New MOL Bubi adds to Budapest’s green dimension

The revamped bike-sharing network offers a better user experience

MOL Bubi circa 2021, the long-anticipated successor to Budapest’s popular bicycle-sharing network, can finally be used by residents and guests of the Hungarian capital following a comprehensive facelift. The revamped service was officially launched on 20 May by Mayor Gergely Karácsony, Katalin Walter, CEO of BKK, and Péter Pantl, Communications Director of MOL Group, according to a BKK press release.

In a final trial phase, the new MOL Bubi was tested with the help of hundreds of users, and any drawbacks were duly corrected. So, BKK's community bikes are now available at 158 ​​collection stations across the city. The service can only be used with the MOL Bubi application. 

What is new about MOL Bubi 2021?

MOL Bubi has been fundamentally renewed in order to provide a significantly better user experience:

• The bikes are equipped with puncture-resistant tires and are lighter in weight compared to their predecessors, making them easier to ride. You can also find a new bell and a handy mobile phone holder.
• In the new application, registering, shopping and viewing past trips is a breeze. The website has been redesigned.
• It has become easier to pick up and lock bikes using a smart padlock.

As part of the service, MOL Bubi's pricing structure has also been modified:

• The monthly season ticket costs HUF 500 and the annual season ticket costs HUF 5,000.
• With a valid MOL Bubi pass, short trips (up to 30 minutes each) remain free of charge. The previously required deposit has been completely eliminated.
• As a casual user, you only have to pay a one-time HUF 100 credit card registration fee the first time you use the system, which counts towards the price of your first trip.
• Up to 4 bikes can be used at the same time with a single registration.

High-quality development needs not to be expensive

At a press conference, Mayor Gergely Karácsony stressed that environmentally conscious transport is extremely important for Budapest. In addition to complex bicycle-friendly developments, the creation of new bicycle lanes and traffic calming projects, MOL Bubi also supports this goal. The now renewed public bicycle service is proof that a development does not have to be expensive for it to be sustainable, modern, and of high quality, added Karácsony.

Katalin Walter, CEO of BKK, said on her part that the main goal of the company is for more people in Budapest to choose cycling for their short city trips, primarily as a complement to traditional modes of public transport. Therefore, MOL Bubi is not a bicycle rental, but much more than that: it is an integral part of the Budapest public transport system and BKK's service package. 

“In our updated strategy, we have set serious sustainability goals, so we will be even more determined to support the spread of alternative public transport in the future. As part of this, we will continue to be the naming rights sponsor behind Bubi, and we will continue to work on expanding our electric charging infrastructure and promoting community driving,” Péter Pantl, Communications Director of MOL Group, pointed out during the press conference.