Berlin is also massive. Biking makes it possible to get between sights, restaurants and bars relatively quickly. Seriously, in many cases it’s the fastest way to get around. And you’ll get to experience the city like a local to boot!

Related: 12 Simple ways for saving big on your Berlin trip

Tips for biking in Berlin

Ready to hop on a bike? Here are helpful tips for biking in the city as well as ideas on how to save when renting a cycle.

General biking tips

Navigating bike lanes
As we just mentioned, most streets in Berlin have bike lanes. Sometimes they’re directly on the street, but most often they’re integrated directly into the outer edge of the sidewalk in red or grey bricks. Although you may see the occasional bicycle stenciled onto the bricks, most sidewalk bike lanes are not marked (the ones in the street usually are).

Keep an eye out for red bike lanes painted next to the sidewalk in Berlin. Photo: Eric Sehr

Important note to pedestrians: Do not walk in the bike lane. If you do, don’t be surprised if riders yell at you. Since most Berliners use their bicycles as a mode of transportation, they ride very fast. You don’t want to be in their way.

Slow? Stay on the right: When cycling, if you’re more in the mood for a slow, leisurely ride, make sure you always stay to the right so, any speed demon can easily pass you on the left; otherwise, again, it’s very likely someone will yell at you.

Safety tips

As Berlin cyclists can be an impatient and occasionally aggressive bunch, never allow your children to ride in the bike lane. By law, children are allowed to ride on the sidewalk.

We don’t recommend adults ride on the sidewalk, though. If you do, there is (again) a very good chance you’ll be yelled at, this time by pedestrians. The one exception is the sidewalks next to cobblestone streets — only the grumpiest of grandmothers (and yes, there are some…) would yell at someone for choosing not to take a bone-shaking ride across cobblestones.

Signaling: If you’re riding on the streets, it’s a very good idea to use hand signals when turning.

Locking up: And since bikes often get stolen in Berlin, be sure you always lock your bike to something (a bike rack, tree, fence, etc.).

Bikes on public transit: You can take your bicycle on the U-bahn or S-bahn, except during rush hour. Just make sure you purchase a bike ticket from the station machines (Fahrradticket) for €1.90 for central Berlin or €2.20 for Berlin and Potsdam. Take note that bikes are not allowed in the first train car or the first door of each individual car.

Bike tours and itineraries

If biking around the city sounds too fast and stressful for you, there are also lots of more low-key options for exploring Berlin atop a Fahrrad (“bicycle”).

Exploring parks by bike

With more than 520 acres to explore, Tiergarten park is a natural choice for pedaling around. If you get tired of trees, ponds, and gardens, several major tourist destinations are also close to the park, including Potsdamer Platz, Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column, and Holocaust Memorial.

To get a glimpse of Berlin’s transportation history, why not bike around the Park at Gleisdreieck. Fairly new, this park includes plenty of old train tracks from the huge train depot located there before the war. Take a break to watch the skaters do their tricks in the skate pool or do a few tricks yourself on the monkey bars, trampolines, and jungle gyms scattered throughout the park.

A group bike tour is a fun way to see Berlin. Photo: Rae Allen

Affordable bike tours

For a taste of Berlin’s most recently formed hipster paradise, take a ride down the Landwehr Canal at Maybach Ufer into the neighborhood known as “Kreuzkölln.” If you’d rather go on a guided bike tour, two companies offer tours at a nice price.

• Free Berlin offers three-hour tours such as Berlin’s Best and Poor But Sexy for €19, price of bike included.
• Berlin on Bike! offers similar tours for a few euros more. Both also give discounts to Welcome Card holders.

Biking in front of the famous East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall. Photo: Leo G

How to save on bike rentals

Whatever you do, try not to rent directly from hotels or most bike rental agencies in the major tourist areas; if you do, it’s likely you’ll pay twice as much. Either way, make sure the rental price per day is no more than €10.

Super cheap rentals

For bargain hunters, we recommend:

• Prenzlauerberger Orange Bikes (€7 per day plus €25 deposit) or Berlin on Bike! (€10 per day) in Prenzlauerberg
• Rent a Bike 44 in Neukölln (€4 per day)
• M’eierrad in Kreuzberg (€3 per day)

Buy a bike (no joke!)

If you plan on staying a little longer in Berlin, it might make sense, both money and comfort-wise, to buy a cheap used bike. The best places to look online are Craigslist (most likely in English) or eBay Kleinanzeigen (in German).

