Frequently asked questions about Helsinki and Espoo city bikes

Where can I register as a city bike user?

You can register as a city bike user at hsl.fi/en/citybikes or by using the HSL app.

Please note that the Helsinki and Espoo system is not compatible with the system in Vantaa and you cannot mix bikes from the two systems.

How do I register?

For detailed information, see Instructions.

How do I pay?

When you purchase a city bike pass (for a day, week or the whole season) the price of the pass will immediately be charged to the debit/credit card you have linked to your city bike account. If you ride a city bike continuously for more than 60 minutes, you will be charged one euro for each 30 minutes. A delay fee or EUR 80 will be charged if you use a city bike for more than 5 hours at a time. Accepted payment cards include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB.

Is there an age limit?

You must be at least 15 years old to use city bikes.

I have registered for the service – how can I start riding?

Go to bike station and choose a bike. Press the Enter button on the device in the middle of the handlebar and follow the instructions on the screen. You need your cyclist ID and the PIN code you entered during registration. You can choose to use your HSL card for identification instead of the cyclist ID, if you want to.

How can I use my HSL card as identification when using city bikes?

To avoid entering the 7-digit cyclist ID each time, replace it with your HSL card using the console in the middle of the handlebar:

1. Press the green Enter button.
2. Choose number 1.
3. Show your HSL card to the card reader.
4. Type in your PIN code and press Enter.
5. Choose ‘Yes’ (Number 1) to the question ‘Replace cyclist ID’.
6. Type in the 7-digit cyclist ID you got when registering.
7. Show your HSL card to the card reader again.
8. Pull the bike from the rack when you hear a signal.
9. You can now use the bike.

You will no longer need your 7-digit cyclist ID. Just show your HSL card and type in your city bike PIN code.

If you loose your HSL card or change it to a new one, order a new cyclist ID at your own city bike page. If you wish, you can replace the cyclist ID again with your new HSL card at a city bike station.

How long can I use the bike?

You can use city bikes for 60 minutes at a time. After that, €1 will be charged for each concurrent 30 minutes.

The maximum time of your is five hours at a time. If you exceed this time, you will be charged a €80 delay fee plus a €8 for each addition 30-minute period.

The pricing is designed to encourage short rides and to keep the bikes available to as many people as possible.

Where can I ride the bike?

You can ride the bikes in Helsinki and Espoo and also ride from one city to the other, if you wish.

Please only use the bikes in areas intended for bicycles, like bike paths and streets. You must walk the bike on the pavement.

For more information about the traffic rules, see: Information about cycling (Traficom)

Do I have to wear a helmet when riding a city bike?

When you ride a city bike, you must follow traffic rules. According to the Finnish Road Traffic Act, wearing a helmet is recommended.

Can I use city bikes during the coronavirus epidemic?

The city bike service offers a good transport option also during the coronavirus epidemic. To make using the service safe for everyone, please practice good hand hygiene: wash or sanitize your hands before and after your ride and wear gloves. According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the virus mainly spreads through respiratory droplets and through close contact. Read more about the coronavirus on the THL website.

Can I lock the bike in a location other than a bike station, if I want to go to, for example, shopping?

You can momentarily lock the bike in places other than stations. When stopped, press Enter and follow the instructions on the screen. Inside the handlebar, there’s a cable lock – one end fastens to the front fork of the bicycle. Use the cable to secure the bike to a fixed object, like a post or a fence. The bicycle’s steering will also be locked and can only be opened by the user who locked the bike.

Please note, that the bike timer will not be stopped when you lock the bike outside a station: If you don’t return the bike to a station within 60 minutes, overage fees will be charged. Follow the instructions on the screen when opening the lock. Please take the bike to a bike station whenever possible – there is a dense network of stations and returning the bike to a station makes it possible for others to access the bike.

How do I return a bike to a station?

Go to a bike station and push the bike to the rack. Wait for the bike to be secured to the rack and the screen to say OK or FINISH. This means you have successfully returned the bike and your responsibility for it has ended.

If there is a problem with the return, try another dock or, if need be, ride to the next station.

Can I return a bike to a full station?

Yes, you can. Take the bike to the immediate vicinity of the station – at most, 10 to 20 meters from it. Press Enter; Select ‘Return’ and ensure that the handlebar is locked. After this, lock the bike by pulling the cable lock out from the handlebar and wrapping it around a fixed object, such as a pole or another city bike at the station, and snap it into place in the slot on the front fork of the same bike you used. Once you have correctly returned and locked the bike, you will no longer be responsible for it. If the text ‘Return’ does not appear on the screen, the bike is too far from the station.

If you come to a bike station and there is a bike returned next to the station, you can pick up the bike in the same way as a bike locked to a rack.

Who can I contact if I have problems?

If you experience problems, contact the City Bike Customer Service by calling  +358 9 425 788 10 (Mon–Fri 7AM–7PM, Sat–Sun 9AM–5PM), or by email at contact@citybikefinland.fi.

