Deutsche Bahn : rent an electric car, unlimited mileage

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16/02/2016

What can do railway companies in order to draw attention to themselves to attract customers? An exemple with Deutsche Bahn. On 18 February, travelers to Berlin can book a long-distance ticket of Deutsche Bahn (DB) and an electric vehicle Flinkster, with a single ticket through the online platform bahn.de/flinkster-connect. This is the new combined offering of DB Rent and DB Fernverkehr, starting with a pilot project at the main station of Berlin and the Berlin-Südkreuz station. For only 29 € per day, customers can book before starting their journey, a vehicle through Flinkster mobile.

The cars are provided by Flinkster, a subsidiary of DB, one of the largest car-sharing services in Germany alongside the BMW and Sixt DriveNow Car2Go and Daimler. The "Connect Flinkster" vehicle, easily recognizable by the white-red design, is available at a fixed price of 29 euros per day for a period of up to seven days. But the highlight is that these vehicles are electric, to mark a point against the carbon footprint. The procedures are simplified, which adds to the attractiveness of the service: one site, one ticket, bookable from PC or the mobile. It connects via website of Flinkster or DB. Customers must simply show their driving license to an information office of DB for the first time that they use a car. Electric vehicles, however, have the disadvantage of current battery life and location of recharging stations.

DB hopes nevertheless that the abolition of fees for registration and the distance will limit their offers an attractive option compared to traditional car rental companies. "With our new combined offering, Flinkster Connect ', we have a direct connection between the train and the vehicle Flinkster" says Sylvia Link, CEO of DB Rent GmbH. "This ensures a transparent and individual mobility with Deutsche Bahn and improve 'experience-travel' for our customers"

"We want to offer our customers an easy and convenient mobility door-to-door". 'Flinkster Connect' is an important part. "The goal is to encourage customers to use these services, so that we can develop them further, "said Michael Peterson, vice president Produktmanagement at DB Fernverkehr.

"We expected the first phase of 'Connect Flinkster consciously as a test. The goal is to expand the availability and offer the service in other cities, " says Director Berthold Huber DB.

(photo DB)