Cycling in Prague
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Cycling in Prague is a popular leisure activity and a not so common mode of transport within the capital city of the Czech Republic. However, levels of utility cyclists have been rising recently.[1] In 2018, 2% of people commuted by bike in Prague (4% in summer, less than 2% in winter).[2] As of 2017, there were 178 km (111 mi) of protected cycle paths and routes in the city. Also, there are 48 km (30 mi) of bike lanes and 24 km (15 mi) of specially marked bus lanes that can be used by cyclists.[3]
History[]
Prague was never considered as a bike-friendly city. There are no signs of any cycling infrastructure before WW1. In 1956, the first Copenhagen-style bicycle lanes appeared in Letňany on Letňanská street.[4] The former bike lane is now used as a pedestrian walkway. Cycling infrastructure was usually not part of developing big housing panel house estates such as Jižní Město. The first modern bicycle path in Prague was built in 1986 in Stromovka park.[5] Its intended use was recreational cycling.
After the Velvet Revolution, there was substantial pressure to improve the infrastructure intended to be used by cars. Car traffic in the city doubled in the first five years after 1989. Popularity of leisure cycling also increased, the first city cycle routes were marked by the Czech Tourist Club. In 1993, the approved a plan of constructing 400 km of cycling routes in Prague until 2000. However, only less than half of the planned bicycle routes were completed in 2000. The first critical mass cycling in Prague was held in 1991 with around 80 participants.[5] In 2007, a voluntary association in favor of pedestrians and cyclists, , was established. Furthermore, there is the magazine called „Prahou na kole", translated as „Prague by Bike", which includes an online cycling map.[6]
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Bike sharing[]
As of 2021, there are four bikesharing companies operating in Prague. Most of the Prague bikesharing systems function only seasonally, in winter 2020/2021, Rekola and Nextbike operated in wintertime. The table is showing operators and size of their bicycle fleet as of April of 2021.
Company | Launch
Year |
Termination
Year |
Bicycles | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | Year | ||||
Rekola | 2013 | – | 1000 | 2021 | |
Nextbike | 2020 | – | 1000 | 2021 | |
Lime | 2020 | – | 100 | 2021 | Operates a fleet of electric bikes and scooters[7] |
Bolt | 2020 | – | 600 | 2020 | Operates a fleet of electric bikes[7] |
2019 | 2020 | 450 | 2019 | Operated a fleet of electric bikes | |
20 | 2020[8] | 50 | 2019 | System was the only one with physical docks, located along Vltava river in Prague 4 |
Bicycles in public transport[]
Bike transportation is free on Prague Metro, ferries, Petřín hill funicular, in some trams and buses. In metro, bicycles can be transported on the first and last decks of each subway car. Bicycle on trams is allowed only outside of city center, with time exceptions.[9] If person wants to transport a bike in a Prague train, ticket for oversized luggage is needed. Specific spaces for the bikes are marked on from outside of the train. Only two bus lines allow carrying bicycles, as of 2019, those are lines 147 (to Suchdol) and .
Gallery[]
Cycle lane in the city centre, Zborovská street between Malá Strana and Smíchov
Bicycle lane in street V Olšinách
Contra-flow cycle lanes and cycle crossing next to Blanka tunnel complex.
Soft stones on are used as a bike lane. This riverside is the busiest cycling route in the city centre.
Separated pedestrian way and bikeway, under Vyšehrad
Bikeway under Barrandov Bridge, 2017
References[]
- ^ "Prahou vloni jen kolem sčítačů projelo čtyři miliony cyklistů". Čistou stopou Prahou (in Czech). Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ "Potenciál cyklodopravy v Praze". Prahou na kole (in Czech). 4 August 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ "Yearbook of transport in Prague 2017". TSK-praha.cz. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ "Letňanská: první pražský cyklopás". Prahou na kole (in Czech). 22 February 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ a b "Mapujeme bílá místa pražské cyklistické historie". Prahou na kole (in Czech). 29 May 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ Rail, Evan. "Getting Around the Czech Capital: How To Navigate Transport in Prague". Culture Trip. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Sdílená elektrokola opět v Praze. Přiváží je dvě firmy najednou". Městem na kole (in Czech). 12 October 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ "Velonet ČR ukončil provoz". velonet.cz. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ "Bicycles and Prague Public Transport". Prahou na kole (in Czech). Retrieved 5 May 2019.
External links[]
- Cycling map of Prague, website Prahou na kole
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cycling in Prague. |
- Cycling in Prague
- Cycling by city