaarde Blijdorp.

P+R Blijdorp has space for 200 cars. From there, visitors can reach the city centre within about 10 minutes by bus or shared mobility.

Rotterdam now has 16 P+R locations across the city. The north side of Rotterdam is a particular focus, because many cars enter the city from that direction and Stadhoudersweg is one of the busiest access routes towards the centre.

More locations may be added later if travellers use the new shared mobility option often and are satisfied with how it works. For now, the arrangement does not apply at Rotterdam’s other P+R sites.

Gaiyo app required

To qualify for free parking with shared mobility, visitors must start their shared bike or scooter trip through the Gaiyo app. The arrangement applies only when the onward journey is registered through that app.

Trips made directly through the apps of Lime, Check, Felyx or Baqme are not covered by the free parking arrangement.

That detail matters, because using the wrong app could mean you still need to pay for parking. So yes, very Rotterdam: the idea is easy, but the app choice is doing the paperwork.

More information about Rotterdam’s P+R sites and travelling with shared mobility is available at https://www.rotterdam.nl/pr-terreinen

Cleaner and calmer city travel

By combining P+R with public transport, shared bikes and shared scooters, Rotterdam wants to encourage cleaner ways of travelling into the city. The municipality expects this to reduce traffic pressure in the centre, improve air quality and make the city more pleasant to move through.