Moving into a new flat or apartment? Find out which van rental option is the best (and cheapest) for transporting and moving furniture in Germany.
If you’ve just signed a lease for a new apartment in Germany, let’s first start off by saying CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve overcome probably THE most challenging task of moving to Germany as an expat. Especially if you’re moving to Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Munich, or Hamburg where housing demand is sky-high.
And if you’re not a brand new expat living in Germany, you’ll know that chances are high that you’ll need to move into a new apartment at least twice within your first three years. Which brings us to our next point…
What’s the best, and most importantly, cheapest way to move your furniture to your new apartment? Should you pay a moving company to transport your furniture? Or is it better to do it yourself?
The ultimate decision is up to you, of course. But if you want to do it the German way, then the best option is to rent a van and DIY it with a couple of friends!
We recently went through this entire process ourselves. Sifting through the many van hire options available in Germany, trying to find the best deal.
So to make your life in Germany a little easier (because sharing is caring), we’ve compared 5 of the most popular van hire and carsharing options in Germany to help you find the best one for you.
This guide explains the pros and cons of each van rental company, how much it costs, and what hidden fees you should know about. Plus, we’ll also share exactly which van hire option we went with and how we only paid €60 (including fuel) to rent a van for a full day (24 hours) in Berlin, Germany!
Related Guide: Read our Moving Apartments in Germany Checklist guide to find out what else you need to do besides getting van hire for moving furniture. We explain in detail 10 things you must do after you sign the rental contract for your new home.
Van Rental in Germany with Miles Car Sharing
Miles Car Sharing is probably the most obvious choice when you need to rent a van in Germany for moving furniture. It’s one of the most popular carsharing companies in the country.
Not only can you hire small and medium-sized cars with Miles. But renting a van is literally just a few finger taps away!
One of the big pros of renting a van or car with Miles is that it’s super convenient. They have a huge fleet so you often don’t have to walk far to find one.
Miles car (or van) sharing is also available in almost every major city across Germany. The only con is that Miles van rentals are only available in certain cities in Germany like Berlin, Potsdam, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Bonn, and Duisburg. So if you live in Frankfurt, Stuttgart or Aachen, you’ll, unfortunately, have to find another van hire option.
What Type of Van Can You Hire With Miles Carsharing?
Another awesome pro for van sharing with Miles is that you can rent 3 different types of vans with them: the VW T6, VW Crafter, and the Mercedes Sprinter.
The VW Crafters and Mercedes Sprinters are bigger vans than the VW T6. So if you need to move large pieces of furniture like couches, dining tables, or mattresses (ours was 2 meters by 1.8 meters), you have the option to rent a larger transport van in Germany with Miles Carsharing.
How Much Miles Van Rental Costs?
Everything sounds all good and well so far. But how much will hiring a van with Miles Carsharing cost you?
The total price will depend on how long you’ll need the van rental for. Miles Carsharing allows you to hire a van and pay-as-you-go (per kilometer and parking minutes). But you can also rent the van for longer periods like 6 hours, 24 hours, and even up to 30 days!
Miles Discount Promo Code
Get a €10 credit to try Miles Carsharing for yourself! Sign up using the discount promo code: g5Dt22La1p
Miles Van Sharing Prices
The most flexible way to hire a van with Miles in Germany will cost you:
€1.19 per kilometer + parking minutes (€0.29 per minute) + €1 unlock fee.
Bonus Tip: When you rent a van with Miles Carsharing, the time for loading and unloading furniture is counted as parking minutes. So make sure to include this in your budget in addition to the number of kilometers driven.
This will probably be the cheapest way to rent a moving van in Germany if you don’t need to drive more than 20km and can load and unload your furniture in less than 30 minutes.
Otherwise, if you need to do multiple trips with the van and don’t want to stress about the time. It’ll be cheaper (and less stressful) to hire a van with Miles for 6 hours for €59.
And if you need to hire the van for an entire day (24 hours), you can do that with Miles Carsharing too for €99. This is a great option to do if you want to combine it with a trip to IKEA or the garden center.
Both prices for these options include the unlock fee, fuel costs, and a certain number of kilometers that you can drive the van for. The 6-hour van rental option includes 75km and the 1-day van hire option 125km. Any additional kilometers driven after this will cost €0.49/km extra.
