Bicycle-sharing systems in Kraków
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Bicycle-sharing systems in Kraków have operated since 2008 under various brands and operational models. As of 2023, two systems are active: Park-e-Bike, offering free short-term rentals of electric bicycles at park-and-ride facilities, and LajkBike, providing long-term rentals of both electric and traditional bicycles.
| Park-e-Bike and LajkBike | |
|---|---|
Bicycle from the LajkBike system | |
 LajkBike logo on a bicycle | |
| Overview | |
| Locale | Kraków |
| Transit type | Bicycle-sharing system |
| Website | lajkbike |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 2008 |
| Operator(s) | Kraków Public Transport Authority |
| Number of vehicles | Park-e-Bike: 80 LajkBike: 750 |
BikeOne
In July 2008, the city of Kraków signed a three-year contract with Warsaw-based Sanmargar Team to establish and operate a self-service bicycle-sharing system with 100 bicycles and 12 stations.[1] Named BikeOne, the system launched on a trial basis from 17 November to 19 December 2008, becoming Poland's first such system.[2][3]
In 2009, BikeOne began operations on 1 April and expanded with one additional station.[4] In June 2010, the Allegro (company) foundation became the system's sponsor.[5] On 14 November 2011, following the expiration of the contract with Sanmargar, all BikeOne bicycles and stations were transferred to the city.[6]
On 8 May 2012, the Kraków Municipal Infrastructure and Transport Authority signed a 10-year contract with RoweRes, to manage the system. The agreement aimed to expand the network to 150 stations and 1,500 bicycles within three years.[7] However, for most of the year, bicycles could not be detached from the stations.[8]
KMK Bike
In early 2013, the contract with RoweRes was terminated, and the city decided to operate the system independently under the name KMK Bike.[8] In mid-June, a tender was announced to equip 10 additional stations, and integration with the Kraków City Card began.[9] These additional stations were launched in late August.[10]
In 2014, the system started in late April with 29 stations and 230 bicycles, supplied by Nextbike, and operated by BikeU.[11][12]
Assigning the operator role to a different company than the bicycle supplier caused delays in the system's launch.[13] For the first time, bicycles could be rented using the Kraków City Card.[14] In October, the system expanded with four stations in Nowa Huta and 35 additional bicycles.[15] In 2015, a new operator, SmartBikes, was selected through a tender.[16] The system launched on 27 March with 34 stations and 300 bicycles.[17]
Wavelo
History
In December 2015, a tender was announced for the system's operation from 2016 to 2019 or 2023, aiming for 150 stations and 1,500 bicycles (500 during winter).[18][19] Five companies expressed interest,[18] with four submitting bids.[20] The consortium of BikeU and Social Bicycles won,[21] and an eight-year contract was signed on 14 July 2016.[22] The city agreed to pay the operator 1 PLN per bicycle monthly, with the operator contributing 1% of revenue to the city.[23] On 15 July 2016, a temporary system with 27 stations and 200 bicycles was launched using existing infrastructure, as seven central stations were closed due to World Youth Day 2016.[24][25]
The new system, named Wavelo after a public vote, officially launched on 13 October 2016 with 15 stations and 100 bicycles.[26][27][28] Old bicycles were donated to Kraków schools.[29]
By March 2017, Wavelo expanded to 30 stations and 300 bicycles,[30] introducing rentals without subscriptions.[31] On 8 April, it reached 142 stations and 840 bicycles, close to the target of 150 stations and 1,500 bicycles.[32] In July, a sponsored station opened at IKEA, the first of its kind,[33] followed by four stations in Czyżyny[34] and a second sponsored station at Bronowice Shopping Center.[35] By December, the bicycle count was reduced to 550,[19][36] and the system had 157 stations by year-end.[37]
