Baku drivers are voicing growing frustration over sharply rising parking fees in the city center, particularly around major shopping malls, where prices have reached what many describe as “unmanageable” levels.
Parking rates now stand at 5 manats for 2 hours, 7 manats for 4 hours, and 10 manats for up to 6 hours-a steep jump that has turned a routine shopping trip into a costly burden for many residents.
“I parked for just two hours and ended up paying 14 manats. Private parking has become simply unaffordable,” one driver told local reporters.
Another motorist pointed to what he sees as blatant inconsistency in pricing policies: “Sometimes you stop for 15 minutes and they charge 2–3 manats. Meanwhile, in other places you can stay for one or two hours and pay just 1 manat when you exit.”
Transport expert Elmadddin Muradli links the problem to a chronic shortage of parking spaces in central Baku-an issue private operators, especially those in mall and supermarket zones, are taking advantage of.
“In the private sector the situation is out of control. Parking prices at shopping centers have reached absurd levels. Many operators are openly exploiting demand, and that’s fundamentally wrong,” Muradli said.
He stressed that the sector urgently needs state oversight.
“The lack of regulation creates broader urban problems. People avoid paying high fees and leave their cars in residential courtyards, causing disruption for locals. Shopping centers must understand that if they want customers, they need to provide reasonable parking conditions.”
Muradli noted that in many countries malls use a tiered pricing model-one rate for 0–2 hours, a higher one for 2-4 hours, and another for long stays-but always within rational limits. He believes Azerbaijan must adopt a similar approach.
A durable solution, he said, requires stricter control mechanisms, transparent pricing rules, and the creation of alternative parking options in busy districts.
