The Madrid authorities have decided to reward residents and visitors who choose to travel around the city not alone, but in company. Starting December 1, a special discount will be available at three central parking lots — on avenida de Portugal, plaza del Carmen, and plaza Pedro Zerolo. If there are two or more people in the car, the parking fee will automatically be reduced by 15%. This initiative coincides with the Christmas holidays, when the city center is traditionally packed with visitors and traffic increases significantly.
City officials hope the new system will help reduce the number of private cars on the streets, ease congestion, and improve air quality. For the capital, where December brings a surge of tourists and commuters, such measures are increasingly necessary. The introduction of discounts is part of a broader program to develop sustainable urban mobility, which the city hall has been implementing for several years.
Technology and monitoring
As part of the pilot project, advanced AI-powered cameras have been installed at the entrances to these parking lots. They automatically detect the number of people inside each vehicle. If the system identifies two or more occupants, the driver qualifies for the reduced rate. Those arriving alone will have to pay the standard fee.
Parking on Avenida de Portugal and Plaza de Pedro Zerolo is managed by the municipal transport company EMT (Empresa Municipal de Transportes), while the lot at Plaza del Carmen is operated by the private company Empark S.A. In both cases, the passenger identification technology works in the same way, and the discount is applied immediately at payment.
Savings and Rates
Currently, an hour of parking at EMT lots costs €2.83, while at Empark it’s €2.50. With the new promotion, traveling as a pair or a trio can lead to significant savings, especially if you plan to spend several hours in the city center. For many families and groups of friends, this will be an added incentive to avoid traveling alone.
The city hall emphasizes that such measures not only help save money but also optimize traffic flow. The more people share a car, the fewer vehicles there are on the roads, which means less congestion and a better environmental situation.
Future Plans
In the coming months, experts will closely monitor how effectively the new system works. They will assess not only the technology—camera accuracy and proper application of discounts—but also its real impact on traffic and public perception. If the experiment yields good results, city authorities are ready to extend the program to other municipal parking lots and districts of Madrid.
In recent years, other initiatives aimed at reducing the number of private cars in the city center have already been implemented in the capital. These include dedicated lanes for buses and vehicles with multiple passengers (VAO), as well as restrictions on cars without environmental stickers or with low environmental ratings. All these measures share a common goal: to make Madrid a more convenient, cleaner, and modern city for living and leisure.
A Focus on Sustainability
Introducing parking discounts is not the only step the city administration is taking to improve the urban environment. Authorities are actively deploying new technologies, expanding the public transport network, and encouraging the shift to eco-friendly modes of transportation. Using artificial intelligence to monitor passenger numbers is yet another example of how modern solutions can benefit a metropolis.
Residents and visitors can already take advantage of this special offer simply by inviting friends or family to join their trip. No additional paperwork or applications are required—the system handles everything automatically. All that’s left is to choose a convenient parking spot and enjoy Madrid’s festive atmosphere without unnecessary hassle or extra costs.
If you didn’t know, EMT (Empresa Municipal de Transportes) is the largest urban operator of public transport and parking in Madrid. The company manages not only bus routes, but also dozens of municipal parking lots throughout the city. Empark S.A., meanwhile, is one of Spain’s leading private parking operators, serving hundreds of sites across various regions of the country. Both operators are actively implementing innovative solutions to improve customer comfort and safety.
