On this page I will try to explain the meaning of the different signs attached to typical German parking signs you will find all across Germany – and all over Berlin.
I’ll start with a rather complex combination of different signs that you may find in any typical average Berlin street. I must admit it also took me a while to read – and I’m not 100% if I understand correctly, what it means. We will start at the very top of the sign and then work our way down because that is how these signs are meant to be read. Let’s go…
a typical Berlin Parking / No Parking sign – Photo: T.Bortels/nuBerlin.com
First and most importantly a red circle on blue ground with either one or two red bars crossing the circle means No Parking. The little white arrow pointing towards “this” direction (the photo is taken from the spot that the sign is valid for) means the sign applies to this direction. The two red bars would not only mean “no parking” but actually also include “no stopping”. So you normally wouldn’t even be allowed to stop, for example to let somebody get in or get off your car.
The second sign “Mo – Fr 7 – 17 h” means, that the above sign is only valid Monday till Friday between 7 am and 5 pm (17h). Even though in Germany it’s “Uhr” and not “hour” still the “h” is used to indicate that the numbers are referring to hours. Well…
The fourth sign refers to the actual parking position: a.f.a.i.k. this crossed out car on a ‘white street’ means that the No Parking refers to the parking bay next to the street. I’m actually not 100% sure about this, but in this context that would be the only thing that made sense.
The white P on blue ground is probably well know indication for “parking area”. So outside the above mentioned hours this is actually a legal parking lot. So for example after 5pm you could park your car here – but don’t forget to move it before 7am next morning – at least on weekdays.
Then again the sign below the P is an extension to the above sign: “mit Parkschein oder Bewohnerparkausweis für Zone 41 Mo–Fr 17–24 h Sa 9–24h“. In details this means:
- from Monday till Friday between 5 pm and midnight and on Saturdays between 9 am and midnight you will either have to purchase a parking ticket (“Parkschein”) or have a “Residents’ Parking Ticket for zone 41” (Bewohnerparkausweis) visible / on display.
- On the other hand this means: From Midnight till 7 a.m. it’s free to park here – and on Sundays you can park here without a ticket until Monday morning 7.am. Greatness.
> back to Berlin Car Parking 101
see also:
> Berlin by Car
> How to use a Berlin parking ticket vending machine.
Do you have and thoughts, suggestions, additional recommendations or comments? Please feel free to leave your comment below. Thank you!