Happy cycling!

The post Biking in Berlin: Safety tips and how to find the cheapest bike rental appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here’s a quick round-up of bike rental and tour options available to visitors to Florence:

The Urban Treader

Walking’s not your thing but neither is heavy biking. You’re more into the casual cycle and were once caught riding on the sidewalk in your hometown. You wonder why anyone would want to carry something in a basket and giggle every time you ring the bell.

Then I give you: Florence by Bike. These gentle giants of bike rental speak English and rent bikes by the hour or for the day. They don’t offer tours but will suggest a route for you. This means that you can bike at your leisure. Accessories are all included, but pedal power provided by you. City bikes start at €3 per hour or €14.50 for the day.

Where’s north again?

A recurring nightmare of yours consists of parachuting into the desert with a duffel bag duct-taped around your waist. You love biking but only when you can read the road signs and think that GPS should stand for Guiding People to Safety.

Then join a bike tour! That way you can turn off the worry of not knowing where you are and turn on the pleasures of peeking at Florence from a bicycle. One suggestion is I Bike Florence which offers city tours of all the sights for €29.

I Peddle in my Sleep

You don’t sleepwalk, you sleep peddle. You think trains and buses are just big pollutant versions of the trusty bicycle. Mileage doesn’t scare you, instead it says tons about your “explore score.” Plus, you’ve always wanted to see a real olive tree. Enter the world of Tuscan bike tours.

First there’s Charnes Tours who offer multi-day trips all over the region. They take care of hotels, food and wine-tasting. Prices vary according to itinerary.

For single day tours, try Tuscany Bike Tours which cost €80 per person.

And finally, I Bike Tuscany lets you customize your tour or join one of the pre-planned ones, which will vary according to your level of difficulty. Pricing can be obtained by contacting the company.

So get out there and start peddling. Or else you can always join the eerie Florence unicyclist for a quick round of ring-around-the-Duomo.

Also in our Guide: If you’re getting ready to visit Florence, check out our reviews of cheap hotels in Florence. Our editors have visited, inspected and photographed dozens of budget hotels in central Florence.

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Suddenly, you could be almost anywhere in the city within a leisurely 10–15 minute pedal. With clearly designated bike lanes, cycling in the city is safe and simple. While many commuters use a db every day, travelers can also take advantage of this (almost free) program, too.

The Basics

There are 44 db stations in Dublin’s center. Stations are never too far away from one another, and are located right near some of the top attractions including the National Gallery of Ireland, St. Stephen’s Green, and Grafton Street.

If you are unfamiliar with the layout of Dublin, you might want to consult a map before heading out on your db. Each station also has a map providing details on where to return the bike.

How to Rent a Bike

This is where it gets a little tricky. Local residents who use the db program have an ID card that is connected to their credit card for security purposes (to make sure you don’t ride off for good with the bike!). Travelers don’t need the annual card, but they do need a credit card to use the bikes. MasterCard and Visa are accepted, and your card could be charged a hefty fine if you don’t return the bike.

Travelers can purchase a three-day pass right at the db stand. (Note: Not all 44 stands have credit card capabilities–consult dublinbikes.ie to find one that does). A three-day pass costs just €2, and provides free 30-minute rentals. If you go beyond 30 minutes without returning the bike, you will be charged .50 for an hour, €1.50 for two hours, and so on.

Cheapos should know that there is no limit to the number of free 30-minute rentals you can enjoy in one day. Thus, to avoid the service fees, simply return your bike to a station and rent a new one.

The Specifics

After you rent your first db, you’ll be a pro. Unlike other countries where you have language to cope with, in this instance it’s English all the way. When you approach a db station, have a credit card ready. After you’ve selected a three-day pass, you will be asked to select a four-digit PIN code. This number is important, as it will help to identify you and confirm that you’ve returned your bike (avoiding the €150 fee for “stealing” or not returning a bike).

Renting is simple: Approach the station, enter your PIN, select an available bike, press the “release” button and you’re off. Returning the bike is just as simple, and detailed directions are available at every station.

Where to go with a bike rental

Dublin is a compact city, and once you have your three-day pass, it’s all at your fingertips. Some fun bike excursions include going for a ride in Phoenix Park, the largest city park in Europe, or riding along the water of Dublin Bay along Sandymount Strand.

Best of all, your free bike rentals let you avoid expensive taxis and see more of Dublin. Have fun!

