Bike shares in Spain: a revolution in urban mobility at full speed!
In Spain, the rise of bike sharing systems has become an innovative and ecological transport solution, suitable for both major cities and small towns. In recent years, these mobility systems have seen remarkable expansion, particularly in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, but also in municipalities with fewer than 400,000 inhabitants, such as Valladolid, Gijón and Santander. This popularity is based on a combination of ecological motivations, technological advances and institutional support, making it possible to reduce car dependency while improving the quality of urban life.
To what extend are technological innovations and legislation promoting bike sharing contributing to sustainable mobility in Spain?
We'll start by exploring the evolution of VLS in Spain, focusing on BiciMad in Madrid, then examine their expansion to medium-sized cities, as well as the impact of legal obligations and financial support in promoting this green mobility.
A major technological evolution for bike-sharing systems
BiciMad, Madrid's bike-share service, has become one of Spain's most advanced in terms of technology and accessibility, thanks to continuous expansion and digital innovations.
Since its creation in 2014, BiciMad has continually expanded to meet the growing need for sustainable mobility in the Spanish capital. Today, the network includes around 7,500 e-bikes at 611 stations. This choice of electric bikes is particularly well suited to Madrid's geography, making it easier to use a bike even on slopes, which used to be more difficult for users. This has enabled a greater proportion of Madrid's population to choose the bike as their daily means of transport.
Credits: Bicimad
Technological innovation is at the heart of the BiciMad experience, making the service not only efficient but also intuitive. Users can access the bikes via a dedicated mobile app that offers several smart features to simplify and enhance every journey:
Real-time geolocation: the application allows you to locate available bikes and stations directly, making it easier to plan trips and access the service immediately.
QR code unlocking: reservation and unlocking of bikes is done by scanning a QR code, eliminating the need for a physical card, making the experience smoother.
Bicycle condition monitoring: on-board sensors constantly monitor the condition of each bike, ensuring proactive maintenance and increasing the safety and reliability of the service. This data is essential to prevent breakdowns and guarantee functional bikes for all users.
Credits: Bicimad
Thanks to these innovations, BiciMad optimizes its fleet management. Software such as Qucit Bike with advanced algorithms helps redistribute bikes according to demand, with particular attention to busy areas and rush hours. This dynamic fleet management improves bike accessibility and reduces waiting times at stations, a benefit particularly appreciated by regular users.
BiciMad's technological advances are translating into tangible benefits for the people of Madrid. In 2024, BiciMad recorded over 8 million journeys, with almost 150,000 users, confirming its key role in urban travel. The service helps reduce the use of cars for short distances, thus contributing directly to the reduction of CO₂ emissions and the improvement of air quality in the city of Madrid, which aims to reduce GHGs (greenhouse gases) by 65% by 2030.
Expansion of VLS systems in Spanish cities
The development of bike sharing systems in Spain is not confined to major metropolises such as Madrid and Barcelona. An increasing number of towns and cities, with populations of between 200,000 and 400,000, are introducing bike-sharing systems to encourage soft mobility and reduce CO2 emissions. This trend is confirmed in cities such as Valladolid, Gijón and Santander, where initiatives have been set up to promote sustainable mobility.
Valladolid recently launched its BIKI bike-sharing system, replacing the old Vallabici system. The new scheme provides over 900 bikes, including almost 400 electric ones, at 97 stations across the city. The initiative received substantial funding from European funds, as part of the local sustainable mobility strategy. One of the most innovative aspects of the system is the way in which the stations are installed, with no need for major public works. The stations are equipped with QR code access, accessible via the BIKI application or the municipal services card. They enable electric bikes to be docked, secured and recharged automatically and quickly. The BIKI network is now being extended to new, previously unserved neighborhoods, to improve territorial coverage, promote intermodality and meet growing demand in strategic areas of the city.
Credits: BIXI
In July 2023, Gijón launched its new bike-sharing system, called Gijón Bici. The system, scaled to meet local needs, includes 250 e-bikes at 47 stations, accessible via the Gijón Bici mobile app or the Citizen Card. It aims to offer faster travel and an enhanced experience for Gijón's residents. Designed to meet the needs of residents and visitors alike, the service also offers short-term rental options, suitable for one-off trips.
Credits: Gijón Bici
In Santander, the TUeBICI system marks a step forward in promoting sustainable mobility in this Spanish city. It offers 200 e-bikes available at 26 stations strategically distributed around the city to encourage a reduction in CO₂ emissions. The stations are in key locations, including the Sardinero and Plaza de Italia, and are connected to an 18 km network of cycle paths, offering an environmentally-friendly and efficient alternative for daily urban travel. Santander has chosen e-bikes to facilitate journeys in a city with varied terrain, making cycling more accessible, particularly for longer journeys or for users who prefer to avoid steep climbs.
