© Red Morley Hewitt・Unsplash License

Netherlands

Amsterdam

A bicycle city ringed by fan-shaped canals. Trams spread out from Centraal station across town.

Shared bikes (deelfiets)

No free-floating bike share here. The one real option, Donkey Republic, unlocks by app and must go back to a marked hub. The station OV-fiets needs an OV-chipkaart with a season ticket - out of reach on a short stay.

Updated on August 2, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Install the app and register
    Install the Donkey Republic app and register your name, email, phone number and a payment card. You must be 18 to sign up.
  2. 2
    Pick a bike from a hub on the map
    Open a nearby hub on the app map, pick a bike and unlock it. Check the tyres, lights and brakes before you set off.
  3. 3
    Ride on the bike path
    Stay on the bike path, and switch on the front and rear lights after dark or in poor visibility. Never ride holding your phone.
  4. 4
    Always return the bike to a hub
    Return the bike to a hub shown in the app, lock it and tap "End rental". Ending it elsewhere costs extra.

Fares

Single fares1

OV-fiets rental (up to 24 hours)
Plus EUR 5/day beyond 72 hours, EUR 10 to return elsewhere; needs an OV-chipkaart with the season ticket
4.8 EUR ≈ $6

Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026

The station-hire OV-fiets: navy frame, yellow front fork. It is not a free-floating street bike, and renting one needs a personal OV-chipkaart. Taken Jan 2023 © Eriksw・CC BY-SA 4.0

Payment

Tap to ride
There is no reader on the bike to tap - your card goes into the app instead
IC card
The OV-fiets lock opens only with a personal OV-chipkaart, never a bank card
App tickets
Donkey charges the card in your app after the ride; nothing to buy on the street
Cash
No operator here takes cash

Tap for where to get the app

Quick facts

Fares from
4.8 EUR+

Heads-up

  • Shared mopeds need a licence check and a helmet

    Shared mopeds check your driving licence when you register, and an approved helmet is required by law.

  • Ending outside a hub adds a distance-based charge

    End the rental inside a hub shown in the app. Finishing outside one triggers a flat charge that scales with distance - up to EUR 55 even under 500 m from the nearest hub, and up to EUR 110 between 500 m and 5 km.

  • Riding without lights or with a phone in hand is fined

    Front and rear lights are required by law after dark and in poor visibility. In 2026 riding without them costs EUR 75, and riding with a phone in your hand EUR 170 - both plus EUR 9 in administration fees.

  • No shared e-scooters, and your own needs RDW approval

    There are no shared e-scooters in the city, and an e-scooter you bring yourself may not be ridden on the road unless it is an RDW-approved model - police can fine you or seize it.

Timetable

Typical duration Everything in the centre is within a 20-minute ride; expect cobbles and bridge ramps along the canals
Check the official site for the latest times and service status