We’ve all heard tales of how great German transport is, but unfortunately efficiency comes at a cost; unless you have the luxury of being able to plan long distance journeys well in advance you will find that booking a train will cost a small fortune. To combat this, those wily Germans have very much taken to the idea of “Mitfahrgelegenheit”, otherwise known as car pooling, where you can save money on your journey costs by travelling together.
Carpooling is the pioneering ride sharing platform that has been championed across the country– from Berlin to Frankfurt; you will be able to find drivers or passengers all by the click of a button. This will not only make your trip that bit cheaper, but you will also have the chance to meet people for all corners of Germany! This is like internet dating for hitchhikers; you are able to vet your potential driver or passenger by viewing their online profile, so fears of ending up disembowelled in some ditch next to the autobahn are irrelevant. More than 900,000 trips each month take place on a close network from people willing to save money and meet interesting people by travelling together.
The website is an incredibly useful resource; created in Germany, the company has expanded across Europe during the last four years and is now the leading ride-sharing company on the continent. Drivers and passengers can find, offer and book lifts, and check out what fellow travellers are like via their user profiles. Available in seven different languages, it provides access to every single destination in the whole of Europe. There is even an app so you can search on the go!
You can travel from the south of Germany right up to Hamburg for as little as €27 – and this is incredible when compared to the cost of plane or train tickets. With over five million people registered on the site alone, you will be hard pushed to find someone who is not taking your route.
So if you want to have your own little Jack Kerouac-inspired venture across Germany then look no further. Whether you just wish to save money, do your bit for the environment or simply want to meet new people, carpooling is for you.
