The city council of Debrecen plans to modify the city’s parking system in two phases, starting from January 1, 2025, and then on July 1, 2025.
Debrecen, being a significant regional center, has reached a stage of development where, alongside the steady development of roads and transportation infrastructure, it is necessary to intervene more effectively in traffic management through regulatory measures. The city is introducing a zoned parking system, similar to those already in operation in the capital and other cities. The municipality aims to prioritize the use of public transportation and reduce traffic congestion in the city center.
The effect of the planned changes is that the preferential residential permit, which previously cost 6,000 forints annually and allowed parking near one’s residence, will become free. Moreover, instead of one, two persons per household can benefit from this permit, each for one vehicle, meaning a maximum of two vehicles per household.
With a Debrecen City Card, parking permits for surface parking spaces can be purchased with a 10% discount. The municipality aims to improve accessibility to downtown shops by making parking on Széchenyi Street free on Saturdays. Parking fees in the parking lot near the clinic, along Pallagi út, will remain unchanged.
With these planned measures, the city council aims to:
- Facilitate and make free-of-charge parking for Debrecen residents living in paid zones near their homes.
- Promote the increased use of local and regional public transportation.
- Reduce the increasing traffic load in the city center and downtown areas.
- In order to establish transfer connections between individual and public transport, DV Parking Kft. will launch the planning of P+R parking lots in the southern and northern parts of the city in 2025 and begin their construction in 2026.
Changes effective from January 1, 2025
From January 1, 2025, the current preferential residential permit with an annual fee of 6,000 forints, valid in the immediate vicinity of the residence, will be discontinued. Instead, a free parking option for residents will be introduced in all current surface parking zones (Premium, I, II) in the immediate vicinity of their residence. This exemption will apply to a maximum of two persons per household for one vehicle each. Registration with DV Parking Kft. will still be required for this entitlement.
From January 1, 2025, parking on Széchenyi Street will be free on Saturdays. The municipality aims to improve accessibility to downtown shops with this measure.
The Hunyadi permit will be discontinued, while the Széchenyi permit will remain.
The price of parking permits will increase by an average of 16.9%. With the Debrecen City Card, a 10% discount can be purchased for monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual permits for any surface zone for one vehicle owned by the city cardholder, following registration with DV Parking Kft.
The prices of parking tickets and daily tickets in individual zones will remain unchanged. The term “daily ticket” will be replaced by “daily permit”.
The paid parking hours will remain unchanged. Parking in surface zones is subject to a fee from 8 am to 6 pm on weekdays, except on public holidays, and from 8 am to 2 pm on Saturdays. In underground garages, parking is subject to a fee 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Changes effective from July 1, 2025 – zones instead of areas
From July 1, 2025, the surface parking zone system (Premium, I, II) will be replaced by a zone system. There will be a total of five zones:
Center Zone – the inner part of the city center. A maximum of 3 hours of parking is allowed with a parking ticket in this zone. A half-yearly and annual permit can be purchased, which entitles the holder to park in all surface zones. A Garage Plus annual permit can also be purchased in addition to the annual Center Zone permit, allowing the use of all underground garages.
Zone I – the area bounded by the small ring road. A permit purchased for Zone I entitles the holder to park in all surface zones except the Center Zone, and can be purchased as a daily, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual permit. A Garage Plus annual permit can also be purchased in addition to the annual Zone I permit.
Zone II – the area bounded by the large ring road. A permit purchased for Zone II entitles the holder to park in Zones II-IV, and can be purchased as a daily, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual permit. A monthly underground garage permit (Kölcsey, Nagyerdei or Sas Street underground garage) can be purchased in addition to the Zone II permit, but not an annual one.
Zone III – the area around Nagyerdei Park.
Zone IV – Clinic parking (the parking lot located along Pallagi út between the Aquaticum roundabout and Móricz Zsigmond Street).
Changes effective from July 1, 2025
- Free residential parking near your home remains unchanged from the rules effective January 1, 2025.
- Underground garages will continue to operate with separate ticket and permit prices.
- Zone and underground garage permits purchased from January 1, 2025 will also be valid in the new zone system from July 2025: the premium zone permit will be valid in all surface zones, the Zone I permit in Zones I-IV, and the Garage Plus permit in all underground garages for the duration of the permit’s validity.
- The price of parking tickets will increase by an average of 18.6%, except for the Clinic parking lot (located along Pallagi út between the Aquaticum roundabout and Móricz Zsigmond Street).
- Underground garage permits: independently purchasable monthly permits for the Kölcsey, Nagyerdei, or Sas Street underground garages, as well as an annual Garage Plus permit that can be purchased in addition to an annual permit for the Center Zone or Zone I, allowing access to all underground garages.
- The Széchenyi permit will remain, meaning that a monthly permit can be used for the surface parking lot located at 14-16 Széchenyi Street in Zone I, with a maximum of 200 permits sold per month.
- Only in Zone II will parking remain free for purely electric vehicles owned by private individuals with a Debrecen address, subject to registration with DV Parking Kft. Those who have already registered at the beginning of the year will be automatically transferred to the new registry from July 1, 2025. The registration is valid for the period until the last day of February of the following year and must be renewed thereafter.
- Daily permit – for a parking fee of 4 hours – can be purchased with a 10% discount using the QR code placed on parking machines by DV Parking Kft.
- Debrecen City Council plans to design P+R parking lots in 2025 and begin their construction in 2026.
