A manual release device for a parking lock mechanism includes an operating lever, a cable and an idle motion mechanism. The idle motion mechanism includes a body portion, a lever provided on the body portion, a helical compression spring, and a contact portion provided on the shaft. The cable is coupled to the lever. A distal end of the lever is arranged below a turning center of the lever. The parking lock mechanism is configured, when the parking lock mechanism is in a locked state, to be switched into an unlocked state as the body portion contacts the contact portion to cause the shaft to turn when the lever is turned against an urging force of the urging member as a result of operation of the operating lever to cause the body portion to turn from the normal position to the actuated position.