Almaty will reintroduce the public bike share (PBS) system in 2025. According to Vecher.kz, the program will feature 2,000 electric bicycles available for rent in downtown Almaty.
The city administration plans to revive the PBS project, which was initially shut down in 2023, with the state municipal enterprise Almaty Parking as a contractor.
«After carefully examining the unique characteristics of our city, we’ve taken into account past mistakes; the system hadn’t been updated since 2016. Time marches on — while bikes used to be solely mechanical, they are now equipped with electric motors,» said Vladimir Ni, managing director of Almaty Parking.
Notably, two bike types are currently being tested — one designed for the Asian body type and the other for the European one.
«We tested the bicycles for six months, offering rides to people. We also took them to repair shops to assess their maintenance requirements, the complexity of repairs and the availability of spare parts. Now we are developing a technical specification for the bidding process,» noted Samat Agabek, a manager responsible for the project.
The initial phase of the project involves purchasing 2,000 bikes. However, if they prove popular, the fleet will be expanded further.
«We believe these bikes will seamlessly integrate into people’s daily routines, becoming essential components of micromobility infrastructure. This mode of transportation will help reduce traffic congestion and contribute to environmental protection,» Ni said.
The PBS will primarily focus on covering the downtown area, which is the most densely populated.
“Statistics show that Almaty sees 1,500 bike rides daily, but we believe e-bicycles will gain more popularity due to being safer and more convenient,” Agabek concluded.
