Donuz

Before I actually arrived in Milan two years ago, one of my very good college friends had told me, that I had to do everything in Milan, which we cannot do easily in Istanbul. Like what? Like running in the park, riding a bike instead of a car, eating lots of pasta instead of dieting. I will get to write about the parks and the pasta later on, but today I really want to talk about the bikes.

Although the bike idea had sounded nostalgic and interesting initially, I never actually got around to owning a bike. Several reasons, wearing heels in this fashionable city to be among some, had kept me from getting a bike. Now, thanks to a new system in Milan, which already exists around other European cities, one can now rent a bike, rather than own a one. Furthermore, when you actually rent the bike, you never really have to return it to anyone or any station. You park at any of the existing bike stations, for some other member to come and pick it up.

This system is called “BikeMi” and the service is being managed by the American communication and advertising company Clear Channel.

Since the main idea behind the project is to reduce traffic, BikeMi is actually a new mode of public transportation that is based on bike sharing. The system is very simple. You go online and become a temporary or a regular subscriber. When you subscribe temporarily, that means you want to be a member for a week or a month or any other specified time slot. Once you have activated your membership and have received your membership card, you can pick up any bike from any BikeMi station. At each station, there is a service machine. With your card you can access this service machine, which will tell you, which numbered bike you can take. Then, you can return the bike to the nearest station at your next destination. Once the bike has been returned and locked, the rental fee will be charged to your card. As the project has just begun, the main BikeMi stations only exist around the center of the city, hospitals, universities, malls, parking lots and tourist areas.

The only limitation to the use is that you cannot ride the bike for more than 2 hours. The first half an hour is free of charge and then every other 30 minutes cost you 0.50 Euros until a maximum of 2 hours. After the first 2 hours have elapsed, if you still have not returned the bike to some station, a 2 Euros fee will be charged.

Below you will find the station and the route map. For more information click here.

Click on the image for larger view. (PDF File)