In this European city, large cars now pay up to 100 euros more for parking than small ones

À Bâle, plus vous avez une voiture imposante et plus vous payez cher votre stationnement résidentiel. MAXPPP – JAMES ATOA

En Suisse, non seulement les tarifs du stationnement résidentiel flambent mais en plus ils s’alignent sur la taille des voitures.

Basel is the city that is inaugurating this new trend, where owners of large cars will have to pay more than others. In France, some municipalities are taxing heavier cars more. Size or weight, it is mainly SUVs that are in the eye of the storm.

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Since 1 January 2025, the city of Basel has introduced a new pricing system for resident parking cards based on the length of the vehicle. Owners of larger vehicles therefore pay more than others. Today, a year of parking for small cars measuring less than 3.90 metres in length costs 332 Swiss francs (around 350 euros).

For those between 3.90 and 4.90 m, the bill rises to 422 Swiss francs (446 euros). Finally, for the largest cars, it now comes to 512 Swiss francs (540 euros). Until now, the price, single for all, was 284 Swiss francs. And inflation will continue, since by 2027, drivers of the largest cars will have to pay up to 740 Swiss francs (783 euros) per year to be able to park in the city.

Underground car parks

This initiative is obviously aimed at encouraging owners of large vehicles, particularly SUVs, to use underground car parks rather than on-street spaces, in order to free up space. In the long term, the idea is to gain space to build cycle paths or green spaces. Basel thus becomes the first Swiss city to adopt such a parking policy adapted to the size of vehicles, without distinction of engine type. Other Swiss cities, such as Geneva and Lausanne, could follow this trend.

In France, weight-based pricing is more popular. In 2024, Paris, Grenoble and Lyon have implemented new pricing scales that are very unfavourable to heavy vehicles, whether thermal, hybrid or electric. Generally speaking, SUVs are the main targets of these municipalities. This year, it is Bordeaux's turn to adopt the same policy.

These initiatives are characteristic of the policies implemented by more and more large European cities wishing to reduce road traffic in favour of cleaner mobility, with the aim of drastically reducing CO2 emissions and improving air quality.