The post Dublin: Hop on the city’s bike-share program for €2 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Many of us underestimated Londoners’ enthusiasm for such an idea and predicted the public bikes would fall victim to abuse after Paris’s Vélib’ scheme experienced some teething problems in the form of theft and vandalism. It’s still the early days for London, but so far there have been positive reports, and a surprising number of these clunky, heavyweight machines are to be seen daily on the roads and in public parks.

How the program works

You currently need to register online for an access key before you can hop on a bike. You’ll receive a slim blue key in the mail, which you then take to one of the 315 docking points across central London, shown on this map. Slide the key into one of the docking points, and the bike, which comes with lights and a small basket at the front for your belongings, is released. When you’ve finished your journey, you need to return the bike to a secure docking station, and once you get the green light you’re off the meter and free to go about your business.

Your account is charged according to usage at the end of your access period (see below), and if your bike has suffered damage you can report a fault at the terminal.

What it costs

TFL plan to implement a casual use system in the near future for which you’ll be able to pay your access fee by credit or debit card at the terminal. For the moment, you need to register as above, and the membership key will set you back £3.

There’s an access fee per cycle, based on specific time periods, and then a usage charge on top. Access fees start from £1 a day, rising to an annual fee of £45. In terms of usage fees, if your journey lasts less than half an hour it’s free, up to an hour is a mere £1, and then prices escalate up to £50 for 24 hours. Clearly, £50 a day on a borrowed bike isn’t a particularly sensible option, so the scheme is better suited to short journeys.

Whatever you do, don’t exceed the 24-hour rental time: the late return fee is punitive at £150. Also be sure to wait for a green light and a clicking noise when you re-dock your bike. If it doesn’t register as returned, your timer will keep ticking and you’ll face a nasty extra charge.

Drawbacks

Bear in mind that there are no locks on the bikes, and there are light-fingered folk around. Therefore, you can’t stop off for lunch and leave it anywhere except a docking point. If the dock at your destination is full, you need to find a space elsewhere, which isn’t ideal if you’re in a hurry; a map at each terminal shows you where the nearest available racks are, and you can add a free 15 minutes if you’re running out of time. Interestingly, registered users of the scheme outweigh the number of bikes by several thousand, so it’s yet to be seen whether there will be enough bikes to go round at peak times.

Also note that until the “casual access” program has launched, non-UK residents will not have an easy time participating in the program. The official Web site doesn’t give specifics on the timing of opening up the program to those without a UK address. It simply says, “coming soon.”

So far, “Boris’s bikes,” named after our much-caricatured mayor, seem to be effectively encouraging a greener lifestyle, are affordable at the very short-term end of the scale, and will hopefully provide a good sightseeing tool for tourists. One controversial talking point is that the mayor should have pushed for cycle helmets to be obligatory; in many people’s opinion, you’ve got to be stark raving mad to ride without one on London’s frantic central streets.

The post London: The city’s new bike-share program pedals forth appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Some look back now and have misgivings about how events unfolded. Many commentators suggest that East Germany disappeared too quickly and that the life experiences of an entire generation were dismissed as worthless.

Dismantling the Berlin Wall

Another memorial along the Berlin Wall Trail

History is made up of individuals and not merely the schemes of governments. And August 31, 1990 was a day of personal tragedy in the community in which we live on the outskirts of Berlin. The Wall has now long gone, but in summer 1990 local kids were busy chipping away at the structure. Where once the Wall stood, now there is a beautiful cycle route that tracks round the outer edges of Berlin. Susan Buzzelli highlighted the merits of that bike path in a posting earlier this month here on EuroCheapo.

A tragic accident

On August 31, 1990, 14-year-old Christoph-Manuel Bramböck from Lichterfelde (Berlin) became the victim of a terrible accident. He was chipping away at the bottom of the Wall, keen to get some fragments of the fast disappearing structure. He did not notice that his efforts had loosened a slab of concrete higher up the Wall. The block crashed down on Christoph-Manuel’s head, killing him instantly. He was the last victim of the Berlin Wall.

The Berlin Wall trail

The Berlin Mauerweg cycle route has many memorials along its route, recalling episodes connected with the Wall that for almost three decades divided Berlin. Among them is the memorial to Christoph-Manuel. who would have celebrated his 35th birthday this October. The Berlin Wall trail is an engaging tour of Cold War history and a reminder of the human dimension of international politics.

The post Berlin: Remembering the Berlin Wall 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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