June the 29th, 2022 - Pula scooters and bikes are becoming more and more popular as this beautiful Istrian city tries to lean more towards green and sustainable ways of getting about.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Pula is the first city in all of the Republic of Croatia to receive a complete system for local micromobility. It's managed by the Public Bike System, and includes an impressive offer of 150 electric scooters, 15 classic bikes and 15 electric bikes, and is an upgrade to the city's public transport offer that will relieve the city of passenger car traffic and protect the environment.

To use these Pula scooters, you'll need to download the TIER application (app) on your smartphone, and to use the bicycles, be they classic or electric, you'll need to download the Nextbike application.

Until July the 30th, 2022, people can try out these new Pula scooters for free using the code "GOPULA". After creating an account on the TIER application, this code allows them two free unlocks and 20 minutes of free use of one of the scooters.

The director of the Public Bike System, Ante Gustin, expressed hope that similar solutions would soon be sought by as many cities across the Republic of Croatia as possible, all of which aspire to achieve the status of smart cities.

"People are already used to using public bicycles, but we believe that these new Pula electric scooters will delight them. TIER is otherwise Europe's leading provider of micromobility services, and is a company dedicated to creating simple and easily accessible solutions for urban mobility.

With the mobile application, the scooters and bicycles are located and unlocked, and the price depends on the duration of use. We take care of the charging of the batteries and maintaining the scooters and bikes,'' Gustin concluded.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June the 7th, 2022 - Pula and Nextbike have teamed up to make cycling in the city centre more easy and readily available, both believing that cars have no place in the historic core. This Nextbike Pula move will greatly contribute to lowering our carbon footprint at the local level.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, a contract has been signed between Pula Mayor Filip Zoricic and the Croatian Nextbike director Ante Gustin for the management and maintenance of classic and electric bike stations in the system of the City of Pula, local portal Glas Istre reports.

"It's a project which deals with greater mobility, which, along with thirty bicycles and a hundred scooters, contributes to greater connectivity in Pula. The Nextbike company is a recognisable European brand that has been successfully implemented by cities such as Berlin and Munich, and with this Nextbike Pula collaboration, this city has been included on the European map of Nextbike cities. This is a contribution to our desire to have as few vehicles as possible in the city centre, and now, in addition to the use of public transport, alternatives are being offered through bike and scooter rental services,'' said the Mayor of Pula, Filip Zoricic.

“Cars don’t belong in the city centre,” added Nextbike CEO Leonhard von Harrach.

The Nextbike Pula contract covers the services of maintenance of the entire system and management, as well as services and activities in the operating system and maintenance of software applications for system management. As part of this project in the area of ​​the city of Pula, it will be possible to rent both classic bikes and electric ones at several locations, as well as electric scooters from this year on. Existing locations are being set up with new equipment, and new ones will be opened with the intention of making a better connection and making the system more efficient.

The annual subscription for public bicycles (electric and classic) is 200 kuna and allows unlimited use of bicycles for up to 30 minutes in a single ride throughout the year. The number of individual rides during one day isn't limited. For all other users, the price is 10 kuna for an electric and 5 kuna for a classic bike, for half an hour of use. The price for unlocking and using an electric scooter is a mere 7.50 kuna and is charged at 1.80 kuna per minute of use. It's also possible to get a subscription by which a user gets an unlimited number of 'unlocks' with a one-time payment of 40 kuna. The total value of this praiseworthy Nextbike Pula contract stands at 198 thousand kuna without VAT.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

July 10, 2020 - Most everyone in Split knows about the city's public bicycle system, and many citizens use it regularly. Nextbike, which has garnered the support of many citizens and provided them with an alternative, healthier and cheaper way to get around the city, is celebrating its first anniversary this weekend.

Dalmacija Danas writes that in one year, impressive results were achieved, as evidenced by the number of a total of 42,679 rentals made by 7,909 registered users, of which 84 percent were domestic.

Users rode bicycles for 22,039 hours, while the average rental duration is 30.5 minutes, and they cycled a total of 330,585.55 kilometers, which is just over eight laps around the equator!

It was in Split that records in the use of public bicycle systems in Croatia were broken. The City of Split thus holds the record in the monthly number of rentals with a total of 9,168 rentals in May, while the record number of rentals in a single day was May 3 when there were 450.

