We’ve been fans of Paris’ Vélib’ bike program since it debuted in July 2007. But how’s it faring three years later?

In many respects it’s been a big hit with both locals and tourists (at least those lucky enough to have the right type of credit card). Read on to get our Cheapo assessment of the city’s bike share program.

Getting a bike

A Vélib’ station. Photo: Tom Meyers

The Vélib’ system, which until 2011 required a credit card with a puce (a special microchip), was mostly unattainable to Americans since it launched in 2007.

However, that changed in spring 2011 when the program opened, at least online, to a wide-range of cards (including MasterCard, Visa and American Express). Tourists can now register for a one or seven-day subscription on their Web site with these credit or debit cards. You will then be given a code to tap into the kiosk at any of the city’s 1,200 Vélib’ bike stations.

Note that a €150 “hold” will be placed on your card when you subscribe. This will be in place until your subscription expires. Read more on the Vélib’ Web site.

After purchasing a daily or weekly pass (one-day subscription costs €1.70 and a seven-day subscription costs €8), riders take a bike from any stand and can ride for 30 minutes before parking at another station. Additional time is billable in half-hour increments.

Improvements to the Vélib’ program

Thanks to an initiative by the mayor’s office passed in June 2010, improvements in bicycle parking, traffic signals and paths are on their way. The biggest change, however, has been the legalization of bikes riding on a one-way street.

One-way streets that had permitted only one-way bike traffic are now also painted with bicycle paths going against automobile traffic, opening up the city’s meandering and confusing network of streets and alleys. According to Le Monde, about 90 percent of streets are now accessible in both directions for cyclists. (Granted, my heart flutters a bit when a truck comes barreling down what its driver feels is a one-way street. But at least the police won’t stop and fine me for breaking the law while riding my Vélib’.)

The downsides of using Vélib’

While the streets are opening up to bikers, the Vélib’ system still has its faults, starting with finding a bike. Popular stations often lack sufficient functional cycles.

A seat turned backwards is a sign from a friendly rider that a bike is faulty. Always check the tires, breaks, gears and handle bars before riding. In addition to being an inconvenience, a bike with wobbly handle bars and poor breaks is a hazard. Fortunately on the road, cars are surprisingly respectful of cyclists (even though Parisians are known for their erratic driving).

Finding a parking spot can also be difficult. All too often, major stations in popular neighborhoods are full, forcing riders to wait for a spot to open up. Fortunately, you can obtain a 15-minute extension from the terminal in order to find another station. The map on the terminal’s screen will locate the closest free spot.

The bottom line

For Parisians, having their own bike is preferable to relying on the Vélib’ system. After two years, fed up with daily Vélib’ hassles, I purchased a used bike. Still, I kept my subscription to the Vélib’ because many occasions call for a one-way bike ride. (For example, you get to a bar and then enjoy a few too many glasses of Bordeaux.)

With nearly 20,000 bikes and inspiring programs from London to Mexico City, Vélib’ remains the world’s most successful biking system. While not perfect, it still may be one of the most magical experiences available in Paris for just a few euros.

Bonus: This fun little video gives you a feel for the Vélib’ experience.

The post Paris Vélib’ Update: How’s the bike share program working out? appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Since late 2008, BikeMi has operated stations around the city, allowing locals and tourists to explore the city on two wheels for just a few euros. BikeMi currently boasts over 100 pick-up and drop-off stations throughout Milan, with around 1,400 bikes in total. The program is set to expand to well over 200 stations and 5,000 bikes by the end of 2010.

How it works

To hop on, you’ll first need to register. On the BikeMi Web site, choose a temporary or annual subscription and provide your credit card information. Once your card is approved, you will be e-mailed a user code and password to be used at any bike station.

Simply type in your code at the station keypad and take a bicycle. And don’t forget to watch the time—bikes must be returned to any BikeMi station no more than two hours after they’ve been checked out. (Exceeding the limit three times will get your subscription cancelled.)

