Say goodbye to long lines, endless forms, and the dreaded airport pick-up desk.
The future of car rental is here, fueled by innovation and a deep understanding of the modern traveller’s desire for speed, convenience, and security.
These are the best contactless car rental companies in Europe, both well-established and up-and-coming ones.
But why the sudden shift to contactless and keyless?
The reasons are many- Contactless car rental streamlines processes, reduces overhead costs, and increases customer satisfaction.
There are many keyless car rental companies to choose from in Europe already. The number is expected to increase even further, operating alongside car-sharing companies, which offer flexible short-term car rentals.
The benefits go beyond convenience, contactless rentals are more flexible, more environmentally conscious, and offer more secure transactions.
No wonder more rental companies across the globe are seeking keyless solutions.
The ones who don’t are at risk of being left behind, as travellers switch to more convenient competitors.
Sixt
SIXT is a leader in the car rental industry that has started going keyless and contactless. By embracing cutting-edge technology, SIXT can offer contactless car rental solutions that redefine the travel experience.
Renters can download the intuitive SIXT app and use it as the digital car key, skipping the counter as a result. This functionality is only available in select locations thus far, but their number is expected to grow in the coming years.
Moreover, Sixt also offers carsharing in various cities in Germany and the Netherlands under Sixt Share.
Zipcar
Zipcar is a car-sharing network that offers contactless and keyless car rentals available hourly and daily. As of 2024, the service is available in 7 different countries. Zipcar users can choose between Flex (one-way) and Roundtrip rentals. For Flex, the driver is required to drop the rental car off in the designated Zipzone.
There is a one-time application fee to join Zipcar and be able to use this contactless car rental platform.
Users have a choice of either free or paid monthly membership tiers.
Liigu
Liigu might not be a household name yet, but this up-and-coming car rental company is quickly carving its niche in the European market with its focus on contactless car rental.
Founded in Portugal, Liigu offers a much-needed refreshing alternative to traditional rental companies, by offering travellers a convenient keyless solution instead.
Travellers can book a rental car through the Liigu app or website, and then unlock the vehicle using their mobile phone.
In addition, Liigu also offers a monthly subscription as an alternative to car ownership.
Ubeeqo
Ubeeqo is a car-sharing company that’s making waves in Europe with its focus on flexible short-term keyless car rentals and a completely contactless experience.
Founded in France in 2012, Ubeeqo has quickly expanded across Europe, offering its services in major cities like Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, and Milan.
Europcar acquired a majority stake in the company back in 2015.
Aside from short-term contactless car rental, Ubeeqo also offers dedicated car-sharing solutions for businesses.
Elmo Rent
Elmo Rent, hailing from Estonia, is carving its niche in the European car rental landscape.
This company has a strong focus on environmental sustainability and providing a contactless, keyless experience.
All of the rental cars offered by Elmo Rent are either fully electric or hybrids, making this the perfect choice for environmentally-conscious consumers.
As of 2024, this contactless car rental service is available in Estonia.
Panek
Panek is a contactless car rental company with a diverse offering that caters to all kinds of consumers.
With over 20 years of experience and a fleet of over 2,000 vehicles, Panek has established itself as a leading player in the Polish market and is steadily expanding its reach across Europe.
As of 2024, the company has locations in 5 countries including Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Ada (Ada Location)
Ada Location is no newbie to the car rental industry. Having been on the market since the 1980s, it has established itself as one of the key players in the French market.
Ada Location offers travellers a contactless car rental solution, as a convenient alternative to its traditional service.
Getaround
Getaround offers a unique alternative to traditional car rentals, focusing on convenience, affordability, and a community-driven approach with its peer-to-peer system.
This rental company has expanded into Europe and is now available in France, Norway, Belgium, Spain, the UK, Germany, Austria, as well as the US and Canada.
Travelers can lock and unlock the vehicle remotely using their phones via Getaround Connect. Alternatively, renters can personally meet the vehicle owner for pick-up and drop-off instead.
Enterprise Go
Enterprise GO is a digital car rental product launched by Enterprise specifically for Switzerland.
You can book cars, unlock them with your phone, and manage your rentals entirely through the Enterprise GO app, making it a completely contactless car rental experience.
The app, which serves as the digital car keys, is available on the App Store and Google Play Store.
Green Motion
Green Motion is a car rental company with a strong focus on environmental sustainability.
They operate in over 60 countries with over 600 locations, offering a unique blend of eco-friendly vehicles and modern features.
A growing number of locations support a contactless car rental experience, available through the Greenmotion app.
Share Now
ShareNow, a part of Free2Move, promises to be the future of car rental, and for a very good reason.
It quickly became a leading player in the car-sharing scene thanks to its flexible approach to short-term car rental.
The service is available in cities across 7 European countries.
GoCar
This Irish service offers a convenient and affordable way to rent a car for short-term needs, such as running errands, going on a day trip, or picking up friends from the airport.
Travelers can simply sign up for the app free of charge and rent cars by the hour seamlessly using the GoCar app.
The app is then used as digital car keys to unlock and lock the vehicle.
Virtuo
Virtuo is a French company with a growing international presence, offering a modern and convenient take on car rentals.
The company has a diverse fleet of rental cars, including a Tesla Model 3 or a Mercedes-Benz GLB, offered across France, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
The cars are available exclusively via the Virtuo app in a smooth, contactless rental process.
Driveyou
Driveyou is a car-sharing company based in Ireland, keyless car rental solutions for both short-term and long-term needs.
Ireland’s newest contactless car rental company offers vehicles across major cities in Ireland.
There is no sign-up fee, rentals are billed either by the hour or by the day, and the app can be found on the App Store and Google Play.
Movitronic- A Digital Car Key Solution For Car Rental Companies
Movitronic’s technology suite offers the complete package required by car rental companies to go keyless and contactless.
This includes all the necessary hardware, customer-facing app, reliable cloud service, and software that can easily be integrated with the existing fleet and booking management systems.
