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Many people have to choose alternative ways to travel to their hometown during Tet because it is difficult to rent a car. Illustration: Tien Tuan. |
The demand for renting cars during Tet increases, and the rental prices are higher compared to normal days, making it difficult for many people to rent a car to go home. If in the past, people could travel by car with their families during Tet, now many people have to choose the most optimal and cost-effective transportation options.
Difficult to rent due to close proximity to Tet
According to Mr. Dat, representative of the ibookcar car rental center, the number of available cars for rent during Tet at his center is nearly exhausted at present.
“In order to find a car to travel during Tet, customers need to book at least one and a half months in advance. At that time, there are still a lot of cars in the market, and the rental prices are more affordable compared to the close-to-Tet period,” said Mr. Dat.
According to Mr. Dat, the rental prices during Tet in Ho Chi Minh City have increased by 80% to 100% compared to normal days, depending on the rental center and the type of car chosen by the customer. The rental price for Class B cars is 13-15 million VND for 10 days during Tet, while the rental price for Class C cars ranges from 16 million to 18 million VND.
MPV cars are also popular among customers due to their spaciousness and suitability for large families during homecoming trips or spring outings. The rental package for 10 days during Tet for cars like Mitsubishi Xpander, Toyota Veloz Cross, Toyota Rush, or Toyota Innova ranges from 15 million to 18 million VND.
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Almost all self-drive cars at the rental centers have been booked for Tet. Photo: NVCC. |
Mr. Thanh Phuc (32 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) said that he rented a Toyota Vios last year to take his family back to his hometown in the Mekong Delta to celebrate Tet, but this year it is almost impossible to find a car to rent.
“First, it’s my fault for being complacent and not contacting car rental companies in advance to make a deposit. So when I started looking for cars, there were very few available, mostly MPV cars or high-end cars, which have higher rental prices that exceed my budget and usage needs,” said Mr. Thanh Phuc.
Moreover, many car rental centers in Ho Chi Minh City require a minimum rental period of 8-10 days during Tet. This constraint also creates difficulties for Mr. Thanh Phuc because his family’s usage needs only span around 4-5 days of Tet.
“If I choose to rent a car at this time, I will have to pay extra for the days when I don’t need to use the car. Perhaps this year, I will choose to travel to my hometown by bus or take my whole family back by motorbike,” Mr. Thanh Phuc added.
According to Mr. Dat, car rental services during Tet do not have a limit on the number of kilometers traveled per day like regular days. However, rental prices are usually much higher, coupled with the increased demand from customers, resulting in a limited number of suitable cars available for rent.
“To choose the most suitable car with the best rental price, customers need to make early reservations. At this close-to-Tet period, even if customers want to rent a car for more than 10 days, it is difficult because most rental centers have run out of cars,” Mr. Dat said.
Flexible transportation choices
Facing the same difficulty in renting a car for Tet, Ms. Hai Yen (29 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) has just finalized her transportation plan for the Lunar New Year holiday.
“Instead of renting a car in Ho Chi Minh City to take the whole family back to our hometown for Tet, spring outings, and family visits, we will travel back to our hometown by bus and then contact local car rental services,” Ms. Hai Yen said.
It is known that the car rental situation in neighboring areas of Ho Chi Minh City is not too stressful. At present, customers can still find suitable car models for Tet travel, even in the period from New Year’s Eve to the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Mr. Thanh Hai (28 years old), the owner of Thanh Hai travel service in Dong Thap province, said that the rental prices for cars during Tet have increased by 200,000 to 500,000 VND per car, depending on the customer’s choice. This price difference mainly occurs during the period from February 8th to February 12th, when customers’ travel demand is high.
“Customers are mostly interested in 4-seater cars such as Honda City, Hyundai Accent, or MPV cars like Toyota Veloz Cross or Mitsubishi Xpander. This year’s Tet, few people choose to rent Toyota Innova and Toyota Fortuner,” Mr. Thanh Hai said.
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Small-sized MPV cars are one of the prioritized choices for customers during Tet. Photo: NVCC. |
Mr. Hai also confirmed that his establishment still has one Honda City, one Suzuki XL7, and one Kia Sedona available to rent during Tet. Customers can still choose to rent these models during the period from February 8th to February 10th.
“My business does not require customers to rent cars for a long time during Tet. If customers have the need, even for just one or two days, I am ready to provide the rental service,” Mr. Thanh Hai revealed.
At present, a car rental app still shows a relatively large number of available cars for Tet. The rental prices on this app during Tet range from 1.5 to 2 million VND per day for Class B and C cars, which can increase to a few million VND per day if customers want to rent Class D sedans or luxury cars.
However, this app notifies customers that they have to accept a minimum rental period of 5-10 days during the Lunar New Year holiday, and there is also a maximum km limit. If customers exceed the specified km limit, they will have to pay an additional fee of 3,000 to 5,000 VND per km exceeded.
Interesting Books to Read in the Car
The Car section introduces readers to interesting books with various appealing topics. During long journeys by car, there are often moments of rest and relaxation, and a good book can be a fascinating companion.
