Car sharing & public transport: Examples of public transport running car sharing

Table of Content

• Car sharing meets public transport
• Public transport running car sharing
• Other forms of cooperation

Car sharing meets public transport

Car sharing and public transport are closely connected. Studies show that car sharing users are much more likely to use public transport frequently than private car owners. In Brussels, for example, 70% of Cambio users and 65% of Poppy users hold a public transport subscription.

Car sharing operators often offer tailored packages for public transport users and place stations close to major transit hubs. Public transport operators are also increasingly investing in mobility ecosystems to make alternatives to car ownership more appealing. Examples include Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) apps that connect shared mobility and public transport, participation in UITP working groups and industry conferences, and adding car sharing services to their service portfolio.

6 examples of public transport operators that run car sharing services

Below are six examples of car sharing brands run by public transport operators at national, regional, or local levels:

Flinkster

Germany I Deutsche Bahn (DB) I Website

Flinkster is the station-based car sharing service of Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway operator. Located near Deutsche Bahn (DB) railway stations, the service seamlessly connects rail travel with shared mobility. Flinkster supports DB’s strategy to extend public transport beyond rail and bus by integrating car sharing into its core offering.

ÖBB Rail&Drive

Austria I Österreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB) I Website

ÖBB, Austria’s national rail operator, carries around half a billion passengers each year. Through ÖBB Rail&Drive, it offers car sharing with hundreds of cars at railway stations in over 40 cities across Austria. This integration gives train passengers a practical option for first- and last-mile travel. By integrating car sharing with rail travel, ÖBB Rail&Drive ensures a smooth, sustainable journey from door to door.

Corrente

Italy I Trasporto Passeggeri Emilia Romagna (TPER) I Website

Corrente is an electric, free-floating car sharing service with over 300 vehicles in Italy. Cars can be rented in cities such as Bologna or Ferrara. Operated by TPER, which also manages local buses and trolleybuses, Corrente reaches into the Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL), as described by Fabio Teti in our insights interview on free-floating car sharing in the Emilia-Romagna region.

WienMobil Auto

Austria I Wiener Linien I Website

Wiener Linien, Vienna’s public transport operator, manages underground lines, trams, buses, and around 100 WienMobil Auto car sharing vehicles. The car sharing fleet is fully electric and spread throughout the city. Pass holders received discounts on car sharing packages and subscription fees. Wiener Linien is also hosting the 2026 edition of the industry conference Shared Mobility Rocks in Vienna, highlighting the role of shared mobility to public transport operators.

Flex

Luxembourg I Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL) I Website

CFL Mobility, subsidiary of Luxembourg’s state-owned rail operator CFL, runs the station-based car sharing service Flex. Flex operates about 100 stations and 25,000 members. The company recently integrated the car sharing offer Carloh. It remains the key car sharing provider in Luxembourg, offering a wide range of vehicles, including the Audi A1, Fiat Talento, VW ID. Buzz Cargo, or MINI Cooper, catering to different needs from urban trips to cargo transport.

swu2go

Germany I SWU – Stadtwerke Ulm/Neu-Ulm I Website

The municipal utility company group SWU – Stadtwerke provides electricity, gas, water, heat, telecommunications, and also operates public transport in the Ulm/Neu-Ulm region in Germany. Car sharing is an integrated part of their mobility offerings under the brand swu2go. Their car sharing fleet is fully electric and available at approximately 30 stations across the region.

Selected other forms of cooperation between public transport and car sharing

In addition to public transport operators running car sharing services, there are several other forms of cooperation in the market. Examples include:

Low-level partnerships and campaigns:

These include one-time trial campaigns, limited-time offers, and event-based campaigns such as vouchers for combining train or tram travel with car sharing (i.e. “Arrive by train/tram, return by car share”). Such initiatives encourage users to try new modes and raise awareness, supporting multimodal and intermodal connections.

Strategic partnerships and cooperation:

Examples of these longer-term collaborations include Mobility and SBB placing a third of Mobility’s cars at train stations, Enterprise CarShare UK’s pilot with Southeastern to increase car sharing at local train stations, and Caruso’s integration with public transport passes such as Klimaticket VMOBIL or Klimaticket Österreich.

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) integrations:

Many cities have launched large-scale MaaS solutions that combine public transport and shared mobility. Examples include Jelbi in Berlin, Floya in Brussels, hvv switch in Hamburg, and Madrid Mobility 360 in Madrid. Berlin and Hamburg plan to merge their MaaS apps in 2026, creating a unified platform for both cities.

Global networking and enablement:

Public transport and shared mobility are building joint forums and working groups to support deeper collaboration with the goal to make shared mobility an integral part of integrated public transport systems. Examples include shared mobility working groups of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and Wiener Linien organization of the industry networking event Shared Mobility Rocks in 2026.

Outlook

Cooperation between public transportation and car sharing services takes many forms, with several models in place for years. While some public transport operators directly run their own car sharing systems, many more use partnerships to strengthen connected mobility. Ongoing efforts aim to further integrate car sharing and shared mobility into public transportation systems, helping cities move closer to seamless, sustainable and user-friendly mobility for all.

If you find this content useful, you are welcome to subscribe to our newsletter for insights into car sharing around the world.