Bonus Tip: The 6-hour van rental option should be more than sufficient for moving furniture across big cities in Germany like Berlin.
Miles Van Rental: Hidden Fees and Costs
Like all car rental (or carsharing) companies, there are some additional ‘hidden’ fees and costs to consider. These are the main ones to look out for when using a Miles van rental in Germany:
Rookie Fees
Your van hire will cost an additional €9 if you haven’t had your driver’s license for more than 12 months. This €9 rookie fee is charged for every month that you rent a car (or van) with Miles Carsharing. It’s basically pays for extra insurance as a new driver.
Bonus Tip: If you’ve recently converted your foreign (non-EU driver’s license) to a German driving license, you will still be considered a rookie even if you’ve been driving for 10+ years.
Returning the Van Rental Outside of Miles Business Areas
Now, this is a big one! Always make sure that you return the Miles van rental by parking it within their designated business area. If not, you could risk paying an additional fee that could cost anything between €50 to €500! Yikes!
To find the Miles designated business area, just open the Miles app and make sure you park the van hire within the black border on the map.
Admin Fees For Traffic Fines
This is pretty common practice for any car rental or carsharing company – so no surprises here. But it’s something to bear in mind if you do happen to get a traffic fine whilst renting a car or van with Miles carsharing.
It will cost you an additional €19.50 administration fee for Miles to send you the fine AND you must pay the traffic fine, of course.
Refueling At Unspecified Gas Stations
Fuel costs are included in the rate when you rent a van in Germany with Miles Carsharing. But if you do happen to need to refuel, they provide a fuel card for you to pay for this.
All you got to do is make sure you refuel at a Total or Aral gas station. If not, you’ll have to pay a €15 fee for not refueling with their partnered petrol stations.
Other Miles Van Hire Fees and Costs:
- €150 if you lose the fuel card
- €100 for special cleaning if you dirty (heavy soiling) or smoke in the car or van rental
- These are just the main ones, so check the Miles website for the full list of other costs.
Related Guide: Do you love road tripping around Europe? Find out how we rented a car in Europe for €1 in our The Cheapest Budget Car Rental guide.
How To Rent A Van in Germany With Miles?
Renting a van in Germany with Miles Carsharing is super easy! It’s probably one of their biggest pros.
All you got to do is download the app and register. You’ll need your driver’s license and identity document to do so.
Bonus Tip: Bear in mind that you must have a German driver’s license to be able to rent a car or van with Mile Carsharing in Germany. You won’t be able to register with the UK, other EU, or international driving license. So if you plan to use Miles carsharing, make sure you convert your foreign driver’s license to a German one. It’s really easy to do. Read our How To Convert A Foreign Driver’s License in Germany to find out how.
Once you’ve successfully registered with Miles Carsharing, you’re now ready to rent or share a car or van. Simply open the Miles app and look for vehicles near you.
The icons ‘S’ and ‘M’ are for renting small and medium-sized cars. And the ‘L’ (stands for large) icons are for van rentals.
To return the Miles van hire, simply park it in the designated business areas highlighted in the app. And voila! Easy!
Bonus Tip: The Miles Carsharing app is in English – a big plus if your German language skills aren’t up to scratch yet.
Everyone knows Sixt Car Rental. But did you know that the traditional car rental company also offers carsharing services? Say ‘hello’ to Sixt Share!
Sixt Share currently offers carsharing services in Germany (Berlin, Hamburg and Munich) as well as the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague).
If you live in other cities in Germany like Bochum, Dresden, Duisburg, Leipzig and Nuremberg, you can carshare with Sixt too. The only difference is that you’ll have to collect the cars from certain locations as they’re not parked on the road.
And yes, you can easily rent a van with Sixt Share too. It works the same way as Miles Carsharing. But Sixt Share only offers van rentals in Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich in Germany.
With Sixt Share, you can only rent the VW e-Crafter vans. They’re as big as the Miles VW Crafter vans, but they’re much more environmentally and eco-friendly as they’re electric.
The only con is that Sixt Share doesn’t seem to have as many van hires available compared to other carsharing companies. Well – at least when we were looking to rent a moving van in Berlin.
Save Me For Later
With Sixt Share, you can rent a van in Germany minute-by-minute (pay-as-you-go), for 3 or 6 hours, and even for a full day (24 hours).
