Plan your Hangzhou tour? Why not try a bike tour around the West Lake in Hangzhou? At the time of my writing, Hangzhou has the largest bicycle sharing system in the world with 2177 bike docking stations ( bike outlets, kiosks, share stations or whatever you name them) and 50,000 bikes.
This government-run bike rental plan is to expand further! Ever since May 2008 when the bicycle sharing system was put into operation by the local government, it has received very positive responses from individual public bike hire users.
It is very convenient for short trip bike users. In addition, it reduces pollution, relax congestion, and keep its people healthy.
Getting a bicycle
Take a bike, ride it where you like, then return it, ready for the next person. Bikes are available 24 hours a day, all year round. No need for bike booking and it is self-service. So just take it and go. It is most suitable for short trips.
How to hire and use
Bring along your passport when you apply for the bicycle hire card. First find a bike station near your favorite place. Basically a docking station is composed of a terminal and docking points where you pick up and return bicycle. Buy your bike. Buy your bike rental card from the terminal of the docking station.
RMB 300 in total (RMB 200 as deposit and RMB100 as prepaid rental fee). Both deposit and prepared money can be returned after its final payment being deducted. One passport can apply for a maximum of 5 bicycle rental cards.
For taking a bike, you just need to just swipe your bike rental card on the locker at any of the docking points at the docking station. When the light turns to green and the buzzer beeps, you need to take the bike out of the locker within 30 seconds.
For returning a bike, you must make sure that your bike is locked by the electric locker, and swipe your bike card on the locker when the green light is on. Your bicycle is firmly locked when the green light stops shining and the buzzer beeps.
Problems about picking up and returning bikes
If there are no cycles when you get to a docking station, you may check bike rental outlets where there are some nearby.
When returning your bike and find that your docking station is full, it is advisable to check a nearby cycle docking station.
You should only park your bike at a docking station. Don’t leave it unattended anywhere else.
Always return your bicycle to a docking point which has no lights on and put it firmly into the locker. Wait until the light turns green to ensure the bike has been put back properly.
In case of an incident
Contact the cycle service station if you have an incident while using your bicycle. You need to call the contact bike hire center on 85331122.
4 Major Bicycle Docking Station
1) At the entrance to Orioles Singing in the Willows Park ( 柳浪闻莺)
Add: No. 11 Nanshan Road (Nanshan Lu 南山路) near West Lake Museum.
2) At the entrance to Wushan Square (吴山广场)
Add: Hefang Street (Jefang Jie 河坊街) near Wushan Square public transport station (Wushan guangchang gong jiao zhan 吴山广场公交站).
3) At the entrance to Youth Palace (青少年宫)
Add: Beishan Road (Beishan Lu 北山路)
4) At Hangzhou Bus IC Card Service Center
Add: 20 Longxiang Road, Hangzhou
Tip: Hassle-free Hangzhou Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Hangzhou Guided Tours:
Hangzhou Tour
Hangzhou 4-Day Tour Package
Hangzhou 3-Day Tour Package
Hangzhou Private Tour
Hangzhou Theme Tour
Hangzhou Side Trips
Hangzhou Car Rental with Driver
Further Readings
Top 10 Attractions in Hangzhou
Top 10 Photography Spots in Hangzhou
Night View of West Lake in Hangzhou
The Best hiking trail in Hangzhou
The best time to visit Hangzhou
Hangzhou as a Fashionable City in China
Hangzhou East Railway Station
Hangzhou Airport Arrival Hall
How to Visit Feilai Peak Grottoes in Hangzhou
Where to stay in Hangzhou
Hangzhou Bicycle Hire
Wushan Night Market in Hangzhou
Pedestrian Streets in Hangzhou
Hangzhou’s Best Bars & Nightclubs
Best Way to Visit Hangzhou from Shanghai
How to Visit Grand Canal Hangzhou
How to Visit Xiling Seal Engravers’ Society
How to Visit Liuhe Pagoda
Hangzhou Tea Plantation
How to Visit Leifeng Pagoda
How to visit Hupao Spring (Tiger Spring) Hangzhou
How to Visit Yellow Dragon Cave in Hangzhou
The Best Place to View Sunrise over West Lake Hangzhou
Any question, just drop a line.
Hi, I am gonna visit Hangzhou in this June and would like to apply for a IC card. I could not find the address 20 Longxianglu on Baidu map. Have they already moved? If yes, could you be able to give me the new address? thank you in advance.
Hi Trang,
The former IC Service Center at 20 Longxianglu is no longer available. It has been relocated to the Urban Citizen IC Card Service Hall in the Southern Hangzhou (市民卡城南服务厅).
The Address of the Urban Citizen IC Card Service Hall:
No.25, Ding’an Road, Hangzhou ( By the side of West Lake Yintai ) 定安路25号（西湖银泰旁)
Working Hours: 08:00 – 17:00 ( All year round )
Have a good time in Hangzhou!
Hi, I was wondering whether it is possible to return your IC card at the end of your stay in Hangzhou in order to be refunded the deposit? And also whether what is remaining of the RMB100 prepaid rental fee is returned? Thank you
Hi Jake,
Yes, if you return your IC card, you can get back what is left in your card. As for where to return your card,please consult with your hotel staff at the front desk or tourist information centers scattered around the city.
Hi,
I’ll travel to Hangzhou on April, just for one day and I would like to rent a bike, but I would like to enjoy it until I get the train in North Station, is it possible to retourn the IC card in North Railway Station? What is the last time? 5p.m?
Thanks
Dear Almudena，
I’m not sure whether Hangzhou has a train station known as” North Railway Station”. There are two major train stations in Hangzhou, namely Hangzhou Railway Station and Hangzhou Eastern Railway Station
Basically rental service start from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. But I’m not sure about the booth at North Railway Station.
Hi
I am hoping to travel to Hangzhou next year and hire an electric touring bicycle for two or four weeks. I want to retrace the route of the ancient grand canal towards Beijing. It will take me a few visits/years.
Are you aware of a hire company with larger more robust bikes?
Regards Gavin