After Copenhagen, Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna, the US provider of e-bikes and e-scooters was also able to win the tender in Salzburg. In the first half of the year, 600 bikes will be rented at 63 stations.
The US company Lime will operate the new Salzburg bike rental system S-Bike in the future. The country announced this on Monday. Lime won the tender by the Salzburg Transport Association. The provider, founded in 2017, has already implemented rental systems in Copenhagen and Vienna as well as in the German cities of Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. S-Bike is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2026 with an initial 600 bikes at 63 stations.
In the long term, the network is expected to grow to 1,000 bikes at up to 100 locations. For holders of a climate ticket, the first 30 minutes of the journey are free. After that, you will probably have to pay 1.50 euros per half hour. Without a climate ticket, using the rental bikes costs three euros per 30 minutes. However, the tariffs have not yet been finally set, according to the country.
The bikes can then be borrowed and returned at fixed stations. In Salzburg, the system will be operated exclusively with e-bikes. The city and state each share 50 percent of the costs. In the first expansion stage for 2026, around 1.3 million euros are budgeted, and the amount is expected to decrease slightly in the following years.
The new offer is not an ordinary bike rental service, emphasized Deputy Governor Stefan Schnöll (ÖVP): “It is seen as part of public transport in the central area.” As a way to quickly and comfortably complete the first and last mile to and from the stop by bike, the S-Bike system is a big step in the mobility transition. (APA)