We’d recommend picking one of the Sixt Share set packages (i.e. 3, 6 or 24 hours) for their van rentals. Their per minute price starts from €0.09 per minute and you need to budget for another €0.34 for every kilometer driven.
So if you don’t want your van hire to exceed your budget, it’s better to select a package with a set amount of time and kilometers included.
Van rentals in Germany with Sixt Share cost:
- €29 for 3 hours (includes 80km)
- €59 for 6 hours (includes 120km)
- €109 for 1 day (24 hours and includes 200km)
Just make sure to stay within these limits. Otherwise, your van hire will cost an extra €0.34/km + €0.28/minute.
Likes other carsharing options, these prices include insurance costs, taxes, fuels costs (or electricity for electric vehicles), and parking fees (within their designated business areas).
If you do need to refuel a Sixt Share car or van, do so at their partnered Shell gas stations (or electric charging station) and Sixt will reimburse you with a voucher at the end of your ride.
Bonus Tip: The range on the VW e-Crafter vans is between 95km to 150km when fully charged. So you may need to budget time to charge your electric van if you’re renting it for 1 day.
The pros of hiring a van with Sixt Share is that they don’t appear to charge ‘rookie fees’. They also accept both German and EU driving licenses. But for certain car and van rentals, you’ll need to have a minimum age of 21 or 25 years of age.
Sixt Share also has a list of other hidden fees and costs. The main ones are:
- A €25 security deposit for reserving a van
- €29 admin fee if you receive a traffic fine
- €15 if you return the van hire in a different business area
- Special cleaning fee (minimum €25) for smoking or heavy soiling
You can check the Sixt Share website for the full list of prices and fees.
Bonus Tip: Before unlocking the car and starting your van rental – check that there aren’t any damages on the outside or inside and that there’s enough fuel or battery before you start driving.
Renting a van for moving furniture with Sixt Share is as simple as it is with Mile Carsharing. But currently, that’s only the case if you live in Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich in Germany.
Simply download the Sixt Share app and register using your driver’s license and ID document. Once your account has been approved, you can start driving your van hire.
When you’re done with your van rental, simply return it within the designated business area specified on the Sixt Share app and you’re done!
Bonus Tip: The Sixt Share app is also in English – so no Deutsch, no problem!
Share Die Robbe is another great van rental option if you’re living in Germany. But it’s currently only available in Berlin and Potsdam.
Similar to Miles and Sixt Share, you can easily hire a moving van nearest to you via their app. But Share Die Robbe is different in that you have to return the van rentals to the same area or neighborhood you picked them up from. So you can’t just return the van anywhere within the city limits like you could with Miles or Sixt Share.
The other thing you need to know is that the Share Die Robbe app is only available in German.
Related Guide: Still working on improving your Deutsch? Try these 22 fun and free ways to learn German online!
Out of all the van rental options we looked at, Share Die Robbe offers the most options. You can rent a Ford Curier, Renault Master, Renault Kangoo Maxi, Ford Transit, and even the Ford Transit 350 L4.
And don’t worry if you don’t know what these van models mean. The Share Die Robbe app shows you the exact dimensions of the van and cargo space. So you can easily figure out which van rental option will suit your moving needs.
We’re going to be honest and just say it as it is. The prices for Share Die Robbe van rentals are a little bit more complicated compared to the other carsharing companies in Germany.
And we’ll explain and show you why that is using our own invoice. But with Share Die Robbe, you can rent a van in Germany at an hourly rate (per hour) or for a full day (24 hours).
This is an important difference to be aware of since both Sixt and Miles Carsharing charges you per minute. So if you rent a Share Die Robbe van in Berlin for 2 hours and 9 minutes like we did. You’ll be charged for 3 hours.
The cost of renting a van with Share Die Robbe will differ depending on the size and type of van you’re hiring. The van sharing company currently offers 6 types of van rentals in Berlin and Potsdam in Germany.
Their cheapest van rental option (the Ford Curier Kasten) costs €3.50 per hour. And their largest van (the Ford Transit Kasten L4) costs €7.50 per hour.
On top of that, you’ll need to budget for the kilometers driven. The first 100km costs €0.23/km and after 100km, it costs €0.33/km.
Now for the other fees and costs you should know about.
Weekend Surcharge
Share Die Robbe charges an extra €1 per hour on weekends. That’s from midnight (00:00h) on Friday to Sunday (23:59h). Very ‘genau’ or exact – we know!
