Public bikes in Suzhou to be used for intercity travel

Residents living in the main urban area of Suzhou as well as its county-level cities of Changshu and Kunshan can now borrow public "green" bikes in one area and return them somewhere else, local media outlets reported.

Demand for public bikes for intercity travel has increased significantly in the past two years. To improve the city's transport connectivity, local urban management authorities have investigated the practicality of the service. Short-distance travel by residents in a green and low-carbon manner is expected to be made easier.

There are currently some 143,000 public bikes in downtown Suzhou, Changshu and Kunshan, which can be parked at roughly 5,000 designated stations near public places such as bus and metro stations, residential compounds, food markets, business districts, and scenic spots.

The public bikes are used an average of 150,000 times per day. The figure surpasses 200,000 during peak season.

People can use the mobile payment app Alipay to scan the QR code on the parking pole to use the bike. It is free to use for the first hour.