Bluebikes Bike Share
New in Cambridge: Bluebikes Ebikes
Bluebikes is Metro Boston's bike share system and it is owned by thirteen municipalities (Cambridge, Boston, Brookline, Somerville, Everett, Arlington, Chelsea, Malden, Medford, Newton, Revere, Salem, and Watertown).
The Bluebikes bike share system is integrated across the municipalities, so travel is seamless. Bluebikes users have taken more than 18 million trips since the system was launched in 2011! For more news and up-to-date information in general about Bluebikes: www.bluebikes.com.
How Does it Work?
Bike share is a transportation option that allows you to borrow a bike for the amount of time you need and return it when you are done with your trip. Bluebikes has bike share stations located throughout Metro Boston.
Click here for a map of the entire Bluebikes system.
You can borrow a bike from any station and return it to any other station within the system. Note that riders must be at least 16 years old (ages 16 and 17 require parent/guardian approval).
There are two options for using Bluebikes:
1) Become a Bluebikes member
2) Pay each time you borrow
You can get an annual or monthly Bluebikes membership. The membership includes unlimited rides for up to 45 minutes; longer rides incur additional usage fees. Membership is a good option if you plan to use Bluebikes regularly. If you do not use Bluebikes enough to become a member, you can purchase a single ride or 24-hour pass.
Click here to see all options for riders and prices.
Why Use Bluebikes?
Bluebikes is an accessible, affordable, and sustainable transportation option for biking in Cambridge and around the Metro Boston area. You can borrow a bike from a Bluebikes station near your home or work and drop it off at a different station near your destination. Bluebikes is a great way to pedal to a lunch meeting, errand or shopping trip, or to visit friends and family without having to worry about storing or maintaining your own bike.
How do I Become a Member?
For information about the different membership options and how to join, click here.
Discounted Memberships
Bluebikes currently offers these types of discounted memberships:
- Income-Eligible Bluebikes Memberships: Discounted Bluebikes memberships are available to income-eligible individuals aged 16+ who participate in qualifying public assistance programs OR who meet income guidelines (up to 400% of the federal poverty line). Click here for more information.
- Youth Discount for Cambridge Residents: Discounted Bluebikes memberships are available for Cambridge high school students ages 16-19. These annual memberships are $25 per year. Click here to apply.
- Corporate Membership: Employers and Institutions enrolled in Bluebikes Corporate Program cover part or all of the cost of a Bluebikes membership for their employees or students. City of Cambridge employees should refer to the Transportation Benefits information on the intercity website. Click here to see the full list of corporate partners.
Bluebikes Stations
The Bluebikes system has nearly 500 bike share stations, with over 80 located in Cambridge (as of April 2023).
Click here for a map of the entire Bluebikes system.
The map displays live data on the availability of bicycles and open docks at each station.
Where would you like to see a new Bluebikes station?
The City of Cambridge has created an online map where you can suggest locations for new Bluebikes stations.
Click here to suggest a new location for a Bluebikes station.
The City of Cambridge places Bluebikes stations on public and private property and located throughout the city to enable people to easily reach their destinations. The stations are solar powered, include a kiosk for purchases, and a two-sided information panel with maps and instructions.
About the Bikes
Bluebikes are easy, fun, and safe to use and ride. They have a sturdy step-thru frame, front and rear hand brakes, a handlebar gear shifter to make pedaling easier or harder, front and rear flashing LED lights, and a handy front basket or rack. You can easily adjust the seat height and Bluebikes are designed to be used comfortably by people of a wide range of heights.
Learn more about the bikes.
What to do if You See an Abandoned Bluebike
To keep the system fully operational, with enough bikes for people to use, everyone needs to make sure that bikes are securely docked after they have completed a ride. A bike is securely docked when the Green Light flashes on the dock after returning the bike. Unattended or improperly docked bikes may get picked up by an unauthorized user, which affects everybody.
Each bike has an orange sticker on the back fender with the number to call if you see a bike that is unattended and away from a station. Feel free to dock an abandoned bike yourself if it is convenient. You can also email missing@bluebikes.com or report the abandoned bike online. It is important to identify the location (street address or intersection) where the bike was found.
Options for reporting an undocked bike:
Email: missing@bluebikes.com
Call: 1-855-948-2929
Report on line: https://help.bluebikes.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035302711-I-found-an-abandoned-bike
For Employers and Institutions
Become a Corporate Partner
Do you want to support a sustainable transportation option for your employees? Through Bluebikes' Corporate Program, employers can subsidize some or all of the cost of a Bluebikes membership for their employees - expanding commuter options, promoting the benefits of active transportation, and showcasing commitment to sustainability.
Click here to learn more about corporate memberships on the Bluebikes website.
Sponsor a New Bluebikes Station
Would you like to see more Bluebikes stations? How about one right at your front door?
You can bring a brand new Bluebikes station adjacent to your building to demonstrate your company’s support of sustainable transportation in our region. Bike share offers your community of tenants, customers, and/or employees a convenient and sustainable form of transportation that makes getting around town a breeze!
A standard station includes 19 docks and affords an additional 11 bikes to be added to the fleet. The cost to host a station is typically $80,000 for a 7 year term (based on a 19 dock station). Cost is adjusted for different station sizes or any specialized equipment that may be needed at your location. Benefits of station sponsorship include:
- Champion status membership discount
- Recognition on the station and Bluebikes website
- Acknowledgment on program map (web and mobile)
- One on-site promotional event or member sign-up drive staffed by Bluebikes ambassadors
If you are interested in hosting a Bluebikes station and/or to view detailed station dimensions, please contact bluebikes@cambridgema.gov.
Sponsor an Existing Bluebikes Station
Sponsoring an existing Bluebikes station helps to ensure that the system runs smoothly and demonstrates your company’s support of sustainable transportation in our region. Bike share offers your community of tenants, customers, and/or employees a convenient and sustainable form of transportation that makes getting around town a breeze! As Bluebikes becomes ever more popular, the stations receive a lot of use and over time need replacement. By sponsoring an existing station you can ensure that the station remains in good shape as well as enjoy the benefits of station sponsorship.
Standard station size is 19 docks, with costs to be adjusted for different station sizes.
The cost of an Existing Station Sponsorship is $50,000 for a 5-year term.
Benefits of station sponsorship include:
- Champion status membership discount
- Recognition on the station and Bluebikes website
- Acknowledgment on program map (web and mobile)
Interested on more information Bike Share in Cambridge?
Check out Chapter 8 of the Cambridge Bicycle Plan.
For More Information
For more information about bike share or to learn more about donating to the bike share program, please contact the Cambridge Bluebikes staff at bluebikes@cambridgema.gov or 617/349-4600
Learn more about how bike share in Cambridge and Metro Boston grown over time from the Bluebikes data webpage and Cambridge Bicycle Plan.
For other questions about Bluebikes, go to the Bluebikes website.
For more information about biking in Cambridge in general, visit the City of Cambridge's bicycling webpage.