December 03, 2010

Bike Rental in Montreal

My friend Anne took these pictures of a BIXI station last week while in Montreal for Thanksgiving. (Thanks Anne!)



Montreal has this really great public bike system that is definitely worth writing about. In its transportation plan Réinventer Montréal, the Ville de Montréal wanted to provide different means of getting around Montréal. 
Given its immense popularity in Europe, the Ville de Montréal decided to make a public bike system one of the measures included in the plan. BIXI is viewed as a complement to the public transportation system and as an alternative to the car for residents and tourists throughout the city. 

Who can use BIXI?
You have to be at least 14 years of age and measure at least 1.24 metres (4'1") in height to use BIXI.


How long can I take a bike out?
You can take a bike out for a maximum of 24 hours.

Is the system in service throughout the year?
The system is in service three seasons of the year (spring summer, fall) from May to November. The stations are removed during harsh winter months.


BIXI offers gift certificates and a station map for your mobile. You can subscribe for a year membership or a BIXI - bus package. BIXI website also offers bike safety tips, weather updates, and a station location map.


1 comment:

Falcon Embroidery said...

christania’s “Cargo Bike Rental Copenhagen” bikes are rolling across the city. The system, less than a year old, is funded by christania’s municipal government. It is currently only in one of christania’s 22 administrative districts. Although a 2nd generation system, there are 12 “Houses” in this district, each with around 40 bikes. The yearly subscription cost is the equivalent of $2 US, and allows the use of a bike for up to four hours at a time. In less than a year, there have been 6,000 subscriptions sold. There are larger 3rd generation systems in the world, which do not have a subscription to bike ratio as big as that.