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Parking Rates All Over The World Now Officially Insane

Remember that post we did a few weeks ago, about how European capitals had become some of the world's most expensive places to visit? It turns out that at least some of those costs come from the sheer, banal, joyless routine of having to rent a car, drive it into the city, and then find somewhere to park it. So says the Colliers International Parking Rate Survey, which is apparently a real thing and not something we made up.

Bike-obsessed Amsterdam came in only at number nine on the survey, costing a mere $57.71 per day for parking. At the very top of the list was Oslo, where securing a spot for 24 hours will set you back $89. For parking for a day. The survey results were a little different for monthly rates than for daily rates though. On the monthly chart the top two slots are held by London City and London West End, clocking in at $1,083.59 and $1,014.32 respectively. Have we mentioned this is for parking?

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San Francisco / Jaunted Parking Guides / Parking / → All Tags

Avoid Parking Hell In San Francisco By Renting Your Spots

Anyone who has attempted to park on the car-congested streets of San Francisco knows that the task can best be described with a four-letter word: Fine. We'll admit it; we've been ticketed many a time for letting our car linger too long in one of those rare, coveted street spots. The safer alternative is finding a lot, where charges upward of $20 await. Adding to this list of aggravations is the headache-inducing search for parking, period. What's a Prius-driving San Franciscan to do?

The good people of GottaPark.com—dubbed "Your Community Parking Network"—are attempting to make the ordeal less of a pain-in-the-parking-meter for members of the Zipcar generation. We recently gave the site a whirl, with results that were so-so.

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Beaches / Parking / Germany Travel / → All Tags

Park Your Car At A Land-Locked Beach

The German town of Duisburg in the Ruhr Valley, central-western Germany, has already been getting some attention recently--despite its industrial feel (some call it the Unromantic Road), the region has been designated Europe's Capital of Culture for 2010, so everybody's jumping on the touring bandwagon.

But our big tip for Duisburg is to visit the car park. Really. Apparently lots of Germans already do: it's a multi-storey construction that has been renovated to look and sound like a beach, with:

fake palm trees, real sand and coastal scenes painted on the grey concrete walls. And giant speakers have been added to broadcast the cries of gulls and the crashing of waves on the beach.

And the Germans are so friendly, they say you don't even need to have a car to go in.

Related Stories:
· Duisburg Tourism [Official Site]
· Hotels in Duisburg [HotelChatter]

[Photo: foxypar4]

London Heathrow / Parking / London / Airports / → All Tags

Make Your Car a Pin-Up Model at Heathrow

If you decide that train problems are a good enough reason to drive your own car to London's Heathrow Airport, you might be interested to know more about the new Q-Park secure car park that's just opened up, offering secure long term parking with a shuttle bus to all Heathrow terminals.

They're proud of it being a car park that returns your car just as you left it:

Upon arrival passengers' cars are photographed from multiple angles before being valet parked.

We'd like to get a nice poster-size print of our beautiful car included with the parking fees (which, like everything in London, are pretty expensive, but get cheaper the longer you leave your car there).

Related Stories:
· Heads Up on Heading to Heathrow [Jaunted]
· Hotels in London [HotelChatter]

[Photo: Tim Caynes]

Skybus / WiFi / Free WiFi / Airports / Parking / → All Tags

Skybus Takes You To Free Downtown WiFi

Let's be real. Skybus does not fly to Boston. It takes at least one click on Skybus' website for them to admit that "Boston" is actually Portsmouth, NH. To be fair, Newark Airport is in a separate state from New York City, and we most definitely consider flying into Newark as flying into New York. But this is way more of a stretch. Hey, at least it's not Bellingham, WA, which Skybus brands as "Seattle" despite the 90-mile distance and better proximity to Canada.

But while playing with Skybus fares and investigating its creative airports, we did find one advantage to the "Boston" situation. Parking at Portsmouth International Airport is freakin' free, dude! That's short term and long term parking. To compare, economy long term parking at Boston Logan Airport is $16 per day.

Another reason to like Portsmouth? Free WiFi downtown. Then again, downtown Portsmouth does not equal downtown Boston, but it's a start.

[Photo: hillary h]

Related Stories:
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]

Sydney Airport / Parking / → All Tags

Get Parkin' At Sydney Airport

We nearly got a massive shopping complex built at Sydney's International Airport, until too many people freaked out at the possibility it could get hit by a plane. Now building enthusiasts are getting ready to start a new A$65 million car park instead.