What should I do if I notice that the bike I have chosen is broken?

Put the bike back in the rack. You can also contact the City Bike Customer Service or give feedback on the city bike page. The city bike maintenance staff keep track of the condition of all the bikes and repair or replace them as needed. Riding a broken bike is not permitted.

I can’t remember my city bike PIN code, how can I get a new one?

You can change it on your personal city bike page. Log in to your HSL account with your email and password.

Where can I see my cyclist ID?

After registration you got an email with the cyclist ID. You can see your cyclist ID also on your personal city bike page.

If you replace your cyclist ID with your HSL card, you will no longer need the ID and it will no longer be shown on your personal page. You can order a new cyclist ID on your personal page if you want to use the cyclist ID again instead of HSL card.

How can I change the language of the notifications and emails?

You can change the language at the notification settings. https://www.hsl.fi/en/my-information/notification-settings

What if a bike is stolen?

If you have taken proper care of the bike and it is nevertheless stolen from you, contact Customer Service at once, tel. +358 9 425 788 10 (Mon–Fri 7AM–7PM, Sat–Sun 9AM–5PM), or by email at contact@citybikefinland.fi. Additionally, file a report with the police within 48 hours and submit a copy of the report to our customer service. If this happens, we will not demand compensation for the bike.

What should I do if I have an accident when using a city bike?

Act as you normally would in case of a traffic accident. After that, contact the City Bike Customer Service, tel. +358 9 425 788 10 (Mon–Fri 7AM–7PM, Sat–Sun 9AM–5PM) or by email at contact@citybikefinland.fi.

I replaced my cyclist ID with my HSL Card, and now I have lost the card. How can I pick up a bike?

Order a new cyclist ID at your own city bike page. If you wish, you can replace the cyclist ID again with your new HSL card at a city bike station.

I forgot something in the bike basket or at a bike station. Where can I ask about lost property?

Please contact Suomen Löytötavarapalvelu.

Suomen Löytötavarapalvelu has a lost property office for items found on public transport at Helsinki Central Railway Station. The office is in the same corridor as the HSL service point at Elielinkatu 3, next to the pharmacy and opposite the R-kiosk.

The service point is open Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm and on Saturdays 10am to 4pm. The office is closed on Sundays.

You can inquire about lost items by calling the office or by completing an online form. 

As it may take a day or two for your lost item to be found and received by the lost property office, we advise you to contact the office at the earliest two days following the loss of your item. Inquiring about a lost item at the office is free of charge. 

Tel. +358 600 91 006, open Mon–Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 10am to 4pm 

More information: https://loytotavara.net/en/contact-us/helsinki-central-railway-station-hsl-lost-property/

If you have lost your Travel Card, please contact an HSL service point.

What are city bikes?

City bikes are shared bicycles available to everyone in Helsinki or Espoo.

You can purchase access to city bikes for a day, week or the entire city bike season. All passes include an unlimited number of 30-minute bike rides. For a small extra fee, you can use a bike for longer, five hours at most. After your ride, you return the bike to a bike station. 

In Helsinki, bike stations are located to the south of Ring Road III. In Espoo, there are stations in south-eastern Espoo and in Leppävaara.

You can register as a city bike user on the HSL city bikes webpage. A day pass user can get access to 1–4 bikes; other passes only include one bike.

How many city bikes and bike stations are there?

There are 3,520 bikes and 242 bike stations in Helsinki and 110 bike stations in Espoo at the beginning of the 2021 season. By late June 2021, there will be 105 new bike stations and 1,050 new bikes in Helsinki.

Who is responsible for the city bike system?

In Helsinki, City Transport Ltd is responsible for the city bike system. In Espoo, Espoo Technical and Environment Services is responsible. The system is administered by CityBike Finland. HSL is responsible for marketing, the HSL.fi city bikes online service and for the city bikes as part of the HSL app and the Journye Planner. Ad space is sold by Clear Channel and the main partner of the city bike service is HOK Elanto.

Who pays for the city bike system?

City Transport Ltd and Espoo City Technical and Environment Services run the system. Costs are met by advertising, sponsoring and user fees.

Who manufactures the city bikes?

The city bikes are made by a French sports goods giant, Decathlon. The bike is designed as a city bike for Smoove, who focus on bike sharing, and similar bikes are in use in other cities in Europe and North America.

What are the bikes like?

City bikes have three gears, hand brakes, white front lights and red rear lights. The bikes also have front baskets. The screen and user interface are in the middle of the handlebar. You can pull out the cable lock from the right side of the handlebar. The bike number is located on the frame above the pedals.

What happens if a bike station is full or empty?

A service team monitors the stations’ status and re-distributes the bikes as necessary. Sometimes, when demand is high, a station can momentarily be full or empty of bikes. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding!