41,000 new parking spaces added since 2021
2025-11-10 20:11:56
By Hu Yikai.
As of June, Yichang's urban area provides 399,000 parking spaces for 360,000 local passenger cars. The vehicle-to-parking ratio now stands at 1:1.11, within the range recommended by national standards.
Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021 - 2025), Yichang has added 41,000 public parking spaces, easing parking difficulties in older districts. In new urban areas, the parking supply standard for new buildings has been expanded by 25 percent.
The city has also launched a smart parking platform that connects more than 2,800 parking lots and covers over 440,000 spaces, enabling “interconnectivity and unified management.” Drivers can now easily locate parking lots, check space availability, navigate, pay without contact, and even “exit first, pay later.”
Yichang has rolled out multiple measures to reduce parking costs. These include lowering fees at hotels, core business districts and transport hubs; a 30-percent daytime discount and nighttime free use of on-street temporary parking; and free parking during holidays, Gaokao (China's national college entrance exam) periods, and major events at government-invested lots. Free parking is also offered for the first two hours at 40 urban parks, cultural centers, and sports venues.
During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026 - 2030), Yichang plans to add another 35,000 parking spaces. The city will address shortages in 24 key areas and renovate or expand 83 parking facilities.
Xu Mingming and Li Ming also contributed to this story.
As of June, Yichang's urban area provides 399,000 parking spaces for 360,000 local passenger cars. The vehicle-to-parking ratio now stands at 1:1.11, within the range recommended by national standards.
A parking lot in Yichang filled with private cars. Photo by Xu Mingming.
Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021 - 2025), Yichang has added 41,000 public parking spaces, easing parking difficulties in older districts. In new urban areas, the parking supply standard for new buildings has been expanded by 25 percent.
The city has also launched a smart parking platform that connects more than 2,800 parking lots and covers over 440,000 spaces, enabling “interconnectivity and unified management.” Drivers can now easily locate parking lots, check space availability, navigate, pay without contact, and even “exit first, pay later.”
Yichang has rolled out multiple measures to reduce parking costs. These include lowering fees at hotels, core business districts and transport hubs; a 30-percent daytime discount and nighttime free use of on-street temporary parking; and free parking during holidays, Gaokao (China's national college entrance exam) periods, and major events at government-invested lots. Free parking is also offered for the first two hours at 40 urban parks, cultural centers, and sports venues.
During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026 - 2030), Yichang plans to add another 35,000 parking spaces. The city will address shortages in 24 key areas and renovate or expand 83 parking facilities.
Xu Mingming and Li Ming also contributed to this story.
