Winter parking at the Town of Vail’s parking lots just got more expensive heading into winter 2025-26 and changes go into effect Nov. 14.

According to the Vail Town Council, last week they approved a change that will have visitors now pay a $10/hour charge for a maximum of five hours on peak days (Friday through Sunday, including additional holidays), which is up from a maximum of four hours last season.

The increase will now have skiers and riders paying up to $50/day to park.

According to the Town, this change is one of two major Vail is putting in place to help raise an additional $400,000 to pay for maintenance on the town’s aging parking structures.

The second change from last season is that visitors, on non-peak days, will now be charged $10/hour instead of $10 total for the first three hours.

The Town said the first hour of parking will remain free and vehicles that enter the structure after 3 p.m., will not be charged as long as they do not stay overnight. Vehicles that stay overnight will still be charged $60, which is the same as last year.

The Town’s Director of Public Works and Transportation Tom Kassmel said Vail’s summer parking program was expected to bring in about $2.5 million in revenues, but the program fell approximately $900,000 short of that expectation, bringing in only $1.7 million.

Kassmell said the estimated $400,000 in additional revenues projected for the upcoming winter season will attempt to partially make up for that gap.

Summer parking in the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures was $2/hour, with the first hour free and a max of $10/day. After 3 p.m., parking continued to be free and the overnight rate (assessed between the hours of 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.) was $60. The program started May 30 and ends Sunday.

Vail Town Council was supportive of the plan and vote unanimously in favor of the changes at its meeting on Sept. 16.

The winter parking season runs from Nov. 14 to April 12.