P7 (Economy Parking)

20 € per day gets you P7’s lowest on-airport rates

P7 Economy Parking sits about 0.3 miles from Dortmund Airport’s T1 and targets long-stay drivers who plan ahead. It’s classed by the airport in the economical group alongside P3 and P6, but P7 usually comes in at the cheaper end at around 20 € per day for advance bookings. You trade walking distance for price, but you stay on official airport ground instead of going off-site.

You can’t just roll up at P7 and take a ticket: access is online reservation only, with no drive-up parking allowed. That pre-booking locks in your space in this long-stay lot, so you’re not circling P1 or P2 on departure day. If your dates are fixed and you’re watching costs on a 5–14 day trip, the math at 20 € per day often beats the closer multistoreys.

Instead of walking the 0.3 miles, you use bus line 490, which links P7, P5, and P6 with Terminal T1. The shuttle runs daily about every 20 minutes, and the ride itself is roughly 20 minutes end to end depending on stops. Budget 30 minutes from locking the car at P7 to standing inside the terminal doors, especially at first departure of the morning.

Bus 490 isn’t free: it’s 2 € per person each way from P7 to T1, with children up to age 6 riding free. Factor that into your total cost if you’re a family of four doing a week away, as eight paid rides round-trip add 16 € on top of the parking bill. Cash and regular local tickets apply, so a pre-loaded card from Dortmund city can cover it.

Tip: Book P7 as soon as your flights are locked, then aim to reach the car park at least 60 minutes before check-in closes to absorb the 490 bus wait and ride time.