# Hospital parking charges



## Donna773 (Dec 12, 2010)

Do hospitals in Spain charge visitors for parking their cars? Or is it free as in Wales and Scotland? I am writing an article comparing the ridiculous charges people are paying to visit sick relatives at English hospitals and want to make a comparison. My only experience of the Spanish system was when I had to go to Elche Hospital last summer. We parked for free but whether this is general practice in this country I have no idea. All advice very welcome!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Ive only been to two hospitals, but haven't noticed a car park at either of them. In Gandia you park in the street, or at a nearby free car park. In Valencia afaik you just park in the streets around it.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

No parking charges in Malagas main hospital, altho when the proper hospital carpark is full theres some land outside of it where a little man charges you a euro to park there - not sure how legal he is, but its easier to pay him than have him slash your tyres!!!!

Jo xxx


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2011)

The big public hospital on the way into Bilbao has a (pay) parking garage, as does the one in Santander and the private hospital I visited this afternoon. It's pretty hard to find free parking outside of small towns here.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

The main hospital here has car parks which are free but fill up quickly, afternoons is relativaly easy to find a space. A local man has land laid out as a car park next to the hospital & you can park there for 1€ a day.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hi,
La Paz, one of the main hospitals in Madrid has an underground car park that you have to pay for and the surounding streets are metered, so it's actually very stressful when some one is in hospital because you either have to pay huge amounts for the underground parking or go and change the car every few hours and feed the meter. A smaller local hospital has a free car park, but if it's full I don't know what you do 'cos it's completely in the country. It used to be a TB hospital. Another local private hospital has a mini car park which has disabled parking on a slope and at an angle. Very useful! When that runs out it's street parking in a residencial area.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi,
> La Paz, one of the main hospitals in Madrid has an underground car park that you have to pay for and the surounding streets are metered, so it's actually very stressful when some one is in hospital because you either have to pay huge amounts for the underground parking or go and change the car every few hours and feed the meter. A smaller local hospital has a free car park, but if it's full I don't know what you do 'cos it's completely in the country. It used to be a TB hospital. Another local private hospital has a mini car park which has disabled parking on a slope and at an angle. Very useful! When that runs out it's street parking in a residencial area.


Our hospitalis built on the side of a hill ! Even for me the 200m from the bottom to the top is difficult. It's not possible to push a pushchair up it without stopping for a rest let alone a wheelchair . We've always joked thatit's too cut down on the patients. :lol: The carparks are flat though.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Free parking at Puerto Real, and loads of spaces.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Villajoisa has a big free car park, and a long road leading to the hospital that people park on also. Denia is free too I believe. The crazy thing is that the Hospital de Levante (private) charge you 50c to parkwhich is crazy considering every time I parked there they were charging my insurers anything up to 100€ a trip jaja


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## Donna773 (Dec 12, 2010)

Many thanks for the info. I've published the article now - sorry if any loyal English folk are offended by my Spanish, Welsh and Scots bias!


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Actually, I think this may be something that is changing, at least in Andalucia. I read somewhere recently that in our local hospital (Hospital Costa Del Sol, Marbella) that they have just introduced, or are going to introduce, parking charges in the hospital car park. Previously it was free. Most people are naturally very upset about this, not only for visiting but imagine if you have to go to A&E - you normally have to spend between 2- 6 hours there! I don't have a car but I imagine that it would be almost impossible to park there without using the hospital car park as it is situated by the side of the motorway and there are no other facilities nearby.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Caz.I said:


> Actually, I think this may be something that is changing, at least in Andalucia. I read somewhere recently that in our local hospital (Hospital Costa Del Sol, Marbella) that they have just introduced, or are going to introduce, parking charges in the hospital car park. Previously it was free. Most people are naturally very upset about this, not only for visiting but imagine if you have to go to A&E - you normally have to spend between 2- 6 hours there! I don't have a car but I imagine that it would be almost impossible to park there without using the hospital car park as it is situated by the side of the motorway and there are no other facilities nearby.


Its been like that in the UK for many years! I cant think of any hospitals where you dont have to pay. They've worked round the various issues - not particularly satisfactory, but its how it is!!

Jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I found the whole parking thing *extremely* stressful both times my daughter has been in hospital. When we went to emergency it was a nightmare for my husband trying to park. The first time we went to emergency parking wasn't so much of a problem. I think it was the flashing light that did it!!


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

jojo said:


> Its been like that in the UK for many years! I cant think of any hospitals where you dont have to pay. They've worked round the various issues - not particularly satisfactory, but its how it is!!
> 
> Jo xxx


I had no idea, despite living in London for 20 years! lol. Maybe it's because my few hospital visits by car have been to elderly relatives in Scottish hospitals!


