Robespierre

It looks like a great way to get an intimate view of Paris a little more efficiently than walking everywhere.

The system is unattended - you walk up, stick your Vélib card in a reader, and a bike is automatically unlocked from the adjacent rack. You can return the bike to any rack in the city where there's space for it.

You can get a one-day subscription for 1€, a week for 5€, or a year for 29€.

The rental pricing (which is in addition to the subscription price) encourages short trips:
1st half-hour 0€
2nd half-hour 1€
3rd half-hour 2€
4th and subsequent half-hour 4€

We wanted to try it last week, but there doesn't seem to be any way to do it without posting a 150€ deposit with a chipped bank card.

www.velib.paris.fr

PalenQ

so tourists can't use it

well i wouldn't encurage any tourist to bike in Paris itself anyway - though they have in theory painted bike lanes on the streets a few years ago these seem inevitably blocked by parked cars, etc. and are thin strips in busy traffic.

Let's also see how long these bikes remain without being stolen or damaged.

The system has worked well in Lyon and Barcelona however but i think it's locals doing a fairly short commute over streets and routes they know are better.

For the average tourist i see no reason or joy to rent these bikes IMO

Robespierre

We encountered many tourists riding them and loving it. They were from countries more bank-technologically advanced than the U.S. and therefore had chipped cards.

Dukey

"We wanted to try it last week..."

Nice way to segue into a trip report.

What happens if you try to return a bike and there is no space to return it to? (wonder if that would really ever happen???)..you'd be forced to go elsewhere to do so and perhaps that would be a turn-off for a few folks.

This reminds me of the "zip car" system we have here...for those who like it they seem to swear by it.

AnthonyGA

Yes, there's no way to do it without a €150 deposit, by credit card. It is intended primarily for residents (who seem to be using it heavily, at all times of day), and the yearly subscription is available only to residents, but tourists can use the day and week subscriptions if they have appropriate credit cards.

The system is very conveniently located near practically every street corner, although the bikes are heavy (46 lbs).

It's true that biking in Paris isn't easy, despite the many bike paths, but a lot of people still do it. Vélib seems to be doing extremely well.

A problem exists with the distribution of the bikes, since some locations run out of bikes, whereas others run out of parking. I suppose this problem will gradually be resolved over time, perhaps with more sophisticated usage studies (right now, trucks ride around town daily redistributing the bikes).

Dukey

Thanks, Anthony, for providing that further information.

PalenQ

August, when there are relatively few vehicles on the streets (parking is even free and actually available during the month i believe) is not a good time to judge how the biking is going - wait until the Rentree when cars are screaming around again to see how it goes.

I'm all for bikes by the way as transport - but for visiting Paris i'll stick to walking.

Do helmets come with the bikes?

Robespierre

No.

p.s. The bornes (terminals) will tell you how many bikes and how many spaces are available at nearby stations.

PatrickLondon

Interesting assessment here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environmen...lliving.france

No surprise that you find more at the bottom of hills than the top.....

_Ems_

OK for every one going to Paris and using these Velib bikes watched out! I've done it last weekend and still have troubles:
- First of all when you get a bike and want to return it most, of the times it's very very hard to find a place to return it. Or all places are occupied by bikes or the places are out of work
- Second you pay a deposit of €150 for each bike everytime you take a new short term ticket, and I haven't got it back yet... So if you do this a few days you mis a lot of money...

Hope other people have more luck!
Greetings

hopscotch

Thanks for the post Robespierre. I'm going to try it on my next visit to Paris. I've been walking for a half hour a day to get shaped up for the 12 hour Paris days by hoof, but a bike will make it much easier.

jody

You have to have a chip credit card or else forget it.

hopscotch

I use my ABN AMRO Wereldpas with chip and Maestro (MC) when I travel in Europe. I also use my home town ATM and CCs, but sparingly.

I've mentioned ABN before on Fodor's Forum. Frequent travelers should get a Wereldpas card to save all the chip grief, home town bank charges, and CC 3% fees. There are some out of system fees, but minimal IMO. It's all in euro, €, and it's a no brainer. Wire your money in any amount to ABN AMRO for about $35 from your home town bank. Of course you must first set up an account at ABN AMRO. That's another no brainer.

Take a look at their web site http://tinyurl.com/32sn7f. But I suggest that you go to an office and talk directly with a bank officer before doing this. European banking is somewhat different than the USA version.

How did free bikes in Paris turn into banking in Amsterdam on this thread?