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Bicycles & BIXI Montreal

Montreal: A Bicycle-friendly City

Montreal is known as one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in North America. In fact, Montreal was recently voted as the best North American city by Bicycling magazine. There are several hundred kilometers of bicycle paths around the Montreal area and even more in the surrounding area. Montreal has the most extensive system of bicycle trails of any city in North America. So it’s no surprise why Montreal’s BIXI bike sharing program is so popular.

BIXI Montreal

BIXI is the name of Montreal’s new public self-service bicycle sharing program. BIXI is a combination of the words “bicycle” and “taxi”. Montreal’s BIXI was modelled on bike sharing programs in Europe, particularly the Vélib network in Paris. The system contains over 5000 bicycles for short-term rental spread out around the downtown core of Montreal. The BIXI stations are usually around 300 meters apart and there are approximately 400 stations available. Users can pick up a bicycle at any BIXI station and return it at any other station. Montreal’s BIXI system is accessible 24 hours a day from April until November. Cyclists can subscribe to the service at a cost of C$78 for a year, C$28 for a month or C$5 for a day. The first 30 minutes of each rental are free. You can click here to view all the Available BIXI stations.

BIXI Montreal Information

Montreal’s BIXI bike sharing program was inaugurated in 2009. Many people love the program because of its convenience and ease of use. There are various BIXI stations located all over downtown Montreal, old Montreal and various neighborhoods and districts in Montreal. BIXI encourages active transport and sustainable development. The system is designed for short trips, and is considered an ecological and economical way to travel around the city. It’s a wonderful way to go from one tourist attractions to the next. This bike sharing service is available from May to November, 24 hours a day.

The BIXI Network

The BIXI network includes more than 400 stations along with 5000 bicycles that are spread all across the city in various neighborhoods. Renting a bicycle is simple and very easy. You can rent the bicycles for a 24-hour period, or opt for as a monthly or yearly subscription.

How to rent a BIXI bike for a 24-hour period

The following is a quick guide on how to rent a BIXI bicycle and take advantage of the BIXI network for a 24-hour access period.

Inserted credit card in one of the payment terminals of a Bixi station and follow the instructions on the screen. Please note that a charge of five dollars will be applied to your credit card. Once the payment is processed a receipt will be printed out containing your access code.
Choose any bike from the BIXI station and enter your code. When the green light turns on, your Bixi bike is unlocked and ready to go.
Once you made a payment, the first 30 min. of any trip are included which are 24 hour access. After that, additional fees are applied for every additional 30 minute period. Most big see stations will feature a fee chart so that you may be able to determine how much additional fees you will have to pay depending on how long you keep bicycle for.
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you must place the bike back into a Bixi station. Once you arrive at a Bixi station, you must dock your bicycle. In order for the bicycle to be considered docked, the green light on the station must turn on. Once the green light turns on, the Bixi station has recognized that you have returned the bicycle.
You can then repeat the first two steps at other Bixi stations located throughout the city for a 24-hour period. Remember that the five dollar charge is only applied once. For later transactions, the system will have already recognized your credit card.

Bixi bicycles can also be rented through an annual subscription and a monthly subscription. If you require further information, you can call their customer service line at 514-789-2494.

BIXI specifications

BIXI bikes only have three gears and are quite heavy, however you have the added convenience of being able to drop off the bicycle at any of the various BIXI stations. Bixi costs 5$ + hourly fees. After 30 minutes, you will be charged for the extra time.

Bicycle Events in Montreal

Along with BIXI bicycles, there are several biking events that occur in Montreal every year with the largest being the Féria du vélo de Montréal, which is organized by Velo Quebec and takes place in late May. The Féria du vélo is a celebration of bicycles that includes the Tour de l’Île de Montréal and Bike to Work Week.