Car rental is a relatively new phenomenon for Russia. Now it is being slowly replaced by car sharing services. Services with minute-by-minute rent are not available everywhere however, they have gained popularity among the residents of metropolises who prefer to drive their own car.
What service is less expensive and more convenient: Traditional car rental or carsharing? Let's find out.
- Costs
- Parking
Minute-by-minute billing of carsharing services looks very tempting. You only pay for driving and waiting. For example, a 15-minute trip can cost $1.7-2.4, depending on the fare. It's cheaper than a taxi. But renting a car through carsharing services can be 3-4 times as expensive as traditional car rental.
1.440 minutes (per day) * 0.11 rubles/min = $158.4.
Renting a car from the company, you will have to pay for the whole day. This is a great option for people who are travelling or driving 24/7. Rental companies will often lower the price if you are renting a car for long periods of time.
Result: for short trips — carsharing, for long — traditional car rental.
In large cities, where carsharing is ubiquitous, parking fees are included. You can park wherever there are parking spaces. There are special carsharing parking zones in many airports. But you will have to pay for parking a vehicle that was rented conventionally.
Result: if you rent a car for a long period of time, download the application to find free parking. For example, to pay for city parking download an app "Moscow Parking" .
- Vast geography
- Availability
- Selection of types and classes of vehicles
- Details
Want to go out of town for a weekend or vacation? Alas, car sharing is available only within a particular area. Traditional car rental services will be better.
Result: conventional car rental is more suited for road trips.
A carsharing vehicle is easy to find, download an app and rent the closest one to you. Above all: You can do it 24/7
As for the rental companies, you can rent only during office hours, you will not be able to pick it up near the house, but in the Parking lot of the company.
Result: You can take a carsharing instead of a taxi and get to the office of the rental company, why not?
The convertibles are popular on the coast because you can feel an ocean breeze in the car. Unfortunately it might not be available via carsharing services. It's the same with the SUV and the limo.
Result: It's better to rent a car for a prolonged period of time when you are on vacation.
Both services have insurance included however, you will have to pay for gas only with conventional car rental. But it is still more profitable than using carsharing for a whole day (see paragraph 1.).
Result: both services have pros and cons. Choosing where to rent a car, should be determined by the purpose and the time of the trip.
And there is a third the most profitable option — renting a car directly from the owner. You might already know where to find the best car rental deals around the world.
