Cochin Airport Parking Charges: Free Minutes, Rates, Long-Term

As of November 2026, Cochin International Airport lets private cars and two-wheelers stay free for the first 10 minutes, then charges Rs 100 for a car for up to 2 hours, Rs 30 for every hour after that, and Rs 350 per 24 hours on the long-term rate. Entry and exit are handled by FASTag, so for most drop-offs you drive in, unload and leave without stopping at a booth.

• What are the parking charges at Cochin airport?
• How much is 5 hours of parking?
• How to pay airport parking fee?
• Should you use long-term parking for a trip?
• What catches people out

What are the parking charges at Cochin airport?

This is the tariff CIAL publishes on its own parking page, as of November 2026. Fares and fees change, so check the page before a long trip.

Vehicle	Up to 10 min	Up to 2 hours	Each extra hour	Long term, per 24 hours
Private car	Free	Rs 100	Rs 30	Rs 350
Commercial car (taxi)	Rs 60	Rs 100	Rs 30	Rs 350
Two-wheeler	Free	Rs 20	Rs 10	No long-term rate (Rs 150 monthly pass)
Tempo Traveller / mini bus	Rs 250	Rs 250	Rs 60	Rs 750
Coach	Rs 350	Rs 350	Rs 60	Rs 1,000

The same page also lists covered parking and monthly passes, which mainly suit people who work at the airport or use it every week. The car parks themselves carry solar panels, part of the solar system that powers the airport; our explainer on how CIAL runs on solar covers that story.

How much is 5 hours of parking?

For a private car, Rs 190: Rs 100 for the first 2 hours plus Rs 30 for each of the next 3. That is the realistic bill when you go to receive someone and their flight lands late. A two-wheeler for the same 5 hours costs Rs 50.

Our honest advice: if an arrival is running badly late, the hourly meter is the expensive way to wait. Check the flight status before you leave home rather than after you have parked.

How to pay airport parking fee?

CIAL introduced FASTag-based entry and parking in December 2023. Cameras read your number plate and log your entry time, and the parking fee is paid through FASTag, much like a highway toll plaza. At launch, CIAL said drivers without a FASTag could pay at separate gate lanes or at pay-on-foot stations inside the parking area, and that slots could be pre-booked through the CIAL app.

• FASTag: the default. Keep the balance topped up; the FASTag annual pass is for national highway toll plazas and does not cover airport parking.
• No FASTag: at launch, CIAL offered separate gate lanes and pay-on-foot stations; this may have changed.
• Pre-booking: CIAL said at launch that the CIAL app would take bookings; check the app before relying on it.

Should you use long-term parking for a trip?

Yes, and you have to ask for it. CIAL's note under the tariff says long-term parking needs prior notification at the car park entry kiosk, with passenger details and travel plans, and that once you choose long-term you cannot switch back to the short-term rates. Skip the kiosk and you are billed on the short-term rates instead.

For a four-day trip, that is Rs 1,400 for a car on the long-term rate. Whether that beats a return cab depends on how far you live from the airport, so price both. Our comparison of prepaid taxis and app cabs at the airport helps with that sum.

What catches people out

• The 10 free minutes are only for private vehicles. A taxi pays Rs 60 even to drop you at the kerb.
• Domestic and international flights use different terminals. Check which one before you drive in; our Terminal 1 vs Terminal 3 guide explains the split.
• Two-wheelers have no long-term rate; CIAL lists only a Rs 150 monthly pass, so ask at the kiosk before leaving a scooter for days.

The short version: under 10 minutes, it is free. Under 2 hours, Rs 100. Leaving the car for days, tell the kiosk on the way in.