While the city of Córdoba has not seen the inauguration of major parking facilities since April 2012, when the last one opened at Parque Figueroa, its vehicle fleet has experienced steady growth. The need for substantial parking spaces is a deficit the capital has been carrying.
According to data from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), at the close of 2015, there were 145,016 cars registered in the capital, a figure that rose to 156,063 by the end of 2025. This 7.6% increase represents 11,047 more vehicles circulating and seeking parking on Córdoba's streets.
The growth has not been uniform. The most significant increases occurred at the end of 2017 (+1.9%) and 2018 (+1.5%), coinciding with economic recovery after the 2008 financial crisis. In those years, car purchases outpaced vehicles retired due to age or accidents.
The vehicle fleet only saw a decrease on two occasions in the last decade: in 2023 (-0.1%) and 2024 (-0.6%). Growth progressively lost momentum from 2019, affected by economic weakness, the microchip crisis, and the Covid pandemic in 2020, which led to drops in new vehicle sales.
Following a slowdown in 2020 (+0.8%), 2021 (+0.2%), and 2022 (+0.2%), the year 2025 marked a considerable rebound, with a 1.4% rise and 2,128 more cars than in 2024. New vehicle sales in 2025 increased by 12.6%, and by July 2026, they had surged by 17%.
Compared to 2012, the cumulative growth is 5.6% (8,284 more cars), although in that year the vehicle fleet was already declining due to the financial crisis.
The City Council of Córdoba plans to break this parking shortage with construction works scheduled for 2027 for the Vallellano and Lepanto parking facilities. The most advanced project is Lepanto, with an approved preliminary design for approximately 300 spaces, which will soon go to tender with an estimated investment of 8.5 million euros and will be executed using modular steel and concrete structures.
Furthermore, archaeological surveys have begun for the large underground parking at Puerta de Córdoba on Vallellano avenue. It is expected to be tendered between late 2026 and early 2027, with construction works anticipated to be longer than those for the Lepanto parking.
Other projects in the pipeline include a parking facility in the Plaza de Toros area, which did not secure European funding, and a plan to transform the plot north of the Palacio de la Merced in the Colón area, which will include an underground parking.
