Currently, there is only one car-sharing firm in Cyprus. It has favorable rates and a convenient app, which is a worthy competitor to cabs and simple car rental outlets. What this firm is, how the app works, and whether you should use carsharing in Cyprus - in our article.
RideNow in Cyprus
In 2020, a startup called RideNow appeared on the island. In the past three years, it has remained the only one, competing with car rental outlets and sometimes with cabs. Among the advantages of the current application, the following can be noted:
- ease of use - everything is intuitive;
- availability in Russian language;
- easy and fast registration;
- good coverage of the territories of the "home zone".
If you have ever used carsharing in your country, you will not have any problems in Cyprus. The main thing is to make sure you have a good internet connection.
Installing the app
Downloading and installing the app is very easy - you can do it on the official RideNow website. It takes literally one minute.
Another couple of minutes you will spend to study the application (menu, maps) and familiarizing yourself with all the terms and conditions. Be sure to review all the tariffs and marks, so that then the withdrawal of money "for something incomprehensible" does not become a surprise for you.
Registration and payment
The most basic set of documents will be required for registration:
- passport or Cyprus ID;
- A driver's license (and not necessarily an international one).
The app will ask you to take a photo of the main pages of your passport or ID on both sides, as well as your driver's license. The final step is to take selfies with your passport or ID in hand. The good news is that verification usually takes place within an hour, but usually even faster. So it is quite possible to register on the day of your planned travel.
Next, you need to link the card: the standard way is to specify the number, expiration date, and security code. Be careful: for any violation, you will be charged the amount set for such a case, and you can do anything. Therefore, it is recommended not to violate the rules clearly stated in the application.
Hint: for Russian citizens who have Visa and MasterCard cards blocked, the company has made one convenience: you can deposit money to your account in the app through the bank in cash.
Using the app and the car
All blocking, unblocking, and "communication" with the car is done through the app. It has "Unlock" and "Lock" buttons, all of which are clear and easy to use.
The cars themselves usually have automatic gearboxes, and there are only the bare essentials from the electronics. If you do not understand something - you can always contact the support service, and quite quickly you will get an answer.
Tariffs and cost
The tariff grid of the carsharing service in Cyprus is quite complex. The cost of the trip depends on many factors: one-time rental, time on the road, kilometers traveled, place of stop, day of the week, and even the age of the driver. To know the approximate cost, you need to understand the system and see the current prices in the application.
How the cost of the trip is formed
The most basic tariff is per minute. It is calculated according to several parameters: kilometerage, time on the road, driver's age, and place of stop. About everything in detail and order.
For "opening" the car on this tariff is charged 1 euro. Then the cost is calculated from the distance traveled and the time spent on it. Example rates for For April 2023:
You can take a whole package and save money if you know for sure that the trip will be long. For 3, 6 and 24 hours, the calculation will be based on distance traveled only:
Note that drivers under the age of 25 will have to pay slightly more. This is due to higher risks due to inexperience.
Rates also depend on the class of car. Hybrid-powered cars will cost more - you can find out the exact prices at the moment in the app itself.
Important! If you plan to leave your car at Paphos or Larnaca airport, you will have to pay 19 euros for it.
Greenmark discounts and the "Invite a Friend" program
The app offers users discounts if they leave their car in a convenient place (these parking lots are marked in green), fill it up for more than 20 euros or take a "green" car (with an incomplete tank). In the first and second cases, the client will get 1 euro back on his account, in the latter case - 1 hour of rent and 1 hour in parking mode as a gift.
There is also an invitation loyalty program. Each driver you invite will receive 3 euros to your bonus account, and you will receive 3 euros for each driver who makes the first trip.
What is included in the price
The price necessarily includes regular insurance, but it can be "upgraded" to premium insurance. Then in case of an accident, the driver will pay no more than 99 euros. Also included in the rental price is gasoline, and on tariffs for a few hours - unlimited travel time.
Rules and controversial points
To get to the car, the RideNow service gives the user 20 minutes. In principle, this is enough time for Cyprus, although the service's fleet of cars is still small, and sometimes you have to walk far. This is one of the first inconveniences.
To check the condition of the car and take pictures, the user is given another 5 minutes. It is recommended to assess not only the external condition of the car (scratches, paint chips) but also the interior. For example, stains on the seats or garbage should also be photographed. But the unpleasant odor cannot be fixed, so the support service will have to take your word for it.
It is necessary to pay attention to the so-called "home zone". This is a vast location that covers all the big cities of Cyprus: Limassol, Larnaca, Nicosia and Paphos (including airports). However, it may not coincide with city boundaries. In addition, the service is expanding, and with it the "home zone" is expanding, so each time you need to clarify the restrictions through the app.
Hint: it is possible to travel outside the home zone, of course, the main thing is to finish using the car in it.
All cars have a system of kilometer countdown and geolocation. So just leaving the car anywhere and not completing the trip is not a good idea. You should also know that you can not drive on unasphalted roads, the limit for unpaved roads is only 2 km. If you drive more than that, you will have to pay a fine.
What is more beneficial: carsharing, cab, or regular car rental?
In general, we can say that carsharing in Cyprus is profitable in many cases, although there are also exceptions. It is also worth looking not only at the financial side of the question but also at the convenience.
Comparison with regular rentals
Rental outlets benefit from customers renting a car for a longer period of time. That's why the price tag for a carsharing car and a car rented for one day is approximately the same. But the longer the lease lasts, the more discounts and bonuses ordinary lessors give to drivers. That's why it is easier to rent a regular car in Cyprus, if it is about the term of more than 2 days.
If we talk about short-term trips, then carsharing is very advantageous. Because here you pay only for the time during which you used the car. And in a rental center you will have to pay more money.
Comparison with cabs
If you look at trips around the city, then carsharing will be more profitable. So, an average trip around Limassol (as stated in the application itself and as it is in reality) will cost about 5 euros. By cab you will travel the same distance for about 10 euros.
However, with long-distance travel, everything is not so simple. Especially we want to dwell on traveling to the airport: if you leave your car there, you will pay 19 euros. And on top of that, you will pay about 10-15 euros for the carsharing itself. The total trip will cost in the neighborhood of 30-35 euros - that is, the same as a cab. And here you should think about your comfort and choose not financially, but from the point of view of banal convenience.
For a large selection of cars visit the DOMCar website.
Photos: Flickr, ridenow.tech
