By the end of the summer in St. Petersburg, there will be free public bicycles around the city. The essence of the new project called “Freebike”, is simple: people bring their unwanted bikes into a shop, get them repaired, and then leave them on the streets for free use. A similar system was invented in Amsterdam, and now the trend is starting in St. Petersburg. The action is being developed by the creative group called “Idea”, and the magazine “Time Out.” 

In many cities around Europe, there are also commercial bicycle programs. One of the largest programs is in Paris, where there are around 20,000 bicycles and 1,202 points around the city, which are installed every 300 meters. To take the bicycle though, you need to register by credit card, but you can leave it at any station around the city. The first half hour for citizens of Paris is free, and every half hour after that costs between one to four Euros. 

This system could work well in St. Petersburg as the developers are trying their best to have it work. What else is better than free bicycles?