Pink bikes are finally here!

Ostrava’s bikesharing scheme started on May 1 by a mass ride from Prokeš Square to Landek. The bike stations are located at 39 different locations in the wider city centre. The advantage  of the scheme is that you don´t have to return the bike to the place where you borrowed it.

Ostrava´s bikesharing scheme – which forms part of the City’s Strategic Development Plan – was launched after many months of detailed preparation on 1 May. A group of sixty cyclists, headed by Mayor Tomáš Macura, set out on a Landek ride.

Ostrava has supported cycling in the city for many years. There are around 250 kilometres of dedicated cycle routes within the city, and more are currently being built or planned. The introduction of the bikesharing scheme represents a further step towards creating a healthier, cleaner and more eco-friendly transport system in Ostrava.

Ostrava’s Mayor Tomáš Macura explained the importance of the scheme: “Bikesharing enables us to offer citizens and visitors a modern, eco-friendly form of transport. It will have a positive impact not only on the health of its users (cyclists), but also on quality of life for all Ostrava’s citizens: cycling is a zero-emissions, low-noise form of transport, and it will help to reduce car use and improve traffic flow within the city centre. And what’s more, cycling is more than just a form of transport – it’s a lifestyle.”

A total of 180 pink bikes are available for public use; these urban bikes feature low saddles for easy mounting and dismounting, coaster brakes (where you pedal backwards to apply the brake), and a practical front basket for carrying small loads. The service is provided by Rekola Bikesharing. The bikesharing scheme will run until the winter season (at the latest 21 December).

The scheme enables users to borrow a bike at one station and return it at a different location. Each station includes a mobile stand with space for 6–12 bikes. It is only possible to return a bike to one of the stands listed in the system (in the app or on the web). If a user fails to return the bike to one of the stands, a fine will be charged. The bikes will be regularly collected and taken to other stations within the city, which will ensure that all stations are kept properly stocked at all times.

The first 15 minutes are free of charge, and there is a charge of 18 CZK for the next 45 minutes. After that first hour, each 15 minutes costs just 6 CZK. Before borrowing a bike, users need to register in the Rekola system. It is also possible to use SMS text messages for borrowing and returning bikes; each message sent costs the user 1 CZK, and users will be billed at the start of each month. Rekola provides user info via a telephone call centre (in Czech and English) on weekdays from 9:00–17:00, as well as via e-mail, Facebook messenger, the company’s website, and smartphone apps (iPhone, Android).

The precise locations of the bikesharing stations can be viewed on a map here: https://mapy.cz/s/2wDXV