New Bike Sharing Program in Paris – Velib.

You have probably heard about this new bike sharing program launched in Paris ten days ago.  Given the traffic and parking problems in Paris, weaving around the city on a bicycle might be the most efficient solution for short distance commuting.

Velib is a new a self-service bike rental program where a user can pick up a bike at various designated
stations (pick up and drop locations). Almost 20,000 heavy duty bikes and 750 stations are already peppered
throughout the metropolis. One can rent a bicycle for an annual membership of 29 Euros or by the half hour at various rates ranging from 1 to 4 Euros. The first half hour is free. Yeah!

So far so good. No bike accidents in the first week and about 45,000 rentals a day already. A great above ground alternative to the Metro, especially in good weather. Oh, and the service is also available to tourists.