The world capital of cycling is still Amsterdam, but bikes – and bikesharing – are becoming more and more popular in Ostrava and other cities in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Ostrava’s bikesharing system is operated by Nextbike, which runs similar services in more than 200 cities throughout the world.

There are several towns and cities in the Moravian-Silesian Region where you can use bikesharing schemes: Ostrava, Frýdek-Místek, Opava, Havířov, and Hlučín. In fact, Ostrava has the largest Nextbike system in the whole of the Czech Republic! There are more than 350 bikesharing points at various locations throughout the city, with 1100 bikes available to borrow.

Healthy, eco-friendly and safe!

Diesel? Petrol? There’s a better alternative – whether you’re working or playing, why not travel to a meeting by bike! Being eco-friendly brings its own rewards – no traffic jams, easy parking, and an ideal way of enjoying a great outdoor activity. Cycling helps you to keep fit and active, but it’s also a quiet, worry-free way of getting around. Plus it’s great for reducing stress levels, and it keeps the blood pumping through your brain, so it’s brilliant for creative thinking!

The Nextbike service teams disinfect all the bikes regularly and systematically, but it’s still a good idea to use hand gel after every ride. There’s no legal requirement to wear a face mask or respirator while cycling.

Bikesharing is easy!

The simplest way of using Ostrava’s blue-and-silver bikes is to download the app to your phone and register free of charge. You’ll then need to activate your account by verifying your payment card: the system will deduct 50 CZK from your card, but that sum will automatically be credited to your Nextbike account.

Then, whenever you want to borrow one of the bikes, simply open up the app and scan the QR code on the rear mudguard. That will unlock the bike, and you’re ready to go! After your journey, remember that you always need to return the bike to one of the official Nextbike bikesharing points – the phone app will show you where the nearest point is. To lock the bike when you return it, just press down the lever above the rear wheel until you hear the beep.

If you’re in a group, that’s no problem – you can use your Nextbike account to borrow up to 4 bikes at one time. (If you borrow more than one bike at a time, any price reductions only apply to the first bike you borrow.)

Source: www.nextbikeczech.com

So how much does it cost?

Everywhere in the Moravian-Silesian Region where Nextbike operates a bikesharing system, you get the first 15 minutes completely free of charge! The next 45 minutes will cost you 24 CZK. After that, you’ll pay 24 CZK for each additional 30-minute period. But if you’re planning to borrow a bike for a longer time, don’t worry – the maximum cost per day is just 150 CZK.

The only exception is Opava, where after the first 15 minutes (free of charge) you’ll pay just 20 CZK for the following hour. After that, you’ll pay 20 CZK for each additional 30-minute period. And like everywhere, the maximum cost per day is just 150 CZK.

If you’re going to be in the Moravian-Silesian Region for a longer time, or if you’re planning a longer cycling tour, then you can take advantage of special discounts – monthly or annual rates, as well as student discounts. For complete information see HERE.

You can view other parts in the series “How to travel around Ostrava?” here:

Part 1 – Public transport HERE