MOL Bubi is breaking records and expanding even in the wintertime
Budapest, 21 February 2023 - Even in the colder months, it's worth planning to travel by bike in the city. According to the latest data from BKK, Budapest residents are aware of this, as MOL Bubi has shown excellent results in the winter months. At the same time, the number of new stations has also increased, so that public bikes can now be accessed in new locations in districts 6 and 8.
The MOL Bubi public bike-sharing service has proven its popularity among the capital's residents in recent months. The service has been a record-breaker last summer and has also produced outstanding results in winter.
In December 2021 the daily peak of bike use was 3,531, a year later, in December 2022, the highest daily number was 7,117. At the beginning of 2023, there was also a significant increase: last January 3,493 rides were made, while this year on the most popular day of the first month, the bikes were used 6,009 times.
Similar results were previously achieved by MOL Bubi during a period in November and March. Monthly and average daily use of the public bike-sharing system has increased by 60-70 percent, which is particularly remarkable considering that the bike fleet has increased by 30 percent.
Bikes are also a good choice in winter
Improving cycling conditions is also important because in cities with good cycling conditions, many more people ride all year round - even in winter - regardless of the weather. Shorter distances of 2-3 kilometres within a city can be easily covered in 10-15 minutes in winter, especially as the number of cold and snowy winter days decreases year on year. Bicycles can be an ideal choice for accessing shops, educational and other institutions or public transport stops close to home or work, whatever the season.
The data also show that the number of people cycling in Budapest in winter is increasing every year. However, for those who have not used their bicycles from autumn to spring, it is worth thinking about what to look out for before setting off.
It is also important for BKK to make customers aware of appropriate winter cycling. For example, due to the early darkness, increased attention should be paid to visibility and to turning on lights as soon as possible. In winter, it is important to check brakes even more frequently and in the cold and wet months, users should pay more attention to taking turns more slowly. It is advisable to maintain a greater braking and following distance, as it is more difficult to stop with wet brakes. Avoid sudden braking and avoid icy and snowy road surfaces, as it is easy to slip. Because of wet and snowy road conditions, it is a good idea to fit long mudguards to the wheels to protect clothing.
Related to this, one of the great advantages of MOL Bubi bikes is that they are equipped with both front and rear lights, as well as mudguards, making them an ideal choice all year round, regardless of the weather. Everyday street clothing can be worn for urban cycling in any season, but comfortable, layered clothing is important in winter to protect joints. In addition, a waterproof jacket can be practical at all times, but instead of a hood, it is advisable to wear a cap that does not obstruct your view to the sides.
Hard Rock Hotel and Orczy tér: further expansion of the MOL Bubi service area
The unbroken popularity of the MOL Bubi also justifies the need to make the service more widely available, with new pick-up and drop-off locations following the establishment of a station in two new locations in the capital, one in District 6 next to the Hard Rock Hotel and the other in District 8 at Orczy tér. The new station in District VI, at the corner of Nagymező utca and Zichy Jenő utca, was built with the sponsorship of Hard Rock Hotel Budapest.
BKK recently opened four brand new collection stations in District 6, and two stations also await users at the renewed Blaha Lujza tér. BKK plans to continuously expand the MOL Bubi network this year.
MOL Bubi's fleet has grown significantly since its relaunch in 2021 and the service area of the public bike-sharing system has expanded dynamically: there are now a total of 180 stations where bicycles can be picked up and dropped off. In 2022, BKK has put a total of 500 brand new MOL Bubi bicycles into circulation, with the latest addition of 200 brand new bikes at the beginning of October. Today, a total of 2,060 public bikes are available to customers.
Thanks to its user-friendly app, easy registration and revamped bikes, the public biking system has broken records since its renewal in May 2021, and in February 2023 the system exceeded 4.4 million trips.
The company's goal for 2023 is to develop the MOL Bubi system, and in addition to territorial and fleet expansion, to continue to ensure the availability of public bikes in the capital on competitive and attractive terms. For 1,000 HUF per month, or 8,500 HUF per year, it is worth buying a monthly or annual pass, which allows the residents of the capital to use the MOL Bubis free of charge for 30 minutes.
Importantly, the second bike rental remains free of charge. In other words, anyone who would like to use the service with friends or acquaintances can rent two bikes at the same time. However, for continuous use for more than 30 minutes, a separate fee will be charged.