A New Approach to Public Transport in Barcelona, Spain: Bicing Bicycles!

Sept. 19, 2011 - PRLog -- If you visit Barcelona, Spain, for the first time in several years, you will notice how much the city has changed. The biggest indicator will probably be the construction development of the Sagrada Familia cathedral. Started in 1882, it is now scheduled to be completed by the year 2026.

Another thing at which you will probably raise an eyebrow or two is the numerous bicycle-hire stations spread throughout the city area. Like many cities all over the world, Barcelona is investing heavily in a public bicycle-sharing system. Called Bicing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicing), it was inaugurated in 2007. Since then, it has won several awards and become an integral part of Barcelona's public transport.

Greener Rides for All

At the time of writing, there are 420 Bicing bike stations in Barcelona, which means that every 300 to 400 metres you will encounter something like what is pictured here. Naturally, every metro (subway) stop has its own Bicing station to ensure solid integration of these two major means of public transport in Barcelona.

Today's 6,000 Bicing bikes are used for 100,000 daily trips, which represents a huge savings of carbon dioxide and other emissions what contrasted with that of motorised transport.

The program's success stems in part from its easy accessibility and affordable pricing. Users only have to pay 35 euros per year to sign up for the Bicing card and then all rides up to 30 minutes in duration are free! Bikes can be picked up at any station and dropped off at any other. For longer rides, rentals are offered for up to two hours at a cost of 50 cents per half hour beyond the free 30-minute threshold. Or users can return their wheels after half an hour and then wait just 10 minutes to get another bike for free.

A Bike-Friendly City

In its long-term approach to making cycling in Barcelona not only more accessible but also safer and more comfortable, the local city government has started construction of an extensive network of bicycle lanes as well. In recent years, more than 200 kilometres of cycling paths have been added. Due to the restricted space in the city centre, in many cases a car lane has been converted into a bike lane and cordoned off to permit safe cycling away from motorised traffic.

The government's statement here is clear: more space for bikes, less space for cars. And they are still going a step further: the Bicing system's setup and operational costs of 6 million euros for the first years will be paid from the city's income in parking fines and tickets. So if you want to support cycling in Barcelona during your stay, just let your rental car be towed away and a big chunk of the fine will support Bicing!

The only downside of the system is that during weekdays you cannot use the bikes between midnight and 5 a.m. These are the hours during which bikes are relocated, a necessary service since Barcelona is quite a hilly city and many users tend to catch a bike for their way down hill, but ride the metro on the way up. In the evening in the upper quarters of Gracia or Sarria, some stations may run out of bikes, whereas stations on the port or in the beach neighbourhood of Barceloneta tend to become full.

A Better Way to Explore

If you are visiting Barcelona as a tourist, there is another minus to Bicing: to obtain the Bicing card, you have to be registered as a resident of Barcelona. Fortunately, for sightseeing on two wheels, an organized bike tour (http://www.barcelona-city-hotels.com/Barcelona_Ciclo_Tour) or guided electric bicycle trip is the best way to experience Barcelona anyway.

Of course, if you prefer to explore things on your own, we can also offer you bike rental in Barcelona (http://www.bcn.travel/en/barcelona-transport/bike-rental) from as little as 10 euros per day.

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