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Free street parking in Helsinki will be phased out in six residential areas, according to Helsingin Sanomat, as the city prepares to expand its paid parking scheme in 2026 and 2027.
The proposed changes would bring Kulosaari, Kuusisaari, Lehtisaari, Kumpula, Käpylä and Toukola into the city’s residential parking permit system. The plan is set to be discussed by the Urban Environment Committee on 25 November. If approved by policymakers in spring 2026, the changes would take effect gradually from autumn that year through to the following spring.
The move comes in response to a resident initiative that called for equal parking rules across the capital.
The proposal argued that offering free parking in some areas but not others created inequality among residents.
Ville Lehmuskoski, director of Helsinki’s Urban Environment Division, acknowledged the concern but said in his formal reply that implementing resident parking citywide at once would not be feasible. He confirmed the city’s policy is to expand residential and business parking permits in stages where there is demonstrable need.
The parking policy was last updated in 2022. The city has since prioritised adjustments that support traffic planning, environmental goals, and equality between residents. The current plan aims to extend these principles to the six named districts on the edge of the city centre.
Helsinki introduced its residential parking permit system in the 1980s. Today, there are 16 zones. Residents pay between €45 and €64.50 per month depending on the area, with discounted rates for fully electric vehicles.
Earlier expansions of paid parking have triggered public opposition. In 2015, residents in Lauttasaari and Munkkiniemi protested similar changes. A further round of complaints followed in 2018 when the system was extended to Munkkivuori, Niemenmäki, Etelä-Haaga and Kivihaka.
The permit zones are marked with traffic signs and assigned alphabetic zone codes. For example, Etu-Töölö is designated as Zone F.
In his statement, Lehmuskoski said the city’s long-term approach aligns with principles of equal treatment and green policy. One aim of the expansion is to reduce car dependency, particularly for commuting. The changes are also designed to encourage the use of designated private parking on residential plots in newer neighbourhoods.
The city clarified that areas with newer housing developments, where parking has already been accounted for on private land, will not be included in the residential parking scheme.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
