Zipvan offers a new and efficient alternative to van hire. The sister company of the fast-moving business Zipcar has only 4 city locations in the U.K. (Bristol, Cambridge, London, Oxford) but has been growing in popularity in recent years, thanks to its socially responsible approach and sustainable traffic solution, as well as 24/7 availability of its small (VW Caddy Maxi) to mid-range (VW Transporter) fleet.
Van rental with Zipvan is per hour or per day and while its radius is limited, Zipvan operates from hundreds of areas within each city, so if you do reside in or close to one of these areas, once you are a member, Zipvan van rental is as easy as taking a bus.
Zipvan operates as a car club and is only available to members. However, becoming a member is easy and you can even drive a van the same day as you apply. Once you are approved as a member, you are not limited to your preferred location and you can hire and drive from any Zipvan location throughout the U.K.
Zipvan also offer hand controls for the disabled and easy passage of service animals, such as guide dogs.
Your membership includes a Zipcard which is an all-access pass to every Zipvan in the fleet.
Reservation literally takes one minute using the online reservation system, or by using your smartphone with free iPhone or Android apps, which can be used to unlock the doors of your reserved van.
The cost of membership to Zipvan is an annual fee of £19.50 with no deposit or monthly commitment and Zipvan van hire costs £9 per hour or £84 per day (weekdays) or £10 per hour or £95 per day (weekends).
Fuel (members can fill the tank using the Zipvan fuel card inside the van once the tank reaches ¼ full).
Congestion charge
Insurance
Mileage (up to 60 miles per day, 10 additional miles per hour if rental period exceeds 24 hours. For example, a 26 hour hire would include 80 miles)
24/7 roadside assistance
Additional mileage (£0.29 per mile)
Additional drivers fee (£19.50 annual fee)
Young driver surcharge (if under 25, this is an additional £1.50 per hour or £18 per day – this expires after 15 reservations)
Zipvan does not offer one way van hire, and any Zipvan van hire should be dropped off at the same point it was picked up from. Check our van hire comparison to find another provider offering one way van hire.
International van hire is not currently possible with Zipvan, and any rental must stay within the U.K. borders. Check our van hire comparison tool for providers offering international van hire.
For Zipvan van rental reservations that are less than 8 hours long, you can cancel or shorten your reservation up to 3 hours before the start time without charge.
For reservations that are 8 hours or longer, you have to do it at least 24 hours in advance.
If you don’t cancel or shorten with the required advance notice, you will be responsible for the full amount of the reservation.
Note: There’s a 30-minute window after you book your car where you can make any changes without incurring a charge, regardless of the booking window or duration of reservation.
Once your membership is approved the annual fee of £19.50 will be deducted from your preferred method of payment (non-prepaid credit card or debit card).
Subsequent payments as made as-booked, meaning once you make a booking the amount is deducted from your preferred method of payment immediately.
Should you use the Zipvan for longer, or travel further than anticipated, any additional monies will be deducted approximately 3 hours after your reservation has ended.
As Zipvan is a member-only organisation there is no required documentation when hiring. The van hire registration process to become a member requires a full driving licence and to be over the age of 21 (or 19 if the applicant is joining an affiliated business or university membership).
Applicants under the age of 25 should have held a full EU license for at least 2 years and have no convictions or accidents.
Non-EU driving licence holders under 25 must have a licence from one of the following countries:
USA, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Hong Kong, Japan, Jersey, Monaco, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Zimbabwe.
All under-25s must complete a short online course to measure awareness of driving risk and comprehension of the Zipcar and Zipvan hire rules.
Applicants over 25 should carry a license for at least a year and carry no more than 6 penalty points if over 30 (if under 30 this is 3 penalty points). You should also have made no more than 1 accident claim over the past 3 years and have no major driving convictions.
Insurance for any Zipvan hire is included for all members. An excess amount of £1000 applies if there is an accident where the Zipvan driver is deemed to be at fault.
Zipvan members are also entitled to purchase a monthly or yearly damage fee waiver to reduce the standard excess amount, or to remove it all together. This is available to all Zipvan members who have not suffered any Zipvan accidents in the past year.
Partial waiver (£250 excess) – £9.95/month or £69/year
Complete waiver (£0 excess) – £14.95/month or £99/year
van-hire-comparison.com is a price comparison website. We display the price and availability information from our van hire partners. Responsibility for the correctness of all pricing and availability information is that of our van hire partners. We do not offer vehicles for rent directly
