How can a tourist register for the Bicing bicycle sharing in Barcelona?
When I was in Barcelona I saw many bike sharing stations in the city, belonging to a program called Bicing. Remembering how convenient it was to use the service in London, I decided to try and register. However their website was in Spanish/Catalan and the stations themselves didn't have a registration option, so I gave up. Reading up on Bicing later on I've found the following paragraph on Wiki:
The Bicing member cards are only sent to addresses in Catalonia in an attempt to prevent tourists from using the system.
Is this still true as of 2016? If so, is it possible to register and send a Bicing card to a friend's/hotel's address?
The official website also mentions an "In person" ("De manera presencial") registration option. Is it possible for a tourist to use that instead?
Best Answer
No, you can't use Bicing bikes. Only locals can use it, the membership card takes 15 days to arrive. The membership card is personal, and can't be lended. Also, you need a Spanish address, and you pay 48 euros for a whole year.
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Can I use Bicing as a tourist?
Barcelona's city bike system is called Bicing. However, Bicing is not available for tourists, only for residents of Barcelona. Tourists can rent bikes by the hour or day from the many Barcelona bike rental shops. Bicing has become a more important part of Barcelona's public transport system.Can foreigners use Bicing in Barcelona?
It is not for leisure or tourists. Tourists can't use Bicing in Barcelona. As a Bicing member, you have access to over 6000 mechanical and electric bicycles and more than 420 stations found in most neighborhoods spread across Barcelona.How do I register for Bicing?
The application to subscribe to the Bicing service can be made over the Internet, on the Bicing website, or in person, by going to the Subscriber Services Office. 16 and 17 year-olds must complete the formality in person, as they must give the office an authorisation signed by their mother, father or legal guardian.How do I get a Bicing card?
To get your Bicing card, you just need to register at the website and pay 47,16\u20ac (+14\u20ac for the electric one). Once the registration is done, you will receive an email with confirmation and another one with an automatically generated password. After that just check your mailbox occasionally for a mail from Bicing.The magic of Bicing: bike-sharing in Barcelona
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Answer 2
It’s not possible. You need a Dni/NIE national identity number in order to register and an address. Hey wouldn’t send it to a hotel or guest house. You can borrow someone’s card since there’s next to no enforcement however. As long as you aren’t doing anything too crazy to make them want to check the card you’re using.
It’s deliberately impossible for tourists since they would utilise all the bikes and stations and put all the rental places out of business. Here’s nothing worse than empty bike stations everywhere when you’re in a hurry or full stations everywhere when you need to park.
Answer 3
Be aware, there is, in fact, an enforcement. I was once stopped by local police and asked documents for my bicing card. After he checked my card number in his app he knew my age and name and checked with my id. I asked him why I can't lend the card to others and he warned me that if some accident happens, there might be a fee of up to 5000 euro, because insurance only works if the person paying for bicing is using it. The reason he stopped me was because I had Apple's airpods in my ears.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Samson Katt, Rachel Claire, Craig Adderley, Irina Iriser