I would like to know if there is any official information on how big is the tolerance on overtime parking in the blue area and prepaid parking meter. I guess it may be 5 minutes, but does anyone know it better?
Once I came back to my car just 10 minutes after the paid time expired, and there was already a policeman in the process of issuing a fine.
I know they take a notice when the time will run up so they come back in the right time to increase the chances of getting some money.

Blus parking zone - Zurich

Thanks, but I could not find any information about tolerance. It says "Will be fined if the maximum parking time has been exceeded." Does it mean that if I have the disk set on 15:00, a policeman arrives at 16:01 and issue a fine?

i also wonder, how late your own watch might be running if you arrive at the exact time according to your watch. 1-2 minutes?

Given
1. General attitude towards rules, especially in the subset of traffic wardens
2. Swiss timekeeping

I'd assume zero tolerance. If you don't want a fine then get back and put some more money in early (although that may also not be allowed depending on what the sign says) or leave on time. Simples.

Why would you expect there to be any 'tolerance'? surely if you're allowed to park for 90 minutes and that 90 minutes has expired you're no longer allowed to be parked. If there were any official tolerance, say 5 minutes as you suggest, then it wouldn't be 90 minutes, but 95, that you were allowed.

Or is this just a subtle way of complaining that you're hard done by for getting a ticket?

Yes, of course.

When you park in the blue zone you generally round up to the nearest 15mins anyway - so your "tolerance" is usually built in. (And yes, this was how I was "taught" by a Swiss)

For the ones with the dial thingy, sure, but the OP was talking about the metered ones.

Tom

There is no 15 minutes rounding up in Zurich.

Once I was naive enough to set the disk at 9:15(in the middle between 09:00 and 09:30) when I arrived exactly at 9:15. At 10:30 there was already a fine with time of arrival rounded in the way they need - 09:00.

The dial thingy is the blue zone to which the OP refers.

I was told that you could round up to the next half hour. (You arrive at 9.40, so set the dial to 10.00) and that was in the town of Zurich.

I guess there's only one way to find out...

The rules for using blue zone parking are printed on the back of the blue zone parkkarte and if I understand it correctly you can (for example) arrive at 8am, set the parkkarte at 8.30am and then must leave by 9.30am.

Over lunch you can stay for longer.

Nope, I'm pretty sure that if a parking cop comes along at 0945 and sees your dial set to 1000 you'll be given a ticket in the blink of her eye. Of course, many people do it, and if it's within five or ten minutes then it's not _too_ risky, but just like the OP overstaying by five or ten minutes, the risk is there if you don't do it by the book.

I suggest you read it again. For a start it's 90 minutes, not 60, so in your example you'd set the card to 0800 and need to move by 0930.

No, you won't because it's perfectly legal.

Here's an example straight from the City of Zurich website:

time of arrival: 09:05
set dial on parking disc to: 09:30
(latest) departure time: 10:30

If you parked in a metered and prepay zone as the OP stated there is no need for any tolerance. You have details of the expiry time so the expiry is the stated time not some buffer time on top!

No, he said metered. (blue zones are both metered and un-metered).

Tom

Tom - good to see that you are one of the exceptions that can actually read and knows the difference while loads of advice is floating around in this post from those who are advising on the blue disk parking procedures when the person clearly stated a blue prepaid parking meter!

My question is about the blue area zone and/or prepaid parking meter.
"(blue zones)" part of the topic name was added by forum moderator.

I've heard from a Swiss about 15 minutes tolerance with normal blue zone disks too. But this may not be valid for Zurich as they already give you up to 29 minutes on top of 1 hour.
And a parking meter may issue a ticket with an exact time on it.

The current answer is zero tolerance at this moment, but I am still not sure it is correct.

Knowing the tolerance may help to avoid a ticket or unnecessary rush to the car.

Never heard or seen any tolerance in that field.... luck may be yes but tolerance..

Best advice is know how long you have paid for or the expiry time and make sure you are back in time. I doubt the parking police will accept the excuse that members of the EF told you there is a tolerance level.

Funny - I read:

Blue area - first object
Prepaid parking meter - second object

I've not come across metered blue zone parking - as blue zone, by definition, requires the blue dial.
Prepaid parking meters are numbered white lined bays - either on or off street.

My 15mins thing was because usually because I would be trying to set the dial at 0945 - and was told just to put it at 1000.

For the meters - no tolerance.