Madrid SER Zone, timetable, green zone, blue zone, blue zone

Every time we want to move around Madrid we have the same doubts: Should I take my car or not? Will I find a parking space? How much will it cost? Or how long and where will I be able to leave my car parked on public roads?

If you don't live in Madrid and you have to travel to the city centre. If you are one of those Madrilenians who don't go out without your vehicle, don't move and take note! Because we are going to give you the keys to the regulated parking zones (SER) that currently exist in Madrid, their timetables and prices. This way, you can leave your car parked with complete peace of mind and safe from the inconvenient fines imposed by the City Council.

What are SER zones and what are they for?

Also called “regulated parking zones”.”, SER zones are perimeters delimited in cities for the parking of vehicles under certain established rules and prices, with the aim of keeping cities tidy and with less traffic and pollution. Thus, although these zones traditionally began to be in operation in areas of very high demand, In the case of the city centre, the fight to reduce traffic and encourage the use of public transport has led to the extension of the system to other more peripheral areas, such as the Madrid district of Ciudad Lineal, and others will be added over time.  

This parking regulation has made it possible to traffic congestion to be relieved in already high traffic areas, The aim is for everyone to be able to go to these points to carry out formalities or at specific times without accessibility problems for other citizens or residents.

Regulated parking zones in Madrid

In many municipalities in Spain there is a ordinance regulating parking, known as ORA. These are designated parking areas where the user must first purchase a ticket and place it visibly on his or her car. Specifically in Madrid it is called SER and there are several types depending on the colour of the stripes painted on the road. Most of them are inside the M-30 ring road, although in recent years they have also been placed in some less central streets.

However, if you want to know more specifically whether a specific street has a SER zone or not, you can consult a PDF document updated for 2024 in which you can see all the streets in Madrid that have a SER section or not. The document (which is usually updated monthly) has been made available to the public by the Madrid City Council and can be accessed at here, There are a number of resources available for this type of information, such as the website “Geoportal”, The City Council's interactive map service, which includes the number of places in each zone, their colour and even the number of places in each zone. available parking meters and their location. But what are the colours and how do we differentiate between them?

In Madrid there are two types of car parks: green zone and blue zone. In addition, there are two different ones, called Differentiated Areas for Long Stays and Health Care Establishments. We will explain what each of them consists of.

BLUE ZONE

It is allowed to parking in the blue zone up to maximum of 4 hours during pay time, whether you are a resident of the area or not. Once you have exceeded this time, you cannot park again in the same neighbourhood until one hour has passed. These are the parking areas that are usually used to do something that doesn't take too long. Blue zone fares are cheaper than in the green zone.

Residents who have authorisation for the green zone may use these places free of charge on the from 20 - 21.00 HOURS within their own neighbourhood. And in areas bordering another neighbourhood you will also be able to park on both sides of the street, in the blue spaces, at the same times.

Blue zone timetable

• Monday to Fridayfrom 9.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. non-stop.
• Saturdays: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sundays and public holidaysparking is free of charge.
• August/ 24 and 31 December: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Blue zone prices

There is a small difference between parking in the low emission zones, which you pay a little more for, and the rest of the SER.

GREEN ZONE

These areas are specially designated for residents. The City Council imposes a fixed annual fee as a way of favouring those who live in these Madrid neighbourhoods. Here, residents will be able to park unlimitedly. In the neighbouring districts they will also be able to park on both sides of the street.

If you are a non-resident and just visiting, you can also parking in a green zone, but for a maximum of two hours. After that, you will not be able to park in the area for another hour. The downside is the fees, which are much higher than in the blue zones.

Green zone opening hours

• Monday to Fridayfrom 9.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. non-stop.
• Saturdays: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sundays and public holidaysparking is free of charge all year round.
• August/ 24 and 31 December: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Green zone prices

ORANGE AND BLUE ZONE

Also called parking areas or long-stay parking in Madrid, these parking spaces can be distinguished by their orange and blue dashed lines on the ground. However, the most important thing to know is that these parking spaces are long-stay car park are considered special car parks, which have a discount on their rates and that the maximum time to park here is 12 hours.

As for where they are located, the truth is that there are not many streets in Madrid where you can find long-stay car parks where you can leave your car for a longer period of time. At the moment they are located in near Príncipe Pío station, the Royal Palace, the Templo de Debod and the area known as Centro-Imperial. To help you find your way around, here are the addresses:

• Ciudad de Plasencia Street.
• Cuesta de la Vega.
• Professor Martín Almagro Basch.
• Paseo de Camoens y Valero.
• The Rose Garden.
• Paseo del Rey Francisco.
• Jacinto Alcántara.

Long stay parking rates

RED AND WHITE ZONE

This area, known as “health area”.”, It is also a special parking area, and it is very important to point out that it used to be blue and orange and was not red and white (its current colour), The same applies to the long-stay parking areas, but the need not to confuse them led to the decision to change the colour. Don't forget!

As these are health zones, they are also considered special parking zones, and so far the City Council has installed them in the following areas streets near the La Paz hospital complex and with access conditions such as the following:

• Anyone can make use of them.
• The maximum time to leave the car here is four hours.
• It also has a reduced rate.

Where to find them

We can find health parking spaces in the following streets:

• Arzobispo Morcillo nº 4.
• Melchor Fernández Almagro 2nd and 3rd.
• Monforte de Lemos nº 7 and 9.
• Pedro Rico nº 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.

Prices for health care parking area

How do I pay in the SER zone?

When we want to leave our vehicle parked here, we first have to look for a place to park. parking meter to get the ticket if we don't want to take home a fine.. You can pay by credit card, cash or via mobile apps. You will have to choose which type of zone it is (Blue or Green), then type in the car registration number and select the time you are going to leave the car parked. It's as easy as that!

Vehicles exempted from paying in SER zones

Despite the fact that the SER zone in Madrid is payable at different rates, there are some exceptions. These are vehicles that do not have to obtain a ticket when using these parking zones:

1. Two and three-wheeled vehicles.
2. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
3. Vehicles transporting persons with reduced mobility, always with authorisation.
4. Taxis in service.
5. Ambulances and health care vehicles, whether they are from SAMUR, Social Security or the Red Cross.
6. Public service vehicles for hire with driver.
7. Diplomatic vehicles accredited in Spain.
8. Vehicles of the municipal public employees, while they are performing their duties, with the authorisation of the Madrid City Council.

All of this information can be very valuable for any driver, as it can in a city like Madrid it is essential to know how to get around and know the regulations in order to avoid traffic fines or other possible sanctions, as well as to save time and avoid wasting it in unnecessary traffic jams or tirelessly looking for parking spaces.

In addition, being aware of the need for these spaces makes it possible for all of us to contribute to the development of a more sustainable and equitable society. more efficient and safer cities, where the use of public transport can also increasingly become an equally valid and eligible option.