WILLEMSTAD - Starting tomorrow, motorists will once again have to pay for parking in Punda and Otrobanda. Visitors to the city center can use 44 new solar-powered parking meters, which manage the more than 1,200 available parking spaces in both districts.
The initiative was set up by the Willemstad Parking Management Foundation, a collaboration between the Downtown Management Organization (DMO) and the Otrobanda Merchants Society (SKO). Both organizations have promised to reinvest all profits from this project back into the city center.
Paid parking will be enforced from Monday to Saturday between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. The rate is set at one guilder per hour, with a minimum payment for one hour. Additional parking time can be added for 50 cents per half hour. Parking is free on Sundays and public holidays.
Payment Options
There are several ways to pay. Motorists can use coins at the parking meters, which accept various denominations. Additionally, contactless payment can be made using a special parking card, available for a one-time purchase of 10 Antillean guilders. The card comes with a credit of 7 guilders and can be reloaded later.
For those who prefer digital options, a mobile app is also available. Users can select and pay for their parking time through a digital wallet. The app processes payments in US dollars, with a minimum amount of $12 and a maximum of $50 per transaction. Using the app eliminates the need for a paper parking ticket and saves a trip to the meter.
If parking fees are not paid, or the parking time expires, a wheel clamp may be placed on the vehicle. To have the clamp removed, motorists can contact a special control room, after which a parking officer will arrive. The cost of removing the clamp is 25 guilders, payable only via digital payment.
Parking meters and parking officers, identifiable by their bright yellow uniforms, will be present in the city center to assist visitors with questions and transactions. The Willemstad Parking Management Foundation hopes that these measures will make parking in the city more straightforward and efficient, while revenue will contribute to improving the city center.
