Hassle-free car-sharing in Brussels with DriveNow

Brussels, a fantastic city in which to work and live. With lots of exciting things to see and do. But to enjoy the city to the fullest, a good understanding of the many – and often complexly organised – means of mobility is key.

One of the still lesser known options is free-floating car sharing. This is a very comfortable and efficient way of sharing cars that eliminates the need to pick up and return a car to one designated location. That’s why we felt it was time to explain to you how it works, and why it will work for you.

Free-floating was introduced in Brussels in 2016 by DriveNow, which is still the biggest provider of the service in the capital. The system allows you to pick up a car near you and park it anywhere you want when you’re done driving.

Unlike many other car services, DriveNow doesn’t charge a monthly or annual fee. All you need to find, access, drive and eventually leave and lock the car is the DriveNow app. And all you have to pay is a cost per driving minute.

All the rest (fuel, parking and insurance for instance) is included in the price. You can even rest assured that the car will still be waiting for you if you’re running errands or heading to a meeting by paying a reduced parking fee.

The introduction of free-floating was a big step for Brussels, as it definitively eliminated the need to own a car. Together with all other mobility options, getting around in the city has never been easier.

And like the other means of transport, free-floating is very convenient for specific needs.

Going out: A night out with your own car means going home the same way. But what if you want to have a couple of drinks? Free-floating allows you to drive to the city centre and to come back by bus, taxi, ... No need to drink and drive.

Shopping: Taking public transport is not always that convenient when you’re carrying a bunch of shopping bags or groceries. So go to the shops by car, keep on reserving the car while you shop (at a lower parking fee), drive back home and just leave it there.

To and from Brussels Airport: DriveNow has reserved parking spots very near to the arrivals gats at Brussels Airport. So you pick up a car in Brussels, drive to the airport and leave the car there. You don’t have to pay for an expensive public parking spot. And when you return from your trip, you just pick up a car and drive home.

These are just three examples, but the advantages of free-floating are legion: Planned on biking to work, but it looks like it’s going to rain? Need to get somewhere after public transport hours? Is public transport on strike? Or do you simply feel like driving today? Free-floating allows you to do all that, without needing a car of your own. 

For city dwellers, owning a car can be very expensive and inconvenient (buying it, insurance, maintenance, parking, …). They are also the cause of a lot of the mobility problems (pollution, traffic jams, parking …) that Brussels is still facing today. So by embracing flee-floating you’re not only improving your own mobility options, you’re also contributing to a better Brussels.

DriveNow has 310 MINI, MINI Cabrio and BMWs (including 10 electrical BMW i3) spread out over a large area of Brussels. Visit www.drive-now.com for more information.

Did you know that DriveNow recently merged with car2go and is therefore in the process of becoming SHARE NOW? With 31 cities and more than 20,000 cars, SHARE NOW is the leading free-floating car-sharing service worldwide.