With 10 million people flying through Sydney International a year, it's a busy place, and that's why they've now got 3000 additional parking places coming. Travelators and lifts will connect the car park directly to the Terminal 1 Departure Lounge. For international visitors who don't really need this car park, it might seem a far cry from the previously proposed shopping mall, but there are still plenty of duty-free shops (complete with grotesque anti-smoking ads) where you can hand over your last Aussie dollars.

[Photo: superciliousness]

Related Stories:
· Airport's $65m Car Park Plan [Daily Telegraph]
· Australia's Grotesque Anti-Smoking Ads [Jaunted]

Women / Parking / Driving / → All Tags

Pretty in Pink Parking

We already knew about parking places for women only in Germany, but now you'll be pleased to know (half of you, anyway) that there are also these extra-safe spots in Swiss carparks. Unfortunately there's a problem: too many Swiss men are parking in these spots, so the whole plan of women having a shorter and safer distance to walk to their car at night just hasn't worked out.

But if you're hoping to drive and park safely around Switzerland soon, things might be OK. The city of Bern has decided to decorate these women-only spots with flowers and paint them pink, hoping that men will then be too embarrassed to park there. Well, maybe some men...

[Photo: harry harris]

Related Stories:
· Pink Parking Spaces [ABC2]
· Achtung, Men Verboten [Jaunted]

Los-Angeles-Parking-Guide / Parking / Jaunted Parking Guides / Los Angeles / → All Tags

Jaunted Parking Guide to Los Angeles: Keep the Tips A-Coming

A while back Hertz banned us from renting their cars because of excessive parking tickets, no joke. We are fighting back by trying to help give visitors a clear view of the entire parking scene in a particular locale. We have put together our guide to parking in LA, and an accompanying map. On the map, we have plotted six LA public parking spots where we have had the most luck. Send along LA parking tips, tricks, and advice and comment here so other folks don't rack up steep parking fines, or worse yet, get towed.

It's been a few weeks since we unleashed the first-ever Jaunted Parking Guide for Los Angeles. And in that time, we've received plenty of tips about where to park in this sprawling city. But we're sure you readers out there have a few more tricks up your sleeve. So if you've recently had a run-in with a West Coast parking wench or you managed to talk your way out of a ticket or if you've found a great, secret parking space let us know. In the meantime, avoid the parking lot across from Holly's in Hollywood on Wilcox as they are charging $20 for you to park your own car.

Related Stories:
· Los Angeles Parking Guide & Tips [Jaunted]
· Where to Park in LA: Original Map & Advice [Jaunted]

Airports / Freebies / Parking / Free WiFi / Airport WiFi / WiFi / Lists / → All Tags

Airport Battle: Daytona vs. Cincinnati vs. Your Wallet

It's customer service month at Daytona Beach International Airport in Florida, where they're giving out free key chains (!), free Cokes (!), free shoe shines, and free one-week long parking (!!!). To be eligible for the free parking, you must first "park in and exit the Airport lots in January" one time. AirTran passengers will receive unlimited free parking coupons. AND there's free WiFi. AND their security staff will mail you back any harmless confiscated items (nail scissors, more than 3 ounces of body lotion) you lost in line...FOR FREE!

Doesn't sound like a real airport, does it? Too bad you can't get too many places from DBIA--except maybe to a moment frozen in time, where you'll meet Kevin Seal (or your '80s VJ crush of choice) on an MTV Spring Break set.

There are far more connections into and out of Cincinnati (the airport's actually in Northern Kentucky), including a non-stop to Paris, which we had no idea about. Unfortunately for Cincinnati travelers, flying from CVG is anything but free. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, "With the average roundtrip ticket costing $570, CVG continues to be the nation's most expensive major airport to fly to or from." It's the third quarter in a row that the airport has topped the DOT's list. Blame Delta--they operate 80% of flights there.

Related Stories:
· Customers are tops this month at Daytona Beach International Airport [Orlando Sentinel]
· Sky-high airfares tops in U.S. [Cincinnati Enquirer]

Los-Angeles-Parking-Guide / Parking / Jaunted Parking Guides / Los Angeles / Tips / → All Tags

Money for the Parking Meter in West Hollywood Goes High Tech

A while back Hertz banned us from renting their cars because of excessive parking tickets, no joke.  We are fighting back by trying to help give visitors a clear view of the entire parking scene in a particular locale.  We have put together our guide to parking in LA, and an accompanying map. On the map, we have plotted six LA public parking spots where we have had the most luck. Send along LA parking tips, tricks, and advice and comment here so other folks don't rack up steep parking fines, or worse yet, get towed.

