Skip to main content

Helsinki integrates new bike-share program with public transportation system

As part of its overall plan to promote cycling, the Finnish capital Helsinki has introduced a public bike-share program that is linked seamlessly with the metropolitan area's multi-modal public transportation system. Launched at the beginning of May 2016 with 500 three-speed, adult-sized bikes and 50 docking throughout the inner city, the program will expand to 1,500 bikes, 150 stations and to further city districts in 2017. The Helsinki metropolitan area public transportation system incorporates a
May 27, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
As part of its overall plan to promote cycling, the Finnish capital Helsinki has introduced a public bike-share program that is linked seamlessly with the metropolitan area's multi-modal public transportation system.

Launched at the beginning of May 2016 with 500 three-speed, adult-sized bikes and 50 docking throughout the inner city, the program will expand to 1,500 bikes, 150 stations and to further city districts in 2017.

The Helsinki metropolitan area public transportation system incorporates a subway, streetcars, commuter trains, buses, ferries, and now bike share. All modes of public transportation are included in the regional Journey Planner, which finds the optimal route from point A to point B using all modes of transportation. The Helsinki Travel Card, a smartcard used to pay for trips, can now be used for personal identity verification in the bike-share program.

Features of the bike-share program include online registration, digital control boxes on bike handlebars used to operate the bikes, fixed docking stations and renewable energy to power the system. The bike docking stations are powered by in-built solar panels. The bikes' control boxes are continuously charged through a bike hub dynamo system.

The Journey Planner indicates the locations of bike docking stations and, in real time, the number of bikes available at each station.
UTC

Related Content

  • September 17, 2021
    Osprey pumps £75m into EV infrastructure
    Each charger is expected to add 100 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes
  • February 7, 2017
    European bike sharing market fuelled by innovations and government support
    New research by Frost & Sullivan, European Bike Sharing Market, Forecast to 2025, indicates that the bike sharing fleet will more than double in size from 151,302 units in 2016 to 341,250 units in 2025. Southern and Western Europe have high public bike sharing service (BSS) activity. About 196 cities in Southern Europe have more than 35,000 rental bikes; in Western Europe, 150 cities have nearly 70,000 rental bikes. Spain and France are the strongest markets, but the UK, Germany and Italy are expanding quic
  • August 19, 2015
    Costing transit is complicated case
    David Crawford welcomes fresh thinking from Canada. Public transit improvements can bring society “significantly more value” than conventional transport models normally indicate, argues Canadian researcher Todd Litman. “Traditional evaluation practices originally developed to assess roadway improvements, and focus primarily on vehicle travel speeds and operating costs. “They do not generally quantify or monetise basic mobility benefits, vehicle ownership and parking cost savings, or efficient land developme
  • February 21, 2023
    Full analysis: Massive US EV infrastructure plan
    The White House has announced a huge financial boost, new standards, and major progress for a made-in-America national network of EV chargers to support the future of US EV charging