Shared e-scooters and bikes are in every large German city, and for short trips they're often faster than waiting for a bus. The apps price differently enough that the cheapest one depends on how long your trip is.
How the pricing works
- Scooter apps such as Dott, Voi and Lime usually charge a fixed unlock fee, often around €1, plus a per-minute rate.
- Bike-share schemes such as nextbike usually skip the unlock fee and charge in time blocks, which makes them cheaper for longer rides.
- For a three-minute hop, the unlock fee is most of the price, so the app with the lowest unlock fee wins.
- For a 30-minute ride, the per-minute rate matters more, and a bike with no unlock fee usually comes out ahead.
When a pass is worth it
If you ride most days, a monthly minutes pass or a bike-share subscription usually costs less than paying per ride. Some local transport operators include bike-share minutes with their monthly tickets or the Deutschlandticket; check your city's operator.
Providers
Sources
Rules and amounts change. Check the official source before you rely on a figure.