Zagreb rolls out public bike system

Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, has introduced Bajs, a public bike system aimed at reducing traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and noise.

The public bike system was officially launched by Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, along with deputies Danijel Dolenec and Luka Korlaet.

Currently, 500 bicycles are available to citizens at 40 stations. By the end of October, a total of 2,000 bikes will be installed at 180 locations, with the possibility of adding a further 1,000, the City of Zagreb stated.

The bike stations are located along public transportation lines, near schools and sports facilities, and in densely populated neighborhoods.

The goal is to decrease car usage, which would reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and noise, according to the city administration.

Like other forms of public transportation, the Bajs service will be co-financed from the city budget. The city plans to assess the system during its first year of implementation and possibly expand it according to citizens’ needs.

Mayor Tomislav Tomašević explained that Bajs is designed to complement public transportation, offering a much larger number of stations and bikes, greater accessibility, and coverage. At any given time, at least 95% of the bikes must be operational, he added.

Rides of up to half an hour cost EUR 0.50

​In addition, using Bajs is very affordable – rides of up to half an hour cost EUR 0.50, with the monthly fare at EUR 5 and the annual EUR 30, Tomašević noted.

The city has contracted the service for a four-year period. In addition to purchasing and installing the bikes, the contract includes the development and maintenance of a user app, operator and monitoring systems, as well as maintenance, which includes ensuring stations are adequately stocked.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The total contract value is estimated at EUR 9.3 million, or about EUR 64 per bike per month, according to the city. The service provider was not specified.

The website bajs.zagreb.hr and a mobile app are also active, allowing citizens to register, find the nearest station, and manage their rides (map of 180 stations).