Optional Additional Insurance
Unlike the other car or van sharing companies, Share Die Robbe gives you the option to buy additional insurance. This additional fee basically reduces the excess you’ll have to pay, in the event that the van is damaged.
There are two options: the €11 per day option which reduces your access to a maximum of €500. Or the €19 per day option which reduces it to a maximum of €150.
We just picked the €11 option to err on the side of caution. This is an optional add-on. So you don’t need to pay this fee if you prefer taking your chances.
Refueling Fee
Fuel costs are included when you rent a van in Germany with Share Die Robbe. The only thing you need to do is make sure that there’s at least a quarter of a tank left when you return the car. Otherwise, you’ll get a surcharge for not refueling.
The refueling fee is either €5 if there’s 10% to 25% of fuel left in the tank. Or €50 if there’s less than 10% of fuel left in your van rental.
So make sure you refuel past the 25% mark if you don’t want to pay for this extra cost. A petrol card is included. Just make sure you’re using it at one of their partnered gas stations (you’ll find it in the app) or you’ll be paying for the fuel yourself.
Other Share Die Robbe Van Rental Fees and Costs:
- Rookie fee of €21 or €29 if your driver’s license is less than 2 years old
- €10 + €0.49 for every 100m if you do not return the van to the same area or neighborhood where you picked up your van rental
- €29 administration fee if you get a traffic fine
- These are just the main ones, so check the Share Die Robbe website for the full list of costs
You can easily hire a van with Share Die Robbe like you would with Miles or Sixt carsharing. Simply download the app and register using your driver’s license and identity document.
But like we said earlier. Make sure you return the van to the same neighborhood or area you found it in or your van hire costs will quickly become very expensive.
Bonus Tip: Share Die Robbe accepts a German, UK or other EU driver’s license! So if you haven’t converted your driving license to a German one yet, renting a van with Share Die Robbe will be your best bet.
Hertz 24/7 Hourly Van Rental
If you’re looking to hire a van for the sole purpose of transporting furniture from IKEA, Hertz 24/7 van rentals may be the way to go.
You can rent a Hertz 24/7 van at almost every IKEA store in Germany. And the cost of hiring their vans will probably be cheaper (and faster) than IKEA delivery. Especially if you’re an IKEA Family or IKEA Business member because Hertz 24/7 offers you lower van rental rates!
Like Share Die Robbe, you can rent a van with Hertz 24/7 by the hour and you must return it to the same IKEA store. But with Hertz 24/7, you have to hire the van for a minimum period of 2 hours.
What Type of Van Can You Hire With Hertz?
Hertz 24/7 offers two types of van rentals: the Renault Trafic and the Saic Maxus. The Saic Maxus is an electric van and also the larger one to rent if you need to deliver bulky furniture from IKEA.
How Much Hertz 24/7 Van Rental Costs?
Whether you rent out the smaller Renault Trafic or the larger Saic Maxus, the cost of the Hertz24/7 van rental is the same.
You do get a nice discount if you’re an IKEA Family or Business member though.
Hertz 24/7 Van Hire Prices
| Van Rental Rates | IKEA Members | IKEA Customers |
|---|---|---|
| Per Hour * | €15.90 | €19.90 |
| Per Night | €44.90 | €59.90 |
| Per Weekend | €104.90 | €139.90 |
Note *: With Hertz 24/7, there’s a minimum van hire period of 2 hours and each rental includes 100km. If you drive more than 100km, there’s an additional cost of €0.19 per kilometer.
The Hertz 24/7 per night rate is only valid at night from the closing hour of that particular IKEA store (where you collect the van), until the opening hour the following day.
The per weekend rate works the same way. From the closing hour of that IKEA store on Saturday, until it opens on Monday.
Bonus Tip: Hertz 24/7 van rental costs in Germany includes insurance and congestion charges, but not fuel. So you’ll need to return the van with a full fuel tank (or fully charged).
How To Rent A Van in Germany With Hertz 24/7?
To rent a van in Germany with Hertz24/7, you’ll first have to register and become a member. You can register via their app or on the Hertz 24/7 website.
Registration is free but we’re not sure how long it takes for memberships to be approved. So we’d suggest registering well before any spontaneous IKEA trips.
