© Maximilian Orlowsky・Pexels License

France

Paris

The art capital along the Seine. With 300-odd stations, a métro stop is rarely more than a short walk away.

Vélib' Métropole / Lime · Dott · Voi

Vélib' is the bargain, but signup places a €300 hold and foreign cards can be genuinely debited - the classic traveller trap. Lime, Dott and Voi cost more but need only their apps. Shared e-scooters are banned outright.

Updated on July 30, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Pick your system
    Vélib' (ages 14+) wins on price; Lime, Dott and Voi (18+) on ease. Riding just once or twice? Go dockless.
  2. 2
    Start by buying a pass or Ticket-V in the app
    Buy a pass or Ticket-V in the Vélib' app or on the website first (both in English).
  3. 3
    Unlock your bike
    Press V on the Vélib' handlebar V-Box and enter the 8-digit code and 4-digit PIN, or tap an NFC phone. Dockless: scan the QR.
  4. 4
    Ride right, follow the bike lanes
    Ride on the right. Sidewalk riding and parking are banned, and so are earphones - all fineable offences.
  5. 5
    Watch for STOP before you walk away
    Push the front wheel into the dock and wait for STOP on the V-Box screen - anything else means it isn't locked, so re-dock.
  6. 6
    Dockless: park in a marked bay
    Park in a marked bay or at a rack with 4+ hoops, then confirm the ride has ended in the app (elsewhere can mean penalty fees).
  7. 7
    Chain short rides to stay cheap
    Dock mid-journey and re-hire to dodge overtime. Take a different bike - the same one needs a 3-5 min wait, max 3 times in 24h.

Fares

Single fares2

Ticket-V (single ride, 45 min)
45 minutes on either bike type. Overtime is €1 (mechanical) or €2 (electric) per 30 min.
3 EUR ≈ $3
Dockless e-bike per minute (Lime/Dott/Voi)
€1 unlock (€0 on Voi), rounded up per minute; the app shows current rates. Figure €3-4 for a 2-3 km hop.
0.25〜0.28 EUR ≈ $0.3

Passes & multi-ride3

24h pass - classic (Vélib')
Unlimited rides for 24h; mechanical bikes (green) 30 min per ride, e-bikes (blue) €2 extra per ride.
5 EUR ≈ $6
24h pass - electric (Vélib')
60 min per mechanical ride plus 5 e-rides of 45 min (then €2 each). Up to 5 bikes at once.
10 EUR ≈ $12
3-day pass (Vélib')
Valid 72 hours with the same included time as the 24h electric pass. Up to 5 bikes at once.
20 EUR ≈ $23

Card itself1

Vélib' deposit (card hold)
A hold (€600 for 2-5 bikes), released ~7 days after the pass ends; foreign cards may be genuinely debited.
300 EUR ≈ $350

Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026

Vélib' bikes in their docks — green is the mechanical bike, light blue the electric one, and the colour is what tells the two fares apart. Taken Apr 2026 © Chabe01・CC BY-SA 4.0

Payment

Tap to ride
No tap-to-ride on any system; Vélib' terminals take chip-and-PIN
App tickets
Lime, Dott and Voi run entirely in-app; Vélib' passes are app-first too
Cash
No cash anywhere

Tap for where to get the app

Quick facts

Hours
Available 24/7
Fares from
3 EUR+

Heads-up

  • Vélib' signup can really debit your card, not just hold it

    Vélib' places a €300 hold at signup (€600 for multiple bikes), and the official terms state outright that foreign-issued cards may be genuinely debited. Travelers report refunds taking a week to a month - never sign up with a card that can't spare €300.

  • Lime, Dott and Voi rent through the app only

    Lime, Dott and Voi are app-only (no counter or terminal rental), and each ride places a temporary €9 hold that banks release in days. Vélib' is the one system that works without a smartphone - but it has a long history of rejecting foreign cards at signup. If payment fails, go dockless instead of burning your day.

  • A half-docked Vélib' keeps billing you

    A half-docked Vélib' keeps billing, and one logged as missing costs €200 (mechanical) or €300 (electric) from your hold - always check for STOP on the V-Box.

  • Rental e-scooters are banned outright in Paris

    Rental e-scooters have been banned in Paris since September 1, 2023 (about 89% voted against them in an April 2023 referendum - a first for a European capital). The shared electric rides you see now are e-bikes. Privately owned scooters remain legal.

  • No riding or parking on sidewalks - riding is fined

    Riding or parking on sidewalks is banned on every system, and traffic offences - sidewalk riding, riding with earphones - carry a flat €135 fine. Helmets are mandatory under 12 (a €135 fine for the responsible adult), optional but recommended for adults.

Timetable

Operating hours Available 24/7
Typical duration Glorious along the Seine-side cycleways and around the Marais and Bastille
Check the official site for the latest times and service status