The daily rate for using a BikeMi bike is €2.50. A weekly subscription costs €6. On top of these flat fees, you’ll be charged €0.50 for every 30 minutes (following the first free half-hour).

All in all, we think BikeMi provides plenty of incentive to slip off the D&G stilettos and get riding through the streets of Milano.

The post Milan: Get moving with the BikeMi public bike share program appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It’s no surprise then that Stockholm City Bikes, a bike sharing program run as a joint venture between the city of Stockholm and Clear Channel, has emerged as a popular service in Stockholm. Best of all, once you join the program, your rentals are free!

When to rent

The program offers 1,000 bikes at 80 unmanned bike stations throughout the city, many of them located in the middle of town. Bikes are available every day of the week, from 6 AM to 6 PM. Of course, touring Stockholm on a bike in the middle of the winter can be a dangerous endeavor. With this in mind, Stockholm City Bikes are only rentable from April 1st to October 31st.

The three-day card and the season pass

When renting a bike from the Stockholm City Bikes program, you have two different options. The first is the three-day rental card, which costs 125 SEK. It is valid for three days from the time you first use the card, not from the time you buy the card.

The other option is the season pass. This is valid throughout the entire season, from April through October and can be purchased at sales locations for 250 SEK, or online for 200 SEK. If you intend on biking around Stockholm for more than three days, plan ahead and buy the card online and save 50 SEK.

The most convenient sales locations include any SL Center (the public transportation company in Stockholm), Central Station, Slussen, or the Stockholm Tourist Centre. You can also buy the card online at Stockholm City Bike’s website, where, as we mentioned, you can get the season card for 200 SEK instead of 250. Unfortunately, cards cannot be purchased at the bike racks.

Getting your bike

Once you’ve purchased your card, all you have to do is find a bike stand from which to rent. At every rack, you’ll find an automatic card reader with very clear instructions. Just hold your card up against the reader, wait for it to register, and then grab your bike. You only have 30 seconds from the time your card is registered, but if you’re too slow, don’t worry, just repeat the process—albeit a little quicker this time!

Get it back on time

Rentals last three hours, at which point you are expected to return the bike to any of the city’s numerous bike stands. If three hours isn’t enough for you, you can just head to a nearby stand and re-rent the bike. The three-hour rule is strictly enforced, mostly because it is difficult to argue with the computer and the time stamp it records.

If you are late, you receive what Stockholm City Bikes refers to as a “penalty point.” Three penalty points and your card will be blocked. If you keep your bike for more than five hours, your card is automatically blocked regardless of the number of penalty points you might have already accumulated.

Stockholm City Bikes has its limitations, not being able to buy a rental card at the bike stand, for example. Regardless, the service covers almost all of Stockholm and allows tourists (and locals for that matter) a great way of getting around.

The post “City Bikes” program lets you tour Stockholm on two wheels appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Things can get pricy pretty quickly in Copenhagen, but you can still grab some wheels for free. The city’s free bike program, called “Bycyklen Kobenhavn,” was a pioneer in the urban bike program phenomenon. The city provides 1,300 free bicycles to anyone to zip around the city center.

The program is popular with visitors and residents alike, doubles as a rehabilitation program for locals, and is environmentally progressive. (The city even gave a city bike to Bill Clinton, when he visited in 1997.) In short, the program is just another example of why the Danes are so cool.

It’s a straight-forward system:

1) Find your way to one of the city’s 125 bike parking areas. They’re all located in the city center.

2) Leave a small deposit (a DKK 20 coin, worth about $3) and ride off with your bike.

3) Stay in the city center. The bikes are easy to identify, and you might get some looks if you’re outside the central zone. According to the official website, “If you ride on a city bike outside the zone, you might get fined by the police.” Also, remember not to ride on any of the city’s pedestrian-only streets (you can walk the bike, however).

4) When you’re finished, return the bike to one of the 125 bike parking areas, whereupon you’ll get back your deposit.

The free-bike zone.

For more information on the program, visit the city’s official website for the free bike program.

So simple.

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