Car-Sharing in Germany [2024] - Navigate Germany

Germany is famous because of its automobile industry that generates around 20% of their total income due to which car sharing has also become a very common and organized way of car rental. This is the most suitable, convenient, reliable, and manageable way to rent a car within no time.

Car Sharing Defined

Car sharing is to rent a car from a car rental company for a shared use. You can rent a car for short distance travel. It is a great and impactful way of shared mobility across the Globe that is available 24/7. According to the statistics, 243 car provider companies are operational in Germany. There were 3.39 million licensed drivers registered in Germany in 2022 which increased by 18% last year. 30,200 cars are available for customers due to which the car sharing fleet has increased by 15.2% during last year.

Rent a car in germany

Follow the steps below to rent a car in Germany;

• Register yourself on your chosen car-sharing app.
• Submit necessary documents such as; driver’s license and identification card
• Upload clear pictures.
• Wait for the approval
• If approved, account will be activated
• Book your vehicle from your application.

You can book your vehicle for free for the first 15 to 30 minutes. Afterwards, you need to pay the costs. Access your vehicle with the help of your app or membership card after reaching your reserved vehicle. Once you use it, you must park it in a legal parking spot.

Start Your Own Car Sharing

There are multiple car-sharing providers in Germany. Register yourself with them or choose one that best suits you. When you initiate your own car sharing, use tariffs without paying a primary charge and save hundreds per year. Car2go/l or DriveNow is the flexible and best place to share a car for city dwellers. There are multiple options for car sharing with fixed stations in small towns. Flinkster is the largest car sharing provider that offers more than 800 stations in more than 200 German cities.

You can also find stationary car-sharing providers with the help of the Federal Association. 

Benefits of Sharing Your Own Car

Germany offers a lot of car sharing benefits;

• Car sharing saves your money
• If you travel less than 10,000 kilometers per year, and do not depend on your car daily, car sharing is best for you as your car will be in use.
• The car without fixed stations (“free-floating”) is ideal for spontaneous trips or short distances. You can open a vehicle by using a Smartphone and a customer card.
• Fixed stations make it cheaper to hire a provider for planned outward and return journeys available in more than 500 German cities.

Car Sharing Options in Germany

Here are the three categories of car sharing companies in Germany:

• Classic car sharing
• Flexible car sharing
• Private vehicle sharing

Classic (Stationary) Car Sharing

Classic car sharing model operates from stations at specific locations in Germany. With classic car sharing, one can rent a car from a specific station and park it back to the station after using it. Around 789,000 users are registered who do not use their car daily and offer their vehicle for car sharing. Classic car sharing is based on kilometers or units of time. Flinkster and Ubeeqo are two main providers offering classic car sharing in Germany.

Flexible (Free Floating) Car Sharing

Flexible or free floating car sharing model is based in a specific business district. In this model, users can pick up the car and return it anywhere within the specified area due to which it is the most preferable model in Germany. Almost 2,604,000 licensed users are using this car sharing option for one-way trips. You can cancel your car rental once you reach your destination and pay the amount after the trip. Car2Go, Share Now, and Drive Now are the main providers of flexible car sharing in Germany.

You can access the car via chip or app as no reservation is required. Other than that you can search for cars near you to make a temporary reservation. The major drawback of this model is the high charges if you need a car for longer journeys.WeShare is another option initiated by Volkswagen Group in 2019 and Sixt Share is the best option available in Berlin.

Private Vehicle Sharing

Private car owners can rent their cars through different websites. These options are very economical without any compromise on quality. SnappCar or Turoare the best options in rural areas. Availability of cars may vary and you must not expect your car to be as modern as traditional car-sharing companies offer.

