A vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) process for the recovery of carbon dioxide from a feed stream, wherein the feed stream comprises a multi-component gas mixture comprising at least carbon dioxide and hydrogen, in a VPSA unit comprising six adsorption beds each containing at least one CO 2 -selective adsorbent, the process comprising cyclically repeating in each of the adsorption beds a cycle comprising the steps: (a) feeding at least a portion of the feed stream and part of the CO 2 -rich stream of an adsorption bed undergoing step (d) to the adsorption bed at a first pressure within a first pressure range for a predetermined time to produce a hydrogen-enriched stream; (b) pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (h) in a first depressurization step from the first pressure to a second pressure within a second pressure range wherein the second pressure is lower than the first pressure in a same direction as or in a direction opposite to the feed flow; (c) pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (g) in a second depressurization step from the second pressure to a third pressure within a third pressure range wherein the third pressure is lower than the second pressure and in a same direction as or in a direction opposite to the feed flow; (d) depressurizing the adsorption bed in a third depressurization step from the third pressure to a fourth pressure within a fourth pressure range wherein the fourth pressure is lower than the third pressure and close to ambient pressure, and in a same direction as the feed flow or in a direction opposite the feed flow to produce a CO 2 -rich stream, wherein a first portion of the CO 2 -rich stream is compressed and recycled into the feed stream and feeding the feed stream with said recycled first portion to an adsorption bed undergoing step (a), and wherein a second portion of the CO 2 -rich stream is fed to an adsorption bed undergoing step (f) to equalize the pressure in said bed; (e) evacuating the adsorption bed from the fourth pressure range to a pressure below ambient in a direction opposite to or in a same direction as the feed flow to produce CO 2 product; (f) repressurizing the adsorption bed from the pressure below ambient by pressure equalization with an adsorption bed undergoing step (d); (g) pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (c) in a second pressure equalization step in a direction opposite to or in a same direction as the feed flow; (h) further pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (b) in a third pressure equalization step in a direction opposite to or in a same direction as the feed flow; and (i) repressurizing the adsorption bed by feed gas or by part of the hydrogen-enriched stream generated in an adsorption bed undergoing step (a) in a repressurization step to the first pressure range. (a) feeding at least a portion of the feed stream and part of the CO 2 -rich stream of an adsorption bed undergoing step (d) to the adsorption bed at a first pressure within a first pressure range for a predetermined time to produce a hydrogen-enriched stream; (b) pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (h) in a first depressurization step from the first pressure to a second pressure within a second pressure range wherein the second pressure is lower than the first pressure in a same direction as or in a direction opposite to the feed flow; (c) pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (g) in a second depressurization step from the second pressure to a third pressure within a third pressure range wherein the third pressure is lower than the second pressure and in a same direction as or in a direction opposite to the feed flow; (d) depressurizing the adsorption bed in a third depressurization step from the third pressure to a fourth pressure within a fourth pressure range wherein the fourth pressure is lower than the third pressure and close to ambient pressure, and in a same direction as the feed flow or in a direction opposite the feed flow to produce a CO 2 -rich stream, wherein a first portion of the CO 2 -rich stream is compressed and recycled into the feed stream and feeding the feed stream with said recycled first portion to an adsorption bed undergoing step (a), and wherein a second portion of the CO 2 -rich stream is fed to an adsorption bed undergoing step (f) to equalize the pressure in said bed; (e) evacuating the adsorption bed from the fourth pressure range to a pressure below ambient in a direction opposite to or in a same direction as the feed flow to produce CO 2 product; (f) repressurizing the adsorption bed from the pressure below ambient by pressure equalization with an adsorption bed undergoing step (d); (g) pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (c) in a second pressure equalization step in a direction opposite to or in a same direction as the feed flow; (h) further pressure equalizing the adsorption bed with an adsorption bed undergoing step (b) in a third pressure equalization step in a direction opposite to or in a same direction as the feed flow; and (i) repressurizing the adsorption bed by feed gas or by part of the hydrogen-enriched stream generated in an adsorption bed undergoing step (a) in a repressurization step to the first pressure range.