Split Parking said that from the beginning, they believed that citizens would recognize and accept this system and its benefits, and they are sure that the interest and number of users with the introduction of new stations, bicycles and opportunities will only continue to grow. The system of public bicycles also showed its advantages during epidemiological measures, when bicycles became the favorite means of transport for citizens.

"When we first started, I must admit that some were skeptical about whether the people of Split would accept this system, but the numbers clearly show that they are. We have done everything in our power to make riding as comfortable as possible, we are working on introducing new possibilities, and we have recently made it possible to ride with small children by placing child seats on public bicycles, the first in Croatia. I believe that, as announced, the development of the city's cycling infrastructure will be accompanied by an increase in the number of stations and bicycles so that our citizens can enjoy cycling in the safest possible way," said Marko Bartulic, director of Split Parking.

The citizens of Split currently have 12 stations and 86 bicycles (classic and electric) at their disposal, and by the end of the year, another 170 new bicycles and about 40 new stations have been announced in order to cover all districts and important locations. The stations with the largest number of rentals in the first year are Riva with 7,042, Split 3 with 5,349, and Znjan with 4,462 rentals.

It is important to emphasize that the further development of this mode of transport is important for preserving the city's environment because the citizens who cycled instead of driving cars contributed to reducing emissions, i.e., ensured that 82.64 tons less of CO2 are emitted into the atmosphere over the year.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

June 5, 2020 - In May, in addition to the city record, the citizens of Split also broke the Croatian record in the monthly number of public bicycle rentals. A total of 9,168 rentals were achieved in Split, which is twice as many as in April, when there were 4,544 rentals. In total, since the beginning of 2020, over 25,000 rentals have been made in Split.

Dalmatinski Portal reports that the largest number of rentals was made by locals, or 96 percent of them. Last month, a total of 1,436 new users were registered in the system, while the total number of registered users is 7,075, of which 84 percent are domestic users. The station with the most rentals in May is the Riva, followed by Žnjan, Split 3, Zvončac, Spinut and others.

Given the growing number of new users and rentals from Split Parking, they call on all cyclists, but also drivers of cars, motorcycles and other vehicles, to be extra careful and responsible when driving. This especially refers to the way bicycles are used and the transport of children on bicycles, which, they emphasize, is prohibited with the existing offer of bicycles. But with the system operator, Nextbike, they found a solution so that parents with children could also use bicycles. These are child seats, and a number will be set soon.

"Nicer and warmer weather is coming and we expect that the numbers will continue to grow and that is why we appeal to users to use bicycles responsibly and correctly, as stated in the instructions. This means that it is forbidden to ride with another person on a bicycle, especially children. We warn about this because we want to protect our youngest, and we will soon install a number of bicycles with child seats that will enable safe transportation. If it turns out that there is an increased interest, as we procure new bicycles, we will also procure additional seats. We also ask drivers to pay attention to cyclists," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

The figures show that users have created the habit of using bicycles and that they are becoming a favorite means of transport for more and more citizens from month to month. The company says that the use of bicycles is good for health and environmental protection, it is cheaper and faster, and the use of bicycles ensures the necessary social distance. In order to meet the growing demand, the entire system is being improved, which will set up about 40 new stations and 175 new bicycles in Split by the end of the year. This will give each district at least one station, and all-important institutions and frequency locations will be covered.

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April 30, 2020 - Split Parking and Nextbike have teamed up to ensure more citizens use cycling as a form of transportation this spring, and all they need to do is register by the end of May.

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that at times when increased caution is needed and the epidemiological experts call for social distance, bicycles have proven to be the ideal means of transportation, at least in Split.

The numbers confirm that.

Namely, the daily record of rentals was broken with 322 rentals last Saturday since the system was put into operation a little over a year ago.

Also, the last week ended with 1,437 rentals, making it one of the best weeks by the number of rentals, with a record number of new users in April, 1,122 to April 27.

In order to continue the positive trend, Split Parking and Nextbike have allowed all future users of these public city bikes the chance to activate their monthly seasonal subscription for free.

The 30-day campaign includes an unlimited number of daily rides for up to 30 minutes.

For 30 days, the citizens of Split will be able to use the free trial to see how Nextbike works on a daily basis. All you need to do is enter the code SPLIT2020 after your account is activated, and the offer runs until May 31, 2020.

