Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national rail operator, is also parent of car-sharing service Flinkster, and is now linking the two services with an option for long-distance passengers to book a Flinkster car and have it waiting for them at the station.
The service starts now for Berlin, and will be extended to other cities over time. The initial cost is €29/day and the car, either plug-in electric or hybrid, can be kept for up to a week. At present, Flinkster has about 700 cars nationally; if the rail service (called “Flinkster Connect” takes off, there could be many more.
The service is set up to be simple and hassle-free: passengers book the car along with the ticket, so all passenger information is already on hand. Renters will have to stop and show their license at a kiosk the first time they rent.
The simplicity is important because DB is in hot competition with other transport options, including discount airlines, and especially deregulated long-distance bus services. Flinkster itself competes with other carsharing services run by BMW/Sixt and DaimlerBenz, and with services such as Uber. DBs strategy is to be a one-stop shop, or what it calls “an integrated mobility provider.”