You’ll need to be at least 19 years of age and have a valid driver’s license for a minimum period of 1 year. A valid payment method (Paypal or credit card), of course, and be able to provide proof of address (electricity invoice or ‘Anmeldung’ should be sufficient).
When returning the van, make sure to return it to the same parking bay you collected it from and you’re all set!
Rent a Van With Sixt Germany
Okay – we know that this isn’t technically car or van sharing. But this was the BEST and cheapest van rental we found for moving furniture in Germany!
We’re going to be honest (like always). This method requires a bit more planning compared to Miles, Sixt Share, Share Die Robbie or Hertz 24/7 van rentals. But you will pay 50% to 60% less if you rent a van for a day this way!
The answer? Renting a van directly with Sixt Car Rental. And by that, we mean their traditional car rental service (not Sixt Share).
What Type of Van Can You Hire With Sixt Germany?
Besides being the cheapest option and saving you tons of money. This method will also give you the biggest van hire options.
You can rent small vans in Germany like the Citroen Berlingo and Mercedes Vito, to transport trucks like the Mercedes Atego.
The small van was more than sufficient for us since we could do multiple trips and still be within the free 100km range included in the day rate.
How Much Sixt Van Rental Costs?
We hope that you’re sitting down because you’re going to be blown away.
We paid €60 for the Sixt van rental in Berlin for 1 day (24 hours) INCLUDING fuel! This includes a 100km range so we were able to go pick up furniture from IKEA AND collect plants from the garden center. Amazing, right?
Bonus Tip: If you need to drive over 100km, it will cost an extra €0.19 per km (excl. VAT).
Other Sixt Van Rental Fees and Costs:
- Optional insurance of €23 to reduce your liability to a maximum of €750 if you damage the van. This is not necessary and we didn’t pay for this
- Fuel cost: We paid €12 to fill the tank
- A deposit of €150 will be held on your credit card. It takes between 3 to 7 days to get your deposit back and we got ours back without any problems.
Sixt Van Rental Discount
Get a discount on your next Sixt Van Rental with us! Check out the current discount promos and specials for Sixt van rentals and save money on your next van hire in Germany.
How To Rent A Van in Germany With Sixt?
Renting a van directly with Sixt Car Rental is just as easy as carsharing but will require you to plan ahead a few days. Simply go to the Sixt Van Rental website. Select the van rental to suit your needs and book it online.
You’ll be given the option to pay for it online or when you collect the keys. We recommend paying online because you pay slightly less for it.
Then the rest is like you would with any other traditional car rental service. You’ll have to go collect your van hire from the branch you rented from. Do some quick paperwork and then you can head off.
To return your van hire, simply bring it back to the same Sixt Car rental branch you picked it up from in Germany.
Bonus Tip: Sixt accepts German, UK and other EU driver’s licenses. But there is a minimum age of 21 years to rent a van from Sixt. And some cars and vans can only be rented if you’re older than 25.
Van Rental in Germany: Price Comparison
So there you have it! Each van rental option has its pros and cons. So the best way to hire a van in Germany will depend on how many hours and kilometers you will need to drive it for and which one is most convenient for you.
Related Guide: If you love van- and carsharing, you’ll probably love bike sharing too! Find out which one is best for you in our Berlin Bike Sharing guide!
How Much Does It Cost To Rent a Van For a Day?
- Miles €99 (for 125km)
- Sixt Share €109 (for 200km)
- Share Die Robbe €42 – €102 (no km included)
- Hertz 24/7 €19.90 per hour (for 100km)
- Sixt Germany €60 (for 100km)
This table summarises how much it costs to rent a van in Germany with the carsharing companies mentioned in this guide for different rental periods:
| Van Hire Company | 3 hours | 6 hours | 24 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles | Per minute | €59 (incl. 75km) | €99 (incl. 125km) |
| Sixt Share | €29 (incl. 80km) | €59 (incl. 120km) | €109 (incl. 200km) |
| Share Die Robbe | Per hour | Per hour | €42 to €102 |
| Hertz 24/7 | Per hour | Per hour | Per hour |
| Sixt Van Rental | – | – | €60 (incl. 100km) |
Bonus Tip: Whenever you rent a car or van, make sure to take pictures of the vehicle before and after you end the rental. Just in case you’re told that you’re liable for damages that you didn’t do.