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## Donna773 (Dec 12, 2010)

By my reckoning, if Wales and scotland don't need to charge for hospital parking, and many Spanish hospitals don't, then neither do the English. Yet only 7 per cent of hospitals in England have free parking. It's a money-making racket as far as I am concerned - it's all in my article.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Donna773 said:


> By my reckoning, if Wales and scotland don't need to charge for hospital parking, and many Spanish hospitals don't, then neither do the English. Yet only 7 per cent of hospitals in England have free parking. It's a money-making racket as far as I am concerned - it's all in my article.


Its the way it is there. I think how its done is that a private company is brought in to maintain and look after the car park. To fund this work, they charge. That way the hospital isnt responsible for it. I actually dont disagree with it, especially when you see the state of the carpark in Malaga hospital - pot holes, worn out tarmac and road markings.... anyone can park there all day and do a days work in the offices etc over the road......

Jo xxx


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

jojo said:


> Its the way it is there. I think how its done is that a private company is brought in to maintain and look after the car park. To fund this work, they charge. That way the hospital isnt responsible for it. I actually dont disagree with it, especially when you see the state of the carpark in Malaga hospital - pot holes, worn out tarmac and road markings.... anyone can park there all day and do a days work in the offices etc over the road......
> 
> Jo xxx


When my es was in Wythenshawe hsopital in manchester I paid 10GBP a day in parking. After 2.5 months it got a bit much and then someone told me that if you are visiting someone whos in long term you can pay something like 15GBP for 12 visits of unlimited length. I was miffed about all the hundreds I had spent and that nobody had thought to tell me, but nevertheless delighted by the savings to come. I bought th 12 day pass an they discharged him two days later... now thats bloomin typical!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> When my es was in Wythenshawe hsopital in manchester I paid 10GBP a day in parking. After 2.5 months it got a bit much and then someone told me that if you are visiting someone whos in long term you can pay something like 15GBP for 12 visits of unlimited length. I was miffed about all the hundreds I had spent and that nobody had thought to tell me, but nevertheless delighted by the savings to come. I bought th 12 day pass an they discharged him two days later... now thats bloomin typical!


Yes, it's normally on the board by the machine where you pay & in tiny writing at the bottom that you need a magnifying glass to read.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> Yes, it's normally on the board by the machine where you pay & in tiny writing at the bottom that you need a magnifying glass to read.


Yeah... it probably was!

Robbbing so and sos!


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## griz616 (Sep 9, 2008)

Don't talk to me about hospital parking. In king's Lynn QE hospital I got an £80 fine day before yesterday despite having blue disabled badge displayed.


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## Donna773 (Dec 12, 2010)

steve_in_spain said:


> When my es was in Wythenshawe hsopital in manchester I paid 10GBP a day in parking. After 2.5 months it got a bit much and then someone told me that if you are visiting someone whos in long term you can pay something like 15GBP for 12 visits of unlimited length. I was miffed about all the hundreds I had spent and that nobody had thought to tell me, but nevertheless delighted by the savings to come. I bought th 12 day pass an they discharged him two days later... now thats bloomin typical!


I also made several visits to see a friend at Wythenshawe Hospital a couple of years ago - and paid through the nose. The fact that any discounts are invariably in minute type merely emphasises the fat that the whole enterprise is aimed at makingg as much money as possible. It's the basic concept of having to pay to visit a sick relative that I find the most disgusting.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Donna773 said:


> By my reckoning, if Wales and scotland don't need to charge for hospital parking, and many Spanish hospitals don't, then neither do the English. Yet only 7 per cent of hospitals in England have free parking. It's a money-making racket as far as I am concerned - it's all in my article.





And did you give expatforum a mention or a credit for all information provided?


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Donna773 said:


> I also made several visits to see a friend at Wythenshawe Hospital a couple of years ago - and paid through the nose. The fact that any discounts are invariably in minute type merely emphasises the fat that the whole enterprise is aimed at makingg as much money as possible. It's the basic concept of having to pay to visit a sick relative that I find the most disgusting.


Couldn´t agree more. i don´t know how much of that goes to hospital funds, i suspect not much, but even so, its a racket. Wouldnt be so but at another hospital (not wythenshawe) I was visiting round the clock for a few weeks when he was in ICU and paying a fortune and I didn´t even get offered a cup of tea! I had to pay about another quid in a machine.

At least in Whythenshawe when I was there for many hours they offered me drinks... and food... I politely declined it.. as nice as it was to offfer, I felt that, after looking at it, if I ate what they were offering I might end up in the next bed!


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## Donna773 (Dec 12, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> And did you give expatforum a mention or a credit for all information provided?


Now that is an interesting question. I originally mentioned the forum, then removed it in case the members who posted information didn't want identifying in any way. I have now restored a mention - if anyone objects, just let me know.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Donna773 said:


> Now that is an interesting question. I originally mentioned the forum, then removed it in case the members who posted information didn't want identifying in any way. I have now restored a mention - if anyone objects, just let me know.


Nice report! Me musta mucho! Nice things said about the Spanish system and hospitals... good press!


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