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Just found this out, not sure how well known it actually is, but before you get your Personal Chocobo, you can rent one for an hour, or until you climb off.
The Chocobo Porter in the starting cities offers it as an option for a few gil, separate from the option to go from A to B.
Not as useful for higher level players, but good to know for new players.
Yup, that's been in the game since launch, both normal rental chocobos and Chocoporters (the ability to ride unlocks upon completing a certain early main story quest in your starting city, the same quest also unlocks the Inn). And although rental chocobos are pretty much made obsolete once you get the ability to ride your own personal mounts, the Chocoporter is still useful for when you just want to get from A to B without having to think about where you're going, and it's extremely cheap too.
Incidentally the Far East areas of Stormblood have giant falcons you can ride as their stand in for the Chocoporter but they work the same way.
Since Launch? I've been playing since just before Pre-HW, and never knew about the rentals.
Thanks for the additional info!