About FJ13, your private driver in Alsace
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FJ13 is a private transport company with driver, based in Entzheim, right next to Strasbourg. FJ13 runs alsace-tours.com for English-speaking travelers who want to see Alsace without renting a car or joining a bus group. You get one private van, one driver, and a day built around your pace, with a price per van that you know before you travel.
Who FJ13 is
FJ13 is a licensed private hire company (in France, a VTC company) based in Entzheim, the village next to Strasbourg Airport (Aeroport de Strasbourg-Entzheim). FJ13 drives visitors, business travelers and families across Alsace and into nearby Germany, from a hotel door in Strasbourg to the wine villages, Colmar and the Christmas markets.
FJ13 was founded in 2019 by Jocelin Frequelin. More than 15,000 passengers have traveled with FJ13 since then.
Besides its own drivers, FJ13 works with a network of partner drivers who hold the same professional license. This lets FJ13 handle busy December weekends and groups that need two or three vehicles on the same day. Together, FJ13 and its partners count more than 40 drivers. Depending on the driver, FJ13 drivers speak French, English, German, Italian, Russian, Armenian, Arabic and Chechen.
Why a private driver instead of a rental car or a group tour
A private driver makes sense when you want to see several villages in one day, taste wine without worrying about driving, and skip the parking hunt that December brings to Colmar and Riquewihr. It also makes sense for families with small children and for travelers who would rather not drive on narrow village streets.
It is not always the best option, and FJ13 would rather tell you so up front:
- Rental car: cheaper for a group of four over several days, and you set your own schedule, but the driver cannot taste wine and parking near the village centers fills up fast in high season.
- Train (TER): the fastest and cheapest way for a couple going from Strasbourg to Colmar, city center to city center, with no car needed on arrival. See Strasbourg to Colmar for the details.
- Shared group tour: the lowest price per person for a solo traveler or a couple on a budget, with a fixed route and fixed stops.
- Private driver with FJ13: the best fit when you are 2 to 7 people, want several stops in one day, want to drink wine at a tasting, or want the day to follow your pace rather than a timetable.
What your driver does, and what the optional add-on covers
Your FJ13 driver is a professional driver, and that is the job. Your driver knows the region, shares local tips along the way, suggests where to walk first and where to park, and waits while you enjoy self-guided time in each village.
In France, giving commentary inside monuments and museums is a regulated profession, separate from driving. If you want that kind of in-depth commentary, you can add a certified guide-conferencier (optional, extra cost) to your day, subject to availability. Just mention it in your request on the tailor-made quote page.
Vehicles: guaranteed by category, not by model
On alsace-tours.com, FJ13 drives you in a private van for 1 to 7 passengers, with room for luggage. FJ13 guarantees a van, never a specific model. Every van is air-conditioned, and bottled water is on board.
If you want an idea of what may pick you up, these are the models FJ13 and its partner drivers use:
- Vans: Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Mercedes-Benz EQV, Mercedes-Benz Vito, Peugeot Partner.
- Child and baby seats: available on request when you book, so FJ13 can fit them before pick-up.
How pricing works
FJ13 prices are per van, all taxes included, tips not included, never per person. The price covers a half day or a full day, from pick-up to drop-off, and is adjusted to your itinerary: each hour of service includes 15 km. It does not depend on the number of stops, so removing a stop does not lower the price, and adding one costs nothing as long as it fits in the time you booked.
Tolls, parking, fuel and bottled water are included. Wine tastings, site entries, meals and tips are not. You can see every price and build your own day on the tailor-made quote page, and the full rules are in the terms of sale.
Frequently asked questions
Will the same driver stay with us from pick-up to drop-off?
Yes. On a half day or a full day, one FJ13 driver picks you up at your hotel, stays with you all day and drops you back at the end. Only an exceptional constraint would lead FJ13 to change driver during a service. Your driver waits while you explore each village on your own.
Can I ask for a specific car, like a Mercedes V-Class?
You can ask, and FJ13 will note it, but the booking guarantees a van, not the model. The van you get could be a Mercedes-Benz V-Class, an EQV, a Vito or a Peugeot Partner, depending on which driver is available that day.
Is FJ13 a travel agency that can also book my hotel?
No. FJ13 is a private transport company with driver. FJ13 does not sell hotels, train tickets or restaurant bookings. Your driver can suggest when to book a wine tasting or a lunch table, but you make those reservations and pay for them directly.
Does FJ13 drive into Germany and Switzerland?
Yes, FJ13 drives across the Rhine into Germany, for example on the France and Germany Christmas market day, and also drives to Switzerland (Basel, Zurich, Bern, Geneva) and Luxembourg. Drivers cross these borders every day, and vignettes and tolls are included in the price. Bring your passport or national ID card for any border crossing.