Let’s face it: Germany is not only famous for its Beer, but also for its cars: German Car Brands, the German Autobahn, the German Car Culture.
Some German Car Brands are world famous – and probably among the most famous brands: Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi. And the German Autobahn is probably also internationally well known for the non existing speed limits. Yes, German cars and German Autobahn go together like… ahm …Fish and Chips? …Macaroni and Cheese? …Sauerkraut and Wurst? …and I personally have to admit that I love going down the Autobahn with no speed limit myself every now and then.
Of course, speeding down the Autobahn is just one potential use for a car – and maybe it’s not even the most reasonable. Another occasion when you may want to rent a car in Berlin is when you have to move things. Maybe you are actually moving apartments, or you just need to pick up some furniture from some shop – a rental car or mini truck may be a great help getting the job done.
Some of the car hire companies may be well known to you. Basically all major rental brands have offices and car rental stations across Berlin. But some of the car hire companies may also be new to you – depending on where you come from. Some of the companies listed are what I would describe as ‘Berlin classics’ – like for example Robben & Wientjes. Let’s get started:
Robben & Wientjes Autovermietung
I’ll start with a Berlin classic: Basically in Berlin ‘everybody’ knows Robben & Wientjes – and probably everybody at least knows somebody, who once rented a ‘Robbe’ (Seal). At the end of every month, when people are moving house, the white mini trucks with the iconic blue seal of Robben & Wientjes can be seen virtually everywhere. The trucks are affordable, you can rent them by the hour, and the size is almost perfect for everything that would fit into a student apartment.
While the company also rents out regular cars and mini buses, which are actually quite popular among the Berlin band scene, the mini trucks are what Robben & Wientjes is famous for.
You may find rental stations in all four corners of the city:
- Kreuzberg
Prinzenstrasse 90/91 (near Ritterstrasse) 10969 Berlin Kreuzberg - Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Allee 96 (near Erich-Weinert-Strasse) 10409 Berlin Prenzlauer Berg - Neukölln
Lahnstrasse 36-40 (near Mierstrasse) 12055 Berlin Neukölln - Reinickendorf
Scharnweberstrasse 23 (near Kurt-Schumacher Platz) 13405 Berlin Reinickendorf
Website: www.robben-wientjes.de (German language only)
Car Sharing companies in Berlin
It seems as if in the past years Berlin has become a hot spot for short term Car Sharing companies. Most Berliners don’t own a car, since public transport and/or a bike can basically bring you virtually everywhere. However having access to a car can sometimes be handy. And once you’re registered with one of the many companies, chances are you can use your membership also in other German cities – some are even operating internationally.
…to be continued…
see also:
- Berlin by Car
- Parking your Car
- Parking ticket vending machines explained
- How to read German Parking Signs
Do you have and thoughts, suggestions, additional recommendations or comments? Please feel free to leave your comment below. Thank you!