Between February and March 2018, a third sponsored station opened at Quattro Business Park.[38] In May, two more sponsored stations were added at Bonarka City Center and Bonarka for Business,[39] followed by one at Jasnogórska 1 Business Center in June.[40] In 2019, three new sponsored stations were opened: Kapelanka 42 in January,[41] Dot Office in March,[42] and O3 Business Campus in July.[43] In November 2019, BikeU terminated its contract,[44] and Wavelo ceased operations on 31 December.[45] Negotiations to sell Wavelo bicycles to other companies failed.[46]
System operation
To use Wavelo, users registered via the operator's website or mobile app, choosing between two subscription plans with varying daily free minutes and billing options.[47][48] A discounted winter pricing plan was offered.[49] In 2018, discounts were introduced for Kraków Family Card holders,[50] selected hotel guests,[51] and students from specific universities.[52] Bicycles were rented using a keypad on the bike, requiring a customer number and PIN for authentication.[47] Leaving a bike outside a station incurred a 3 PLN fee within the system's zone or 100 PLN outside it, while returning a bike to a station earned a 1 PLN bonus.[48]
Bicycles
Wavelo operated 1,500 bicycles,[53] with at least 500 available in winter.[19][36] Bicycles featured a driveshaft instead of a chain, a steel basket, an onboard computer, GPS, LED lighting, and a U-lock.[21][54] Power was supplied by a dynamo and solar panel, and GPS allowed bikes to be left anywhere and aided theft prevention.[21] Each bicycle was serviced every 500 km.[36]
Park-e-Bike
History
In late 2020, the Kraków Public Transport Authority launched Park-e-Bike, a free electric bicycle rental system at the Czerwone Maki park and ride facility, with 43 bicycles.[55][56] Initially, rentals required an on-site employee, but in 2021, a mobile app was introduced for rentals.[57] In July 2022, Freebike won a tender to supply 100 additional electric bicycles.[58] In September, the system expanded with three new stations at P+R Nowy Bieżanów, P+R Kurdwanów, and P+R Mały Płaszów.[55] By the 2023 season, about 80 bicycles were available.[59] Bicycles were unavailable during winter 2023/2024 for maintenance.[60] In 2024/2025, the number of stations increased from four to seven.[61]
System operation
Users register and verify their identity via a mobile app. Rentals are free, available only on weekdays during specific hours, and bikes can be parked at any public location in Kraków or Skawina.[55][62]
LajkBike
Following Wavelo's closure, a short-term rental system, the city introduced LajkBike, a long-term rental system (up to three months) for electric and traditional bicycles.[63][64] On 2 December 2022, 250 traditional bicycles were delivered,[65] with a total order of 500.[66] In January 2023, Art & Bikes Maria Przedpełska-Najder from Toruń won a tender to supply 250 electric bicycles, with an option for 100–250 more.[63]
Registration began on 17 August 2023,[64] receiving 849 applications for electric bikes and 759 for traditional ones, necessitating a lottery.[67] Bike pickups started on 6 September,[68] with applications paused in September to clear the queue. Applications resumed on 2 January 2024.[69]
Statistics
During BikeOne's 35-day pilot in 2008, 600 users registered, making about 1,000 rentals.[70] In 2009 (1 April to 11 December), there were 39,658 rentals; in 2010 (1 April to 12 December), 47,590; and in 2011 (1 April to 13 October), 60,376. Over three years, about 6,000 users registered.[70]In September 2013, KMK Bike had 9,000 users.[71] In 2014, it had 34,000 active accounts and 300,000 rentals, with similar figures in 2015.[72][73]
From 23 October 2016 to 22 October 2017, Wavelo recorded 762,000 rentals and 2.5 million km ridden.[53] In winter 2017–2018 (1 December to 28 February), there were over 40,000 rentals.[74] In 2018, there were 987,000 rentals and 3.6 million km ridden,[75] with 41,500 rentals in winter 2018–2019.[42] By mid-June 2019, Wavelo reached two million rentals since its launch.[76] In its first full season (6 May to 30 November 2020), Park-e-Bike recorded 3,000 rentals.[56]In its first year, LajkBike had 3,500 registered users.[77]