Best Car Sharing Companies in Germany

Germany is the best country offering the best car sharing services to their users. Here are the top five car sharing companies:

• Share Now
• WeShare
• Flinkster
• Sixt Share
• Miles

Share Now

Car2Go (BMW) and DriveNow (Daimler) joined to form Share Now in 2019 which became the largest car sharing provider in Germany. They have more than 7,400 vehicles for around 1,700,000 registered users. The registration cost is €9.90. You can get the best weekly packages at reasonable rates. WeShare

WeShare has almost 2300 vehicles including electric cars. They are currently based on ID.3 and ID.4 models. The process to rent a car through WeShare is very simple and quick. The cost of an original ride is 1 Euro. If you are a registered user, the cost per minute is 0.29€ to 0.34€ but if you have membership then the cost is about 0.19€ to 0.24€ per minute.

Sixt Share

Sixt Share is the car sharing company that offers both long and short term car rentals but with a specific travel range. They are using a flexible car sharing model and the cost of registration is 29€. The cost per minute is 9 cents. Price may vary depending on various factors like time, availability, and travel range. Sixt Share has different kinds of vehicles.

Miles

Miles offers a variety of vehicles (small, compact, large) based on the miles that help their users to save money if they couldn’t return the car in time. You can choose a car of your own choice but a few cars are not available if you are a new driver. The van cost is around 1.12€ per kilometer whereas a small car costs 90 cents per kilometer. Parking cost during rental duration is up to 29 cents per minute.

Flinkster

Flinkster, founded in 2001, has around 4000 vehicles. The registration cost is around 9.00€. They use the classic car sharing model and offer weekly packages at a fixed rate. They offer their cars to users in central cities and around 400 small towns in Germany.

Here are the two payment options:

1. City tariff - 10 EUR monthly fee for a low mileage charge
2. Nationwide tariff - no subscription fee but higher usage charges.
3. Discounts for users with a BahnCard.

Pros and Cons of Car-Sharing

Car sharing is a part of German culture but it has some pros and cons as mentioned below;

Pros ✅ car insurance is not required.
✅ Less expensive than buying a new car.
✅ No need to search for parking ✅ No parking fee.
✅ Eco – friendly
✅ Simple to arrange
✅ Convenient than public transportation
✅ No maintenance or repair cost

Cons ⛔️ Liability for passengers’ injuries or losses
⛔️ Require more planning
⛔️ Non-identifiable logs
⛔️ Vehicle depending on the various factors

Pros of Car Sharing Company in Germany

Car-Sharing companies helps both users and the society in multiple ways;

Save Money

Due to car sharing companies, users save money in a number of ways like daily transportation cost, maintenance costs, car repairs, insurance, gas, and other expenses.

Less Traffic

Car sharing companies help in minimizing the traffic on the roads and streamlining the flow of traffic.

Fast and Convenient

Car sharing companies offer fast and convenient solutions to your mobility issues. You might face issues in public transport because of indirect routes but car sharing is always peaceful as you can choose a direct route to reach your destination and save your time.

Quick Booking

Booking process of car sharing companies is easy and quick as compared to the traditional car rental system. Many car sharing companies have mobile apps and you can easily book your car through your phone.

Reduced Air Pollution

Car sharing companies play a vital role in keeping the environment healthy and clean. As the number of cars decreases on roads, air pollution will also decrease, which will help the environment and the weather. 

Drive As Per Your Need

You can easily search, book, and access your chosen car whenever you want.

Conclusion

67% of people in Germany prefer car sharing to fulfill their transportation needs. Car sharing companies provide full protection and security to their users and minimize the expenses too. It keeps the environment fresh, clean, and healthy so everyone should prefer it for easy and smooth traveling.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What car-sharing apps are available in Germany?

Here are the car sharing apps you can use in Germany;

1. Car2go
2. Zipcar
3. GIG Car Share
4. HyreCar
5. Getaround
6. Turo
7. Enterprise Car Share

What is the best way to rent a car from Airbnb?

Turo is the car sharing provider in Germany that acts as an Airbnb. You can rent a car from the owner by using an app or online. Select a car of your choice at a pickup point either at the owner’s home or at a public area.

Which ride sharing app is available in Germany?

Berlin is the best ride sharing app in Germany that allows users to mention their destination and departure time. The app matches it with the available drivers and you can share your ride and reach your destination easily.