How And Where To Rent An Electric Scooter In Germany – Rules, Costs, And Providers!
Since 2019 it is possible to roll through Germany with an electric scooter legally. These ‘E-rollers’ or “E-TretRollers” as they are called in Germany can now be found on almost every street corner. In Berlin, more than 11,000 shared electric scooters are operational.
How can you use an electric scooter in Germany as a tourist? And what are the rules for use? We’ll sort it out.
The rules for using an electric scooter in Germany
As a driver of an electric scooter in one of the German cities, you follow the same traffic rules as cyclists. These are the most important rules:
- The minimum age for using an e-scooter is 14 years;
- There is no driving license requirement;
- The use of a helmet is not mandatory, but it is recommended;
- You have to ride in the bike lane. If that is not possible, you use the carriageway;
- You are not allowed to drive on the sidewalk or in pedestrian areas;
- Are you under 21? Then there is an alcohol ban. For people 21 years or older, the limit is 0.5 per mille. Drunk driving fines can reach more than €1,000.
Note: the above rules refer to the use of a shared E-scooter. Are you planning to purchase an electric scooter? Then you are obliged to take out German liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung). The e-scooter must also have a German insurance sticker.
How do you use an e-scooter in Germany as a tourist?
You can rent an electric scooter in several German cities. Several providers rent out shared scooters that you can quickly find and unlock with a mobile app. To do this, follow these steps:
1.
Download the app Download the mobile app from one of the active providers (see below which providers are active in Germany).
2.
Create an account Create an account and link a payment method. Most providers accept payments via credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
3. Find an electric scooter near you
Check in the app where the nearest electric scooter is located. In the app, you can also see the scooter’s battery percentage.
4. Unlock the vehicle
Scan the QR code on the scooter to unlock the vehicle and start your ride.
5. Park the scooter.
Done with the ride? Check in the app where the nearest return location is and put the scooter back in a place where it will not affect anyone.
6. End the ride
End the ride in the app. You will then see an overview of the route taken and the costs of your ride.
Which scooter share providers are active in Germany?
Every city or municipality has its own agreements with shared scooter providers. In the overview below you will find the available providers per city or municipality:
| City | Suppliers |
| Aachen | Tier, Voi |
| Bergen | Bird |
| Berlin | Bird, Bolt, Lime, Tier, Voi |
| Bochum | Bolt, Tier |
| Bonn | Bolt, Lime, Tier |
| Braunschweig | Bolt, Tier |
| Bremen | Tier, Voi |
| Darmstadt | Bird, Tier |
| Dresden | Lime |
| Dusseldorf | Bird, Bolt, Lime, Tier, Voi |
| Erfurt | Bird |
| Erlangen | Bolt, Tier, Voi |
| Essen | Lime, Tier |
| Frankfurt | Bolt, Lime, Tier, Voi |
| Gelsenkirchen | Bird, Tier |
| Hamburg | Bird, Bolt, Lime, Tier, Voi |
| Heilbronn | Bird |
| Heidelberg | Bird, Bolt |
| Karlsruhe | Bird, Lime, Voi |
| Kassel | Bird |
| Cologne | Bird, Bolt, Dott, Lime, Tier, Voi |
| Ludwigshafen am Rhein | Bird, Tier |
| Mannheim | Tier |
| Mainz | Tier |
| München | Bird, Bolt, Lime, Tier, Voi |
| Münster | Tier |
| Neckarlsum | Bird |
| Neu Ulm | Bird |
| Nürnberg | Tier, Voi |
| Oldenburg | Bird, Tier |
| Dortmund | Bird, Bolt, Lime, Tier |
| Hannover | Bird, Lime, Tier |
| Pforzheim | Bird |
| Regensburg | Bird |
| Reutlingen | Bird |
| Rostock | Bird |
| Stuttgart | Bolt, Lime, Tier, Voi |
| Troisdorf | Bird |
| Ulm | Bird |
| Wolfsburg | Bolt, Tier |
| Würzburg | Bird |
What are the costs to rent an electric scooter in Germany?
Each provider charges a different rate. However, the costs are built up in the same way for all providers. You pay a starting fee to unlock the scooter. You then pay a rate per minute.
On average, it costs €1 to unlock an e-scooter. After this, you pay (on average) € 0.15 per minute. In this case, you will lose €1.50 for a 10-minute ride.
Tip: take advantage of free rides
Most providers give (new) drivers the option to share a reference code. You can find this personal code in the app.
Are you taking a ride with two or more people? Then follow these steps to take advantage of free rides:
Example: Tier app
