Driving in Europe. Meet the Locals.
Most travelers don't appreciate that driving is a great way to meet the locals. Here are some ways to pay for parking, yes tobacco and magazine shops. These stores often have train and bus tickets. When you enter a parking garage, you get a ticket. When leaving, you always pay at a central station, so take your ticket with you. You then reinsert your validated ticket when exiting, then the gate opens. You do NOT pay when driving out, like most US parking lots.