Bla Bla Car

[notion900]

All the Spanish people I walked with this year are keen users of Bla Bla Car. To them it is the best thing since sliced bread! It hardly seems to have taken off here in the UK, so wondering if any forum members have experience of it in Europe?

 

[amorfati1]

Am admitting to profound cluelessness: pl do explain: what is a bla bla car?
A new car brand?
A new Soundsystem?

 

[FLEUR]

The 60 year old wife of our village mayor in France uses it and tells me it's brilliant. She regularly gets a lifetime to Nantes to visit her daughter. It dies seem very established and well used by many. I've yet to try it.

Reading Bla Bla car website I gather many drivers are not keen to meet passengers from incoming flights as arrival times can be subject to delays.

 

[Sailor]

I was saved by Mister Google again, I had no idea what this bla bla car thing was all about [and now I know the rest of the story]. Buena suerte y que la luz de Dios alumbre su camino.

 

[naplesdon]

Yes, as I was waiting at the bus station for the excruciatingly long bus ride from SdC to San Sebastian, I met a coupe I walked with on the Portugues. They were waiting for their Bla Bal Car to pick them up. They were going to arrive many hours before me, for less money but when I asked what do you do when you arrive in SS at midnight; they said they would probably sleep in a park. I figure the bus ride doubles as a night in a very uncomfortable albergue but at least you arrive about sunrise and don't need to find a park bench.

 

[dagreen]

I used it once from Barcelona to Madrid and can recommend it especially if you speak Spanish. Just look at the drivers' profiles first to find a good match. Bla Bla Car sure beats ALSA (Spanish long-distance busses). My tip is to eserve a seat in the back and sleep after the first hour or so.

If price is not an issue, you may prefer high-speed trains or flying. Otherwise, look into this option.

 

[peregrina2000]

I have Spanish friends who use it a lot. They tell me though that if you are looking for a ride, it may not be good enough to scroll through the "giving a ride" list, because a lot of people who give rides do not post the rides, they wait and see if they like the looks/profile of the people who post looking for rides. And then they contact them. If this makes any sense.

 

[maggiec]

All the Spanish people I walked with this year are keen users of Bla Bla Car. To them it is the best thing since sliced bread! It hardly seems to have taken off here in the UK, so wondering if any forum members have experience of it in Europe?

I used it in northern France. Found a uni student going home for the weekend. Shared the car with 3 people and had a wonderful chatty ride. BRILLIANT!

 

[Kieran Kenneally]

All the Spanish people I walked with this year are keen users of Bla Bla Car. To them it is the best thing since sliced bread! It hardly seems to have taken off here in the UK, so wondering if any forum members have experience of it in Europe?

Seems like a great concept. Won't be available in Ireland unfortunately as I think the company who run it like to operate where the population exceeds 10 million( currently Ireland is under 5 million). I can remember when people used to advertise on local radio, in the early 80's and 90's, for a lift to Dublin sharing petrol expenses. Sometimes the greatest ideas are so simple you just see the niche and you fill the demand.

 

[peregrina2000]

Does anyone know whether BlaBlaCar takes a big cut? In the US, Uber gets about 30% I have been told. Seems scandalous, especially since they deny that the drivers are their employees and insist they have no liability for the drivers' actions -- seems like having your cake and eating it too.

 

[Former member 49149]

I used this from Bilbao to Pamplona. I paid €11.00. €2.00 went to Blablacar, €9.00 to the driver upon completion of the trip. Let those good at maths work out the cut!

 

[Harington]

Am admitting to profound cluelessness: pl do explain: what is a bla bla car?
A new car brand?
A new Soundsystem?

Car sharing. In France "co-voiturage." They have special car areas for picking up and dropping off. My French friends use it extensively.

 

[amorfati1]

Car sharing. In France "co-voiturage." They have special car areas for picking up and dropping off. My French friends use it extensively.

oh - thanks so much for clue-ing me in. just moved to europe and have never heard that term/expression before.
appreciate your time - cheers - C

 

[sandykayak]

I used BBC from SDC to Madrid in June 2017.

I wanted to experience "all" modes of transport. Worked great. You subscribe and enter your profile and, if u wish, a photo (I sent a picture directly to the driver).

This allows you to view rides offered, the driver's profile, and past passengers reviews of said driver.

He said he posted the price at €30 for the 6 hour drive to Madrid from Santiago. (He was the cheapest) The posted price was €35 so the company's cut was €5 over his asking price. He doesn't get the money transfer until his passengers have entered their reviews. The driver also reviews his/her passengers.

One guy said he drives a lot for work and enjoys the company. A female driver only accepts female passengers.

The driver was a 35 y.o. airplane mechanic finishing a job and heading home. Passengers were a 38 yo female high school history teacher, a 23 yo male university student, and moi (71 yo female retiree).

It was fabulous. I'm bilingual so chatting the whole way was easy and fun. We stopped for lunch and ate as a group.

Drivers must put the drop-off location. Ours said he put Terminal del Sur (southern bus terminal) but said he was flexible as long as it wasn't too far out of his way. He dropped the gal off a block or so from her apt. The student and I got off at the Atocha station.

I would suggest that people with little Spanish write their profile in English with a sprinkle of Spanish.

I used Rome2Rio as the first search for travel options. Great app/site. It gives you air/train/ bus/driving/ and ride sharing, which sends you to BkaBlaCar! Each segment gives approximate travel time and costs.

 

[sandykayak]

Forgot something.

When you input your info you're asked if you like to ride in quasi silence, like a bit of conversation, or whether you like a lot of chatting.

Are you a "BLA" "BLA BLA" or "BLA BLA BLA" person? Hence the name of the company.

 

[KinkyOne]

As I remember from last year there were different ways of payments, also the one directly to the driver. That's why I think that BlaBlaCar is indeed sharing transport and not something like Uber etc. But of course if the driver wants to be really sure to get the money for the shared ride or if the "customer" wouldn't show up the payment goes through BlaBlaCar (credit cards etc.) and the firm would take it's share for this.

 

[Ballari]

We used it from Bilbao to Bayonne, and the next morning from Bayonne to Navarrenx to start our Camino. So much cheaper than the bus and far more enjoyable. I noticed that there was quite a few rides offered from Bayonne to St Jean too.

 

[Thornley]

I used it in northern France. Found a uni student going home for the weekend. Shared the car with 3 people and had a wonderful chatty ride. BRILLIANT!

A few years ago walked from Mont St Michel to Bordeaux,
Bla Bla Car to Moissac can you believe so off again we went on GR65 to St JPP
Very , very economical way.
We were assisted by the young staff in the hotel .

 

[KinkyOne]

How did you pay for those rides? With your credit cards or directly to the drivers? I remember the second option was also available last year but the vast majority of offered rides demands up-front payment with credit card.

 

[Thornley]

How did you pay for those rides? With your credit cards or directly to the drivers? I remember the second option was also available last year but the vast majority of offered rides demands up-front payment with credit card.

Second ,
I got the impression this is the way a lot of drivers commute back to work from family or friends.
We had to wait till Monday morning for the ride which suited us at the time.
We were the only passengers and had a great chat.

 

[sandykayak]

My June 2017 payment was (like Uber) via the credit card I registered when I joined.

A previous poster paid the driver directly but I'm guessing that was not how it's supposed to work. Not sure how it was done because if you locate the ride through BlaBlaCar, the rest of the process should be through their system.

Using a card linked to your PayPal account works well. I can't remember why but this was recommended by someone on the forum.