Spring is here and the MOL Bubi public bike-sharing system is already expanding
Hundreds of brand-new MOL Bubi bicycles will be available for use by the people of Budapest, and in the coming days additional stations will open at new locations. The number of bicycles in the public bike-sharing system, which is also popular in winter, has nearly doubled since the 2021 upgrade.
With the spring weather approaching, the MOL Bubi public bike-sharing system is expanding significantly. From 1 March, 200 brand new bikes and three new stations, which will be completed in the coming days, will be available to customers.
This will allow users to pick up and drop off bicycles at the intersections of Ajtósi Dürer Sor - Stefánia út and Olof Palme sétány - Zichy Mihály út in City Park, as well as at the City Park Ice Rink and Boating Lake. The new stations will fill an old territorial gap in the service area. Since its relaunch in May 2021, MOL Bubi's fleet has nearly doubled from 1,200 bikes to 2,260 bikes, and the number of bike stations has increased to 183.
In designing the new stations, BKK also took into account the need to provide easy and eco-friendly access to the City Park, a favourite destination for residents and visitors seeking recreation, and to provide a direct link to an important green area. In addition, the company has also ensured that a new station is created in the immediate vicinity of new cultural institutions, including the Hungarian House of Music.
The facility, which opened last year, is most easily accessible by MOL Bubi public bikes, which can be used to go to a concert after work or at the weekend, a trip to the zoo or a walk in the city park. The stations were financed by Városliget Zrt.
MOL Bubi, popular in winter and summer, continues to grow
Since its renewal in 2021, the capital's public bike network has been constantly developing and expanding. In 2022, BKK put a total of 500 brand new MOL Bubi bicycles into circulation, most recently in early October the fleet grew by 200 brand new bikes, and in February the number of stations was increased by the addition of a station at the Hard Rock Hotel and at Orczy tér. BKK aims to make the service available to as many users as possible to meet customer needs, and plans to continue expanding both the service area and the fleet this year.
MOL Bubi has proved its popularity among the capital's residents in recent months, with the system achieving record results last summer and outstanding results in winter. Monthly and average daily usage increased by 60-70 percent, which is particularly impressive considering that the fleet size increased by 30 percent.
Thanks to its user-friendly app, easy registration and revamped bikes, MOL Bubi has broken records since its renewal in May 2021, while in February 2023 the system surpassed 4.4 million trips.
MOL Bubi also has a significant role to play in changing the mindset of the Hungarian capital's residents. Many people have been introduced to urban cycling thanks to the public bike-sharing system and now use their own bikes. A significant proportion of people in Budapest have realised that cycling is environmentally friendly, economical and, in some situations, the fastest way to travel.