Citi Bike New York

How to get around on a blue bike in New York City

No matter if it’s raining or snowing, you will always see us New Yorkers riding down Fifth Avenue on a bike. New York has them both, the yellow cabs and the blue bikes, and both are very popular rides! However, if you’re on a tighter budget on your next trip to NYC, you might want to rent a bike in New York. Citibike is your go-to: They’re cheaper than cabs, faster than the subway and you get to see so much more of the city! Especially if you’re only in the city for a few days, your ideal solution to get around is Citi Bike New York. Read up on our tips and tricks of how to use Citibike.

NEW: e-bikes are back!

Citi Bike NYC: Getting around on a budget

With almost 10,000 bicycles and around 500 stations all over the city, you’re able to enjoy a huge flexibility to borrow a bike at spot A and return it at spot B. If you’re in the city frequently, you might even think about getting an annual membership, which is only $163 and gives you unlimited 45 minute rides. If you’re only visiting New York once or twice, you can select the day pass for $12, as well as the 3-day pass for $24, both giving you unlimited 30 minute rides in the respective time frame of 24 or 72 hours. Here you can see all the stations of Citi Bike New York at a glance.

With both options you can borrow your bike at a station and return it after 30 minutes at another station (or the same one). 30 minutes – this is the time that the Citi Bike rental lasts, which can be pretty challenging if you’re not the sporty type. If you can’t make it to your destination in the given time frame, you have to pay $4 extra per 15 minutes longer. Check out all the prices here.

Citi Bike New York: How does it work?

The Citi Bike Rental is super easy. There is even an app, which shows you exactly where the stations are located and how many bikes are still available. It is also important to check when you’re trying to return your bike – because sometimes the docking stations are already full and you have to go to the next one. This shouldn’t be a problem, as the Citi Bike stations are everywhere in New York City.

Citi Bike New York: Our recommendation

It all sounds pretty simple, but is it always convenient? Because of the 30-minute time limit you have, its easy to exceed your budget if it takes you too long to return to a Citi Bike docking station. However, we love the flexibility of grabbing a bike and rolling to the next spot just in a few minutes, without having to hail a cab or waiting for the crowded subway. But: if you’re planning to do a longer tour, another bike rental in NYC might make more sense for you.

Especially if you’re planning to explore the city on a bike, the central park bike rental which is included in the Go Explorer Pass might be better suitable for you. Other suppliers like Blazing Saddles (Pier 17 South Street Seaport, Pier 84 Hudson River Park), offer bike rental in New York as well, and it’s free of charge if you have a New York Pass

The return of the e-bike

As of early 2020, you can enjoy e-bikes with pedal-assist, allowing you to ride as fast as 18 mph.

  • up to 18 mph
  • $0.10 per minute for members
  • $0.15 per minute for non-members

You can easily spot stations with e-bikes by the lightning symbol in the app.

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