For those looking to Enjoy Paris on a Budget then a Velib Bike can offer a simple solution to navigate around the city. An affordable method of transport, Ride with Velib allows you to demonstrate your green credentials as you enjoy city life. Paris remains a compact city, easily navigable by cycle, whether you opt for the classic push bike or upgrade & go electric.
The infrastructure is becoming a little tired so it can take a little time to get to grips with the system. Whilst most of the bikes are roadworthy, they are not always in the best condition & electric bikes can be low of charge. You may also be hard pressed to secure a bike in the suburbs to cycle into the city unless you are up with the larks aka commuters!
Don’t let this put you off, it just needs some patience as you learn how to successfully navigate cycling by Velib. Why not follow our tips & tricks below that will help you save time & money.
LOOK OUT FOR GetYourGuide Paris Including A Range of Tickets, Tours & Cruises in Paris.
Velib Bikes in Paris
Paris Velib Bikes
Why not do as the Parisians do & enjoy Paris by Velib. Here’s a cost effective method to move around the city whilst taking in the main sights around Paris.
You can opt for any of the following short term packages; a single one-way trip, a 1 day pass, (this lasts 24 hours from when you sign up) or the slightly cheaper 3 day pass, (subsequent days). Take the note of the FREE minutes available for each journey you take that vary depending upon the package you choose.
In previous visits, we had selected the 1-day classic package that offered us 30 minutes free of charge for each journey. This allowed us an element of flexibility within our plans and meant we could take account of the weather. Paris is a relatively flat city, so we didn’t feel the need to use the electric bikes but you’ll find many in Paris do prefer the quicker speed!
On our more recent visit, we opted for the 3-day pass as the main benefit was the flexibility of moving between classic & electric bikes. This time around, we found ourselves limited by the number of available bikes at the docking station so being able to move between classic & electric cycles was an advantage.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A Paris City Pass including Eiffel Tower & 60+ Paris Attractions over 2-7 days.
Paris Velib Bike Hire
Paris Velib Bikes
Simply sign up online to the Velib bike scheme and choose from one of the short term packages as set out below;
One-way trip; single use of a classic or electric bike up to 45 minutes in duration.
24 hour Pass – classic; includes 30 free minutes on classic bikes for each journey where you can hire 5 bikes at one time.
24 hour Pass – electric; includes 60 free minutes on classic bikes & 45 free minutes on electric bikes for each journey where you can hire 5 bikes at one time.
3-day Pass; includes 60 free minutes for each journey on classic bikes. You can enjoy up to 5 free 45 minute trips on the electric bikes a day before hitting surcharges. Again you can hire 5 bikes at one time.
There is an art to removing and returning the bikes but simply watch how it’s done & you’ll soon pick it up. Alternatively, look on the Velib website where you’ll find a number of helpful tutorials. This time around, we observed a higher number of bikes at the docking stations were not available for use. This was partly due to maintenance issues but also a number of the electric bikes were of low-battery. Allow some time to secure fully-functioning bikes taking note of any error messages/battery levels on the control panels.
FOLLOW OUR Money Saving Guide To Enjoying Views Over Paris – FREE & Cheap Ticket Entry Offers.
Musee d’Orsay
Paris Velib Bikes Guide; Tips & Tricks
1. There is a hold of around 300 Euros per bike taken during the transaction process.
2. If you are using the 24 hour or 3-day passes, you can set up just 1 account and request up to 4 additional bikes on the one account, (5 in total). Be mindful that this will mean the hold goes on one single credit card.
3. Download the Velib App that locates the closest available docking stations in real time & location. We’ve also noted that this is available on Google Maps if you you select the cycle provider.
4. Once you’ve decided on the Velib scheme of your choice, you’ll be provided with an Access Code and a Pin number for each bike. You can either tap in these numbers into the code panels located on the bike for each journey you undertake. Alternatively, when using the app, tap your phone onto the control panel to release the bike.
5. Take note of any free minutes that come with your package. For those looking to keep the costs down, it’s worth ensuring each journey is limited to free minutes. You always have the option of pulling into a Velib station to dock, waiting 5 minutes and then starting the process all over again.
6. The Velib bikes are commonly used by Parisians commuting into work. This could mean it’s hard to locate an available Velib cycle in the suburbs unless you’re up with the larks. One option is to commute each morning into the city by metro & pick up a Velib from there.
Velib Bikes in Paris; More Tips & Tricks
7. Docking stations around popular visitor attractions can quickly become full so it does mean you might have to park further away that previously anticipated. Seemingly Velib bikes are not transported around during the day to iron out these bottlenecks. You’ll find there is no exact science to this process, but hey, surely that’s part of the fun!
8. The Velib bikes do not come with cycle helmets so this is something you’ll need to consider before making a trip.
9. It used to be the case that if the seat on the Velib Bike is facing towards the back wheel than this indicates that there’s a problem with the bike. This time around we were finding more bikes with maintenance issues, many of which hadn’t been identified in this manner. We always check both wheels and get the seat in the correct position before starting off to ensure we are maximising our free minutes.
10. When returning a bike, if the selected docking station is full, you can secure an additional 15 minutes for free to locate a vacant spot.
11. Worth double checking that your Velib bike has been docked successfully – you’ll get an email after each ride has been completed.
12. If you do receive a notification suggesting that the bike has been out for a lengthy period of time, (and you thought it was docked in a bay), do not ignore this as it might be that it wasn’t docked correctly. Contact the careline, (you can select to speak with someone in English) to explain the situation that may help you avoid hefty penalty charges.
More information available over at Velib Bikes in Paris.
