{"id":8614,"date":"2026-05-16T07:36:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T05:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gotaxi24.sk\/?p=8614"},"modified":"2026-05-16T08:50:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T06:50:38","slug":"parking-at-the-airport-what-happens-to-the-car-after-a-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gotaxi24.sk\/en\/parkovanie-na-letisku-co-sa-stane-s-autom-po-tyzdni\/","title":{"rendered":"Airport parking: what happens to your car after a week?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The car is standing. Seven days, two weeks, sometimes a month. From the owner's point of view, nothing happens - the keys are in the pocket, the holiday is running. From the car's point of view, it's a completely different story.<\/strong> Airport parking is not just about how much you pay. In those seven days, things can happen to your car that only those who find their car in a state of disrepair upon arrival think about. Dead batteries, flat spots on tyres, rodents in the engine compartment, prices climbing into three figures - and in some modern cars, even the scenario where the car can't even be unlocked after a week. Let's take a look at what can happen and when it really pays to leave the car at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"P2<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How much will a week of parking cost you in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let's start with what can be quantified. Parking prices at M. R. \u0160tef\u00e1nik Airport have stabilised in recent years, but the differences between the various options are still significant. A week's parking directly at Bratislava Airport costs \u20ac79, while at a comparable car park near Vienna's Schwechat you'll pay between \u20ac99 and \u20ac118. In Budapest, you'll pay around \u20ac50 for parking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bratislava Airport has three public car parks. P1 with a capacity of 106 spaces is for short-term parking only - loading and unloading passengers within 15 minutes is free of charge. P2 offers 670 spaces for long-term parking and P3 has a capacity of 338 spaces with a better price, but is 1.5 km away from the terminal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For an overview, here are the indicative prices for long-term parking in 2026:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parking<\/th>Distance<\/th>7 days<\/th>14 days<\/th>Note<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
BTS P1<\/td>at the terminal<\/td>Inappropriate<\/td>Inappropriate<\/td>5 \u20ac\/hour, for short stay only<\/td><\/tr>
BTS P2<\/td>3-5 min walk<\/td>95\u20ac<\/td>170\u20ac<\/td>main long-term parking<\/td><\/tr>
BTS P3<\/td>1.5 km (20 min on foot)<\/td>90 \u20ac<\/td>160 \u20ac<\/td>free minibus on call<\/td><\/tr>
External car parks<\/td>1-3 km<\/td>50-85 \u20ac<\/td>90-135 \u20ac<\/td>included in price, camera system<\/td><\/tr>
Vienna Schwechat<\/td>at the terminal<\/td>120-190 \u20ac<\/td>170-350 \u20ac<\/td>by distance from the terminal<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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For a three-week trip, the difference between on-site and off-site parking can range from \u20ac100 to \u20ac200. For the difference, you get a return ticket to most European destinations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\nAttention:<\/strong> Never park on the P1 for more than 15 minutes - a week would cost you \u20ac840.\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you're thinking of an alternative, airport transfer by GoTaxi24<\/a> for two to four people on the way there and back is often cheaper than two weeks' parking at the airport, while the car is safely at home in the meantime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"starting<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dead battery: the most common reason why a car won't start on arrival<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a classic. The car sits for seven days, you come back from holiday, turn the key and all you hear is clicking. At best. At worst, you hear nothing at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern cars have a number of systems that remain in stand-by mode even after the engine is switched off. Alarms, central locking with remote control, location tracking, on-board computers that wake up periodically to check the status of the systems. Each of these draws a small amount of current continuously. With a healthy battery and a short standstill, this is not a problem. However, with an older battery or standing for more than ten days, the situation changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The frost makes it worse. In sub-zero temperatures, a lead-acid battery loses up to a third of its capacity. If you flew out in December with a two-year-old battery that's barely holding up, you may have an unpleasant surprise when you return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trickiness of modern cars with two batteries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here we come to the thing that almost nobody thinks about. Some modern vehicles - typically the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, B-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, but also the BMW range and other premium brands from mid-2010 onwards - have two batteries.<\/strong> One main (larger, starting battery) and one auxiliary (smaller, so called auxiliary battery).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The principle is as follows<\/a>: the main battery is used to start and power the basic systems. The auxiliary battery powers specific functions - the start-stop system, some assistance systems, the electronically controlled gearbox and other electronic modules. In some models, it's even responsible for getting the car into park in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now comes the tricky part. When standing for long periods of time, the auxiliary battery - which is small, often only 12V\/1.2Ah - will be the first to drain. While the main battery is still half charged, the auxiliary battery has long since dropped below the critical level. In some cases, the car then behaves absurdly: the main battery has enough power to start, but the electronics controlling the fuel system, the locks or the gearbox refuse to work because they are running on the auxiliary battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result? You are standing in front of a car that is can't even be unlocked by remote control<\/strong>, with the key in the lock, nothing responds to the electronic signal, and even if you get in with the mechanical key hidden in the fob, the alarm may go off and the car will refuse to shift, start or open the bonnet. Some owners end up calling a towing service<\/a>, which must bring them a 12V power supply and connect it via an access point under the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The mechanics who repair such cars on a daily basis make it clear: if you have a car with an auxiliary battery and plan to stand for more than a week, the risk is never zero. Some manufacturers directly recommend connecting a trickle charger - a maintenance charger - when standing for more than seven days.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This is of course an option that is not practical for airport parking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"flat<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tyres: flat spots and ageing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The car weighs between 1 200 and 2 000 kilograms. All this weight sits on four palm-sized contact surfaces. When it sits in one place for several days, a deformation can form on the tyres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Point S tyre service directly states on its website<\/a>, that flat spots can start to appear on a tyre after just 30 days of sitting in one place. With the usual weekly standing at the airport this is not yet critical, but two or three weeks in winter, when the rubber is stiff, already has an effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The risk is higher when:<\/p>\n\n\n\n