The national Dutch railway service has had regular bikes in their repertoire for years, and now they’re set to advance to e-bikes at a small selection of stations.
The addition is for now in the trial stage, where four stations will be equipped with 30 e-bikes, for one year, writes RTL Nieuws.
The trial will start at the end of September 2022, so you might find yourself zooming through the dunes/city landscape before you know it!
It’s perfect if you need to travel faster, or further (110km on eco mode, to be exact) than you would with a regular bike. 🚲
It’s also a great green alternative to public transport or private motoring. And let’s be honest, it’s way more comfortable than struggling with a regular bike, or sitting trapped inside a sweaty bus. 😅
Interessante vraag is trouwens in hoeverre de e-bike een concurrent gaat worden voor het ov. Is de ov-ebike een alternatief voor de bus van en naar het station?
— Ronald Klip (@ronaldklip) September 15, 2022
Translation: “An interesting question is to what extent the e-bike will become a competitor for public transport. Is the public transport ebike an alternative to the bus to and from the station?”
Where, when, how??
The bikes will definitely be available at the Driebergen-Zeist station, but the remaining three stations included in the trial are not known yet.
READ MORE | ‘Kijk uit!’ Amsterdam residents feel unsafe around speedy e-bikes on cycle paths
As opposed to the comfortable €4.15 for a normal bike, the e-bikes are going to be a touch more expensive, though.
For €10, you can live the e-bike lifestyle for 24 hours. But after three days, a €5 surcharge per day will be added to your bill. 💸
Important details: return, batteries, and GPS tracking
The main difference between the regular bike service and the new e-bikes is that the latter cannot be returned to a station other than the one they were rented from.
Further, it is important to note that customers cannot charge their own batteries. NS promises, however, that the e-bikes will always be fully charged — so you won’t find yourself stranded in the middle of the Dutch countryside, powerless.
READ MORE | 5 things to do when your bike has been stolen in the Netherlands
Finally, the e-bikes will be equipped with individual GPS trackers, to make sure none go missing.
If you think the thought of being tracked wherever you go sounds a bit creepy, the NS spies can comfort you with the fact that personal information and GPS information will be kept separate.
What do you think about the new e-bike system? Unnecessary laziness or a welcome relief? Tell us in the comments below!
You can’t charge it yourself so what if you need a charge before bringing it back? Some more info needed.