Split Parking said that they were pleased that citizens recognized the benefits of this type of transport, especially in today's environment, where it is recommended to avoid crowds and large numbers of people in the same place. Cycling has thus become one of the safest forms of transportation.

"It's a good time, citizens are eager to get outdoors, and there are still obligations that must be fulfilled, as people have to go to work, to the doctor, to the shop, and bikes can make it safer, faster and cheaper. Certainly, we must not forget the environmental component of this form of transport. We also expect the April figures to break past results," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

They also stressed that all safety and security measures are implemented on a daily basis and that bicycles and stations are regularly cleaned and disinfected with special means, while repairers wear all necessary protective equipment, all to ensure maximum protection for all users.

In order to meet the increasing demand, the entire system will soon be upgraded, which includes setting up around 40 new stations and 175 new bicycles by the end of the year.

This will give each district at least one station and all major institutions and locations will be covered.

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July 24, 2019 - After the public bikes arrived in the city Split, the first municipality in Inland Dalmatia has received a public bicycle system. Two weeks ago, the municipality of Dugopolje announced a new system of public bicycles, a project co-financed by the Ministry of Tourism, which encourages the development of cycling tourism infrastructure in less developed tourist areas.

The public bicycle system allows users to rent classic city and electric bikes in two locations in Dugopolje - at Franjo Tudjman Square in front of the House of Culture and the parking lot in front of the Croatian Knights football stadium. Currently, four classic city bikes and four electric bikes are available to users, and bicycles can be borrowed and returned to any of these two locations. The Nextbike franchise system of public bicycles is the first and the largest of such a system in Croatia and neighboring countries, and Nextbike bikes are used in more than 250 cities around the world. Instructions for use, price lists, and other information are available at the bicycle stands and can also be found on the official Nextbike website. 

The Dugopolje Tourist Board hopes that these public bicycles will be of use to residents of Dugopolje, as well as to employees in the economic zone, and to local and foreign tourists who are increasingly visiting this part of the Dalmatian hinterland.

Note that the municipality of Dugopolje, with the co-financing of the Split-Dalmatia County and the Ministry of Tourism, has so far built three bike rest areas equipped with bicycle services, mobile chargers, and one even has free wireless Internet. The fourth rest area at Vranjača Cave in Kotlenica is underway.

The Nextbike public bicycle system in Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina today counts more than 50,000 registered users who recognize it as the most convenient, fastest, healthiest and fun form of transportation around, reports HRTurizam on May 14, 2019. 

Two friends, Krešimir Dvorski and Ante Gustin, started bravely and proactively with the story of promoting public bicycles as integral public transport six years ago. While the road to the top wasn’t easy, and the team dealt with a slow reaction and little market interest, they persevered, and today, Nextbike continues to expand. 

On Nextbike’s sixth birthday, which was May 14, 2019, the public bicycle system is present in more than 30 cities in Croatia and the region - and what follows is integration with other stakeholders in public transport and the expansion of the electric bicycle network.

"Over the past year, we have grown from 20 to more than 30 cities. More cities and companies invest in sustainable mobility, so we can say that this is not a trend but a long-term strategy. Users of new forms of transportation have become a critical mass in creating public opinion. The need for faster and more favorable movement from point A to point B with the use of state-of-the-art technology is fulfilled. With the advancement of user experience and the introduction of the latest generation of bikes with a built-in electric motor (pedelec), it is time to realize our vision of integrating public transport through mobile applications,” said the founders of the project, Krešimir Dvorski and Ante Gustin.

This summer, after many years of anticipation, Nextbikes will be used by the citizens and tourists in Split and Dugopolje, as the two cities have been announced as the new Nextbike locations.

Integrated public transport is imperative in tourism, as it allows visitors and tourists can choose to use the bus, train, car or public bicycle system as the magic of combined transport.

The public bicycle system is undoubtedly a great addition to tourist products for tourist destinations, and it is well on its ways to becoming a standard tourist offer.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Big interest within the wider region for one piece of highly sought-after Croatian innovation.

Instead of the 79-kuna annual pass, new pricing options will be introduced next year.

The "island of crystal star," also known as Lastovo, has been added as one of the exotic destinations where you can now rent Nextbike! Nextbike is a public bicycle company that encourages convenient, healthy, safe, and cost effective forms of transportation, providing a necessary alternative for Croatians to enjoy on their daily commutes.