The tips are still rolling in after we released our Los Angeles parking guide into the wilds of the internet earlier this week. While we didn't cover West Hollywood on our map, a tipster lets us know that should you venture here, the city offers visitors and residents a debit (prepay) parking system, called Cash Key that is designed for use in parking meters. From the city's website:

Cash Keys are pre-programmed between $10.00 - $100.00 in increments of $10.00. When you fully insert the Cash Key, it displays the value remaining on the key. Since the meter cannot display decimal points, the screen indicates the current dollar amount rounded down to the nearest dollar. The meter then deducts $.25 from the programmed amount and adds that amount of time on the meter. To register an additional time on the meter, just re-insert the Cash Key.

The only catch is that when you purchase a cash key you are charged a $10 deposit fee in addition to the amount you put on your card. Of course, you get that fee back when you are finished with your card. So if you plan on driving around WeHo for a few days or months, this should save you from having to dig up quarters out of the seat of your rental car.

But if you're in West Hollywood for a quick stay, then consider this parking garage on Santa Monica and West Flores. The price is about $12 for 24 hours, meaning you can park your car overnight for a reasonable fee. It certainly beats the $30+ valet fee at area hotels and of course, that $35 parking ticket from the City of West Hollywood.

[Photo: Rock Insider]

Related Stories:
· Jaunted Parking Guide: Where To Park In Los Angeles [Jaunted]
· Raffles L'Ermitage Beverly Hills [HotelChatter]

Airports / Parking / Forbes / Budget Travel Magazine / CNN / Travel Media / → All Tags

Baby, You Can Park My Car Anytime

We're a little obsessed with parking these days, but it seems everyone else is too. Budget Travel editor in chief Erik Torkells showed up on CNN the other day, talking about holiday travel and how to call ahead to reserve an airport parking spot. And Sophia Banay over at Forbes.com chimes in with a report on the most expensive airport parking around.

According to Sophia, you're likely to get creamed at the cash register no matter where you park. But some offenders are worse than others: a week at Chicago O'Hare could cost you $350; at Sea-Tac a week's only $99. Erik's advice on the matter is to skip on-airport parking and drop off your ride at a private lot with a shuttle to the terminals. It may take you a bit longer, but you can reserve a spot and save some cash.

Our fave parking tip is to just avoid it: Unless you're hauling cargo for a year-long safari, pack light and take public transportation. (Come on, it's not that smelly.)

[Photo: jonpgh]

Related Stories:
· Most Expensive Airport Parking [Forbes.com]
· Erik Torkells on CNN Pipeline [CNN]
· Jaunted's LA Parking Guide [Jaunted]

Hotels / Los-Angeles-Parking-Guide / Parking / Jaunted Parking Guides / Los Angeles / Drinking / Restaurants / Freebies / → All Tags

Free Parking With That Drink at Angelina's Sex Hotel

A while back Hertz banned us from renting their cars because of excessive parking tickets, no joke.  We are fighting back by trying to help give visitors a clear view of the entire parking scene in a particular locale.  We have put together our guide to parking in LA, and an accompanying map. On the map, we have plotted six LA public parking spots where we have had the most luck. Send along LA parking tips, tricks, and advice and comment here so other folks don't rack up steep parking fines, or worse yet, get towed.

After we sent our baby, the Los Angeles parking guide, out into the published world yesterday, we received a tip about parking in Beverly Hills. It came straight from the Raffles L'Ermitage, a top Beverly Hills hotel and one object of our luxury travel lust.

It turns out that patrons of the hotel's bar or JAAN, its restaurant, don't have to pay for parking there. The restaurant is open all day. The Writer's Bar is open from 11 a.m. for liquid lunches, and is a famous hideaway for Hollywood types. Of course, the parking won't feel so free when you factor in an expensive cocktail, but the perk is worth noting.

Bonus: the L'Ermitage was supposedly Angelina Jolie's sex hotel of choice back when she had "lovers" and before she settled down with Brad. If only they could get her on parking wench duty there! We'd pay, like, $150 for a gin and tonic.

Related Stories:
· Jaunted Parking Guide: Where To Park In Los Angeles [Jaunted]
· Raffles L'Ermitage Beverly Hills [HotelChatter]