First million rentals. Metrorower sums up results for the 2024 season and switches to winter mode

By March 1, approximately 3,500 bikes will be available on the streets of the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis, which is half of what GZM residents have at their disposal during the summer season. In 2024, users rented bikes exactly 1,006,989 times, covering a total distance of over 3.74 million kilometers and spending over 27 million minutes in the saddle.

The largest number of rentals within the metropolis was recorded in Katowice, Gliwice, Chorzów and Sosnowiec, but in all of the 31 communes participating in the project, hundreds of rentals were recorded, participating in the success of the first cycling season in GZM.

- We are summing up the first season of the system's operation with great satisfaction - says Kazimierz Karolczak, chairman of the GZM board. - In just a few months, Metrorower has become an important element of our mobility. For us, it is more than just a tool that makes it easier to move around, we also create it with the environment and friendly urban space in mind. The first million rentals show that Metrorower users are happy to use it - he adds.

The system, which has already been used by over 145,000 registered users, was launched in February 2024. It is the largest in Poland and the third largest in Europe system of urban bike rentals. It is the only one in Poland that is fully integrated with the public transport system, operating under the parent company Transport GZM. Each holder of a medium- and long-term ticket can use the bikes for one hour a day without additional fees, which was used by over 10 percent of users.

The average time of one ride this year was 28 minutes, and the average distance traveled was 3.9 kilometers. This, as well as the fact that the most popular rental stations are located at railway stations and transfer centers, shows that GZM residents use Metrorower more often for transport purposes, not for recreation, especially to cover the so-called first and last mile.

Time for the winter season

With the end of the summer cycling season, public bikes are disappearing from the streets of most Polish cities. However, Metrorower will still be available in winter. Over 3,500 bikes remain available to users on the streets. Between December 1 and 16 alone, Metrorower system bikes were rented over 16,000 times.

- The year-round nature of Metrorower is a response to the needs of residents and dynamically changing transport habits. We have practiced this approach, among others, in Wrocław, one of our flagship projects. In the December-January period, the system averaged several dozen thousand rentals and we see similar potential in GZM. This is proof that the city public bike has already become a permanent element of life in Polish cities - emphasizes Tomasz Wojtkiewicz, President of the Management Board of Nextbike Group. - Analyzing the data, we can see that Metrorower is already one of the leading European systems. In just one year, the system was in the top 20 most popular Nextbike systems in Europe. The system also won a distinction in the Mobility Award category during the prestigious Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona. This is one of the most important events dedicated to innovations and smart solutions in cities and it clearly emphasizes the rank of the success of the Silesian-Zagłębie system - he adds.

According to the Nextbike survey, Metrorower is not just a way to spend free time - only 1 in 3 respondents declare using it exclusively for recreation. Over 58% of users use the bike for everyday journeys, such as commuting to work or school, to transport hubs or local shops and services. Metrorower not only supports everyday mobility, but also complements the transport infrastructure of the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis, introducing the bike as a key means of urban transport, available all year round.