Careco car share makes renting a car easy. Careco, along with ORIX and Times Plus have locations throughout Japan and many in Tokyo. Unlike ORIX, Careco allows you to use the car for up to 6 hours without a distance charge, and customers can use their mobile phone to unlock the vehicle instead of a card. I used both ORIX and Careco and am happy with both services.
What is Car Share?
Car sharing in Japan is an automated way to rent a vehicle by the hour. It`s great for customers who use a vehicle occasionally without the overhead costs of owning a car, and for those who want access to a different vehicle day to day. It is easy and affordable, and great for Day trips out of Tokyo or short shopping trips to IKEA and Costco.
What you need to sign up:
1) Credit Card
2) Japanese drivers license.
3) Help if you can`t read Japanese (sign up and reservation process is entirely in Japanese).
Once approved you will receive a userID, password and documents. Log onto the Careco Car Share website and download the Careco Car Share app. Input your nearest station, select your vehicle and if available reserve for your allotted time. Go to the vehicle, login to the app, click `start` and the vehicle doors will unlock. Open the glove box / center compartment to retrieve the vehicle key, adjust the car to your liking and enjoy the ride. When returning the car place the key in the glove box / center compartment in the “locked” position, exit the vehicle, log onto the app and click the `end` button. The doors will lock and an email will be sent to your mobile summarizing your trip.
Careco Car Share offers two plans; the `Basic` and `Weekday/Weekend` plans both have a monthly fee of 980 JPY per month + 10 min rates or hour packs. Ten minute rates are higher for certain car types, and the weekday plan offers lower rates during the week and higher rates over the weekend. Discounts are offered for 6, 12 and 24 hour rental packs.
BASIC plan
| Car Type | 10 mins | 6 hr pack | 12 hr pack* | All night pack* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact | 130 | 3,800 JPY | 4,500 JPY | 2,500 JPY |
| Mid | 150 | 3,800 JPY | 5,000 JPY | 2,500 JPY |
| Eco | 160 | 3,800 JPY | 5,500 JPY | 2,500 JPY |
| Electric | 130 | 3,800 JPY | 5,000 JPY | 2,500 JPY |
| Import | 300 | 8,500 JPY | 10,000 JPY | 5,000 JPY |
WEEKDAY plan
| Weekday | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time rate | Distance Rates | ||||||
| Car class | 10 mins | 6 hr pack | 12 hr pack | 24 hr pack | Night pack | > 6 hours reservation and use |
6 hours + reservation and use |
| Compact | 80 | 2,800 JPY | 4,500 JPY | 7,800 JPY | 2,500 JPY | 0 JPY | 15 JPY / km |
| Middle | 100 | 5,000 JPY | 9,300 JPY | ||||
| Eco | 110 | 5,500 JPY | 9,800 JPY | 10 JPY / km | |||
| Premium | 240 | 6,800 JPY | 8,000 JPY | 9,800 JPY | 4,500 JPY | 15 JPY / km | |
| Electric car | 130 | 3,800 JPY | 5,000 JPY | 6,500 JPY | 2,500 JPY | 7 JPY / km | |
Careco offers all types of vehicles from compact to electric hybrids and premium luxury vehicles. If a Careco Car share vehicle isn`t located near you alternatives are Times Car Plus and ORIX.
TIPS:
- Check the vehicle before you reserve. There are different types and sizes to choose from. Best to go and look at the car before reserving it online. We found ourselves in a compact car much smaller than we had anticipated.
- If traveling via the highway remember to insert an ETC card. The ETC card is a card that allows a vehicle to pass slowly through toll gates without a complete stop – similar to the EZ pass in the Midwestern and Northeastern
US or the FasTrak in the Bay Area. ETC cards are available for rent from the Car Share companies. - Please leave the car as you found it. The next person using the car can file a complaint leaving a mark on your rental record if the car is found in poor condition.
- If low on fuel please fill up the car. A complimentary gas card is located in each vehicle to use for fuel.
- A child booster seat can be found in the trunk of most cars.
- If using a vehicle for an entire weekend we recommend renting from a car rental agency for better rates. A few popular ones are Nippon Rent a Car, Toyota Rent a car, and Hertz.
P.S. Not sure where to go? Visit our Tokyo Day Trip archives. Drive Safe and remember to buckle up!
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Japan Carshare with Careco – Car Rental by the Hour
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