Don’t want to drive from Charlotte to Raleigh? German limo service offers an alternative
%20(1).jpg "Blacklane, a chauffeur city-to-city business, launches services in Charlotte with trips to nearby cities.")
A German transportation company is offering Charlotte travelers an alternative to reach cities in the Carolinas and nearby states with service provided by chauffeurs and not pilots or train conductors.
Blacklane recently launched more than a dozen city-to-city routes from Charlotte, the Berlin-based company announced this week. It provides luxury vehicle rides for business travelers — a substitute for trains and short flights. They offer vehicles such as llimousines, SUVs and cars including Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Charlotte was part of an expansion for the company that also included Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Detroit.
How it works
Blacklane works with independent local chauffeur companies for its booking service. It does not own or control rides offered by the providers, but works as a middle man.
Blacklane riders traveling for business can save more than two and a half hours by avoiding problems such as long security lines that come with the airport, according to the company.
The short-distance routes help traveling professionals save time, according to Kyle Fackler, head of market management, Americas at Blacklane.
How much does it cost?
Customers pay based on vehicle types, distance and travel time.
“Blacklane’s short-haul flight alternative can be more cost effective, especially for colleagues, groups or families traveling together, as Blacklane charges by the vehicle rather than per person like airlines do,” Fackler told The Charlotte Observer.
A ride from Charlotte to Raleigh for three people in a car is more than $460, or $480 for five people in a van, according to the website.
The company also provides transportation service to and from airports with services such as real-time flight tracking.
Blacklane’s pricing varies depending on seasonality, and all rides have a fixed fare including taxes and tolls.
Where are they going?
Blacklane offers service to the following destinations from Charlotte: in North Carolina: Asheville; Fayetteville; Greensboro; Raleigh; Wilmington. In South Carolina: Charleston; Columbia; Florence; Greenville; Myrtle Beach.
Other cities include Augusta, Georgia, Bristol, Tennessee; Lynchburg and Roanoke, Virginia; and Beckley West Virginia.
More on Blacklane
Blacklane was founded in 2011. It operates in more than 50 countries and offers services such as airport transfers, long distance city-to-city rides and in-city services.
Blacklane employs more than 300 people and partners with tens of thousands chauffeurs.
This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 5:50 AM with the headline "Don’t want to drive from Charlotte to Raleigh? German limo service offers an alternative."
