I would like to ask you a question about parking in Switzerland, in particular in Ticino.
As far as I know, blue lines mean free park with the permit disc (1 hour or so, depending on the zone), while the white ones means that you have to pay (Source: Avis rent ).
While in Chiasso, I was a bit confused since many park areas are without information. I saw a parking lot with white lines without any machine for the tickets and a parking with blue lines and no information about the maximum time that you can stay (in a parking lot out of the city center there was written "4 hours", but I guess that in the center it's about 60 minutes).
The confusion increased when I read this article , in which the say " Parking spaces along white lines are free for parking ".
I always park my car in the blue area but sometimes happens that I stay longer than what the permit disc indicates. A friends of mine parked in the white area without machines (should it be free?) for 12 hours and got a fine. This 2 areas are closed each other and a bit out of the city center.
I would be so pleased if you can help me to discover how it works in Switzerland
So I really can get why my friend got a fine. The parking lot with white lines out of the city center is without numbers, withtou machines... it seems to be free.
He was charged 40frs, the usual amount. However, might it be that he parked wrongly, outside the lines? Is it he same amount?
Thank you.
Ok, I asked him and in the ticket there was written "maximum 4 hours".
The area is white, does this mean that I have to set the blue disc as well? I really do not understand
In addition, nothing is mentioned on vertical signals...
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White zone by default is for-pay - though people living in the area may have special rights, which if applicable must be proven by some kind of permit. Fee can be on an per-minute basis, hourly, monthly, whatever - each situation has its own parameter sets . There's a (more or less central) parking meter close by and a sign explaining the core aspects (e.g. for-pay 24/7, or free from 10pm-5am, or whatever, plus applicable fee rate). The signs are similar to the blue ones below, except that they completely lack the blue color.
Blue zone is free, allowed parking by default is one hour starting with the next completed half-hour (with the exception, I think, by default, from 7pm to 8am). Same as with white zones, singpost somewhere close shows the core parameters. The thing works as follows: If you park at 02:29 you have the disc show 02:30 and are allowed 61 minutes. If you park at the same spot at 02:31, you put the disc to 03:00 and are allowed to stay up to 89 minutes. By default. The times and days to which this applies, and if default applies or not, is shown by a blue rectangle signpost nearby.
In the case below residents have special rights. For everybody else no particular detail info is provided therefor default applies:
Here, detailed info is provided. This always overrides default:
Nah Tom, no need for pics. Unless you want to show to OP, of course.
In many cases it's not the police. Many a Gemeinde have outsourced these controls, and often the controlling person gets a share of the fines - you see the incentive.
Officially, you need to bring the car back into circulation. What that exactly means is far from clear, but moving a few meters is definitely not enough. And how that would be controlled is again an entirely differnt matter, so in practice perhaps it would be enough to just claim you drove around for 5 minutes.
At least in the german speaking parts I'm aware of (SG, ZH, TG)(perhaps Ticino differs?), a Gemeinde has its own "Parkierreglement", its own set of rules governing car parking, wherein the various zones and applicable detail rules are defined. Some issue day cards for a small fee, some issue unlimited-parking cards to affected residents (usually only one per household), etc.
So in order to be certain, your best bet may be to ask your Gemeinde for details, in particular if there's something like day-parking cards.
Usually in Switzerland the following are appicable:
Yellow = private parking bay
Blue = blue zone parking bay (rules are national)
White = allowed parking bay subject to indivdual regulations.
In the latter case you can have:
1) Free unlimited time parking
2) Free limited time parking
3) Paid limited time parking
If you park in a white parking bay it is crucial you make sure you check the parking regulation relevant for that section. There are areas (Albisgutli for example) which has both 6 and 15 hour bays next to each other!
I would add that you still need to put the disk in the window, to prove what time you arrived. We often park in the same blue-zone spot in Bern when we are in town for the evening. One time we forgot to put the disk in the window and received a 40 Franc fine.
Now everything is definetely more clear, thank you guys. What was difficult for me to understand was the difference between blue zone (free and limited, with disc) and limited white zone (free and limited, without disc). I will ask the Gemeinde for more details like day cards or something similar.
Since I am here, I would ask you how the permit disc should be. I didn't want to put that small one on the glass, I have one like this . As far as I know it should be fine.
This will do fine. It has to be at least 11cm wide and 15cm high, plus look like yours does (perhaps note the info on its backside). I don't know if they still do, but most car insurers used to be happy to provide you one or two (free PR for them on the backside )
