Kaohsiung City's public bicycles are officially named “CityBike,” cheaper than YouBike

▲ Kaohsiung City CityBike (Photo / Courtesy of Kaohsiung Environmental Protection Bureau website)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Not to be outshone by Taipei’s YouBike, Kaohsiung City’s public bicycle system also got an official name on the 4th: “CityBike.” The Kaohsiung Environmental Protection Bureau, which oversees CityBike, stated that over the next six months, all 2,500 public bicycles across the city will display the “CityBike” logo. By the end of this year, 160 rental stations will be completed, increasing to 300 stations next year.

The Environmental Protection Bureau held a naming contest for Kaohsiung’s public bicycle system, and the winning entry was “CityBike” by Luo. Luo said he often rides Kaohsiung’s public bicycles in his daily life. When he was a graduate student, he frequently rode bikes around the city with foreign exchange students, experiencing the beauty of Kaohsiung together.

Chen Chin-teh, Director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, said that Kaohsiung is the first city in Taiwan to launch an urban public bicycle rental system. In recent years, the city government has actively developed bike lanes, making Kaohsiung the most bike-friendly city.

Chen Chin-teh also noted that Kaohsiung’s “CityBike” operates differently from Taipei’s “YouBike.” Taipei outsources the operation, which puts financial pressure on the operator and results in higher fees. Kaohsiung only outsources the labor, with the city government allocating a budget for the public bicycle service. The system is operated by Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation (KRTC), allowing citizens to enjoy a convenient and affordable service.