On your bike: Arriva launches bike-sharing scheme in Slovakia

(London, 1 August 2017) Arriva - one of Europe’s largest providers of public transport - has launched its first bike-sharing scheme in Nitra, the fifth largest city in Slovakia, as part of its ongoing commitment to promote sustainable and responsible transport solutions. ArrivaBike, developed in partnership with city authorities in Nitra, will operate for four months through to the end of November and then from March 2018 when cycling weather picks up again. ArrivaBike is the fourth public transport sharing scheme launched by Arriva over the last few years as it seeks to encourage greener, more flexible modes of travel and adapt to customer’s growing desire for more shared services.

Greater public awareness about the environmental impacts of transport, together with the increasing popularity of biking, walking and sharing was behind Arriva’s decision to work with officials in Nitra to launch its latest public transport sharing scheme. The bikes - 70 located across 7 locations – are easy to access via the Arriva bike app and the arrive.bike website. The arriva bike app in particular will help users to more easily plan their journey around the city, enabling them to hop effortlessly between bike, bus and train.

Commenting on the launch of ArrivaBike, Manfred Rudhart, CEO of Arriva Group said: “Buses and trains are the backbone of transport but people are increasingly looking for transport services that can be used on an as-needed basis. People also want more options for travelling shorter distances and which support healthier, greener lifestyles. Bike-sharing addresses all those needs so we are pleased to launch another public transport sharing scheme, this time in Slovakia.”

ArrivaBike is the fourth public transport sharing scheme launched by Arriva; in March of this year, the company launched ArrivaClick - an on-demand mini-bus service in Kent that provides customers with a service at a time of their choosing, at locations convenient for them. Users of this personalized service are embracing the new transport concept.

At the same time, Arriva also partnered with NextBike to launch a two-year pilot bike-sharing scheme in Maastricht, the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. And in August 2015, Arriva launched an extensive car-sharing scheme in Copenhagen, which integrates 400 electric cars with the city’s bus and rail services to provide seamless public transport through the Danish Capital.