/EINPresswire.com/ -- HELSINKI, FINLAND--(Marketwired - May 25, 2016) - The Finnish capital Helsinki has introduced a public bike-share program that is linked seamlessly with the metropolitan area's multi-modal public transportation system. The program represents the latest generation of bike-share systems worldwide.

The Helsinki metropolitan area public transportation system incorporates a subway, streetcars, commuter trains, buses, ferries, and now bike share. All modes of public transportation are included in the regional Journey Planner, which finds the optimal route from point A to point B using all modes of transportation. The Helsinki Travel Card, a smartcard used to pay for trips, can now be used for personal identity verification in the bike-share program.

The key features of Helsinki's bike-share program are online registration, digital control boxes on bike handlebars used to operate the bikes, fixed docking stations, and renewable energy to power the system. The Journey Planner indicates the locations of bike docking stations and, in real time, the number of bikes available at each station.

Helsinki bike-share customers can join the system for a day, a week or the full season by paying a fee. On online registration, they obtain a user ID and PIN code, which they use to pick up a bike at any station. Customers can switch the user ID on the bike's control box for a Helsinki Travel Card for future user identification.

For the ease of visitors, some stations incorporate kiosks for registering as a user on the spot.

The bike docking stations are powered by in-built solar panels. The bikes' control boxes are continuously charged through a bike hub dynamo system.

The first 30 minutes of each ride are free. An additional 30 minutes and each additional hour after the first hour incur additional fees. The fees are charged to the user's credit or debit card on file. A bike can be used for up to five hours at a time.

Helsinki launched the new public bike-share program at the beginning of May 2016 with 500 three-speed, adult-sized bikes and 50 docking stations placed throughout the inner city. The program will expand to 1,500 bikes, to 150 stations and to further city districts in 2017. This is a seasonal program, and the bikes are not in use over the winter months. The program is part of Helsinki's overall plan to promote cycling.

Helsinki bike-share program: https://www.hsl.fi/en/citybikes

Documents and/or Photos available for this release:

Helsinki's new public bike-share program. Photo: Helsinki Region Transport

To view supporting documents and/or photos, go to www.enr-corp.com/pressroom and enter Release ID: 399999

Contact:
Johanna Lemola
City of Helsinki
E-Mail: jlemola@aol.com