If you plan to park in Auckland central for any extended time today, you might want to avoid leaving your car on the street.

Auckland Transport's on-street parking hike is being rolled out from today and motorists could well be hit in the pocket if they park in the same spot for more than two hours.

Under the new rates, in areas like Wynyard Quarter and Vector Arena, parking for eight hours will skyrocket from $16 dollars to $42.

In parts of the inner CBD, an eight hour park is to cost $63.

The authority wants to free up street parks for people visiting CBD businesses, and is encouraging workers to use public transport or parking buildings instead.

Generation Zero is a youth-led group passionate about finding smarter transport solutions to cut carbon pollution

Auckland Director Leroy Beckett said overall, it's a positive move by Auckland Transport.

"People shouldn't be parking in the city all day. It's a terrible use of space. We could use it for much better things. As long as we have good public transport options that are a reasonable alternative, that's the future of Auckland."

Beckett said people who haven't used Auckland's public transport in a while might be surprised how much it's improved.

"Since the trains have been electrified they're really reliable. The new bus networks rolling out have increased the coverage and capacity of the network. I think we're a long way towards it being the best option."

Auckland Transport said people should check pay and display machines for the current fares.