Credits: Tuebici Santander
The introduction of bike-sharing systems in these cities not only has an environmental impact, but also helps to boost the local economic and social fabric. VLS systems promote a local economy by encouraging users to travel around the city, which in turn benefits local shops and city-center markets. These systems also strengthen social ties by encouraging residents and tourists to interact more with their urban environment. The presence of bike sharing improves the image of cities, making them more attractive to residents and tourists alike, while promoting sustainable living practices.
Legal obligation: a driving force behind ecological transformation
The transition to sustainable mobility occupies a central place in Spain's legislative priorities, particularly to achieve the climate targets set by the European Union. To drive this ecological transition, Spain is relying on incentive legislation that encourages the reduction of CO₂ emissions and promotes sustainable mobility solutions in urban areas. By adopting the Sustainable Mobility Law in 2021, the country has committed to following European directives aimed at reducing greenhouse gases by integrating eco-friendly modes of transport in its cities. This law is based on four main axes, including the obligation for major cities to set up Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), in order to limit dependence on the car and promote public and active transport, such as cycling. Low-emission zones and bike-sharing infrastructures are key elements of this policy, supporting active mobility and reducing the ecological footprint.
The legal framework also imposes transparency obligations, facilitating access to public mobility data and supporting coordination between different public administrations. Indeed, the Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible recently announced massive investments in cycling infrastructure and zero-emission mobility zones, such as bike parks, secure bike lanes and zones reserved exclusively for alternative, non-polluting means of transport. Coordination between administrations is being strengthened via the National Climate Council and the Metropolitan Mobility Observatory, essential bodies for monitoring the progress of Spanish cities in meeting climate objectives.
One city that has successfully integrated this ecological dynamic is Valencia. Valencia's bike-sharing system, Valenbisi, complements the city's Low Emission Zones (LEZs) initiatives, aimed at reducing polluting car traffic in certain urban areas. Valenbisi offers residents and visitors a practical, sustainable alternative for getting around within these restricted zones. The system comprises 2,750 bikes at 275 stations. At the same time, the city is installing access control infrastructures (cameras and environmental sensors) in its (LEZs) to monitor vehicles according to their ecological impact, thus encouraging greater use of bikes and other emission-free modes of transport in key areas such as the historic center and residential areas.
Credit: Cohes (Valence low emission zones)
In recent years, the rapid development of bike-sharing systems in Spain has benefited from substantial financial support from the European Union and the Spanish State. In 2021, Spain has set aside 6.6 billion euros dedicated to sustainable mobility projects. These funds are designed to help cities finance cycling infrastructure, modernize fleets, and install equipment for real-time tracking and maintenance.
The NextGenerationEU stimulus plan, which devotes billions of euros to sustainable mobility projects, directly finances initiatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of transport and improving the quality of urban life. Thanks to these funds, Madrid has extended its BiciMad e-bike service, and Valencia has been able to install new bike stations on the outskirts, where the need for environmentally-friendly transport is growing.
In addition to these European subsidies, the Spanish government also supports sustainable mobility through national funding and tax incentives for cities that adopt green mobility solutions. The Program to support municipalities in implementing low-emission zones and the digital and sustainable transformation of urban transport will help to improve air quality in cities, by speeding up the implementation of low-emission zones, as well as the articulation of a reliable, attractive, accessible and affordable urban public transport system with more modern, efficient and zero-emission fleets. With a budget of 1 billion euros, the program's aid lines are aimed at municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants and provincial capitals, which are competent to provide public transport services and which the law on climate change and energy transition requires to implement low-emission zones by 2023.
Spain has capitalized on the boom of bike sharing to create an alternative form of transport that is ecological, accessible and in tune with contemporary sustainability issues. Technological advances, such as those made by Bicimad in Madrid, have made it possible to adapt these services to users' needs, while improving the efficiency of urban management and reducing car dependency. Initiatives in cities of all sizes, from Valladolid to Santander, show a determination to democratize this soft mobility throughout the country, supported by ambitious legislation and European and national funding. However, maintaining this momentum and extending these services to less urbanized areas still poses challenges in terms of sustainable funding and acceptance by all segments of the population. To guarantee the future of this ecological transition, Spain will need to strengthen its cycling infrastructure and extend sustainable mobility zones, thus consolidating its position as a model of green urban mobility.
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