Budapest’s MOL Bubi bike-sharing service continues through winter with discounted pilot pass!

Budapest’s popular MOL Bubi bike-sharing system will not disappear over the festive period after all. Although the current generation of the service officially comes to an end on 23 December, cyclists will still be able to use the familiar green bikes throughout the winter thanks to a transitional pilot programme running until mid-February.

From 24 December, users can access the system with a new MOL Bubi Pilot pass, priced at HUF 500 (EUR 1.3), the company announced. The pass allows 30-minute rides and remains valid until 15 February, regardless of when it is purchased. According to the operator, this makes it particularly good value for anyone planning even short winter cycling trips in Budapest.

No shutdown despite contract expiry

According to Telex, the second generation of MOL Bubi has been operating since 2021, but the contract with the current service provider, the Csepel–Nextbike consortium, expires on 23 December. Earlier this year, concerns were raised that delays in the public procurement process for the next-generation system could result in a complete shutdown.

Instead, Budapest’s transport authority BKK reached an agreement to keep the service running during an interim period. This avoids a gap in public bike availability while preparations continue for the launch of Bubi 3.0, the third and significantly expanded version of the scheme.

The Budapest City Assembly discussed the issue several times in recent months. While a tender for the new system had been launched, it was sent back for further evaluation in October, causing delays. In November, the assembly acknowledged that maintaining continuity would be preferable to suspending the service entirely.

What changes during the pilot period?

While bikes remain available, users should expect some temporary changes during the winter pilot phase.

To reflect lower seasonal demand and weather conditions, the size of the Bubi fleet will be reduced to around half of its usual capacity. In addition,

users who choose pay-as-you-go pricing rather than the pilot pass will need to re-register their bank cards in the MOL Bubi app.

One of the most notable changes affects District VI (Terézváros), where bikes can be picked up and returned not only at traditional docking stations but also at 168 designated Mobi Points. These are shared parking locations already used for e-scooters and other micromobility devices.

BKK is using this period to analyse cycling habits in Terézváros, an area chosen due to its dense Mobi Point coverage. The collected data will be anonymised and used to fine-tune the future system, especially the planned integration of bike-sharing with other micromobility services.

A bridge to a much larger Bubi system

According to BKK, the contract for the new MOL Bubi system is expected to be signed in the coming days. Once finalised, the new generation of bikes could be launched within six months, or even earlier if preparations progress faster than planned.

The upcoming system represents a major upgrade. Plans include a fleet of at least 5,000 brand-new bicycles, with at least 1,000 electric-assist bikes. The aim is to make cycling accessible to a wider range of users, including those for whom traditional bikes may have been less practical.

Coverage will also expand significantly beyond the current service area. Future Bubi bikes are expected to appear at key transport hubs and metro stations, as well as in outer districts such as Örs vezér Square, Kőbánya-Kispest, Újpest-Városkapu, Angyalföld, Zugló, József Attila housing estate and Őrmező.

A well-established part of Budapest life

Since its launch in 2014, MOL Bubi has become a central element of Budapest’s urban transport network. Following its major overhaul in 2021, usage increased dramatically. Over the past four years, bikes have been rented around 14 million times, covering more than 31 million kilometres across the city.

While the second-generation system is now nearing the end of its life, the winter pilot ensures that Budapest residents and visitors alike can continue cycling through the colder months, and offers a glimpse of a larger, more flexible bike-sharing network set to arrive in 2025.