The bus takes bicycles uphill
In the city of San Sebastián the use of bicycles is growing even if about half of the population lives in hilly areas with steep slopes. While going downhill on a bicycle can be quiet pleasant, the return trip uphill can make people refrain from cycling at all. This is why, since the 9th of August 2009, cyclists can take their bicycle for free on the bus for these uphill journeys. This new measure is now available at 18 bus stops that are located at the foot of different hills in the city.
Donostia Bus, the municipal public transport company has marked the bus shelters at the 18 selected stops with a bicycle pictogram, indicating for which lines the new service is available. Taking your bicycle for the uphill trip is possible during selected off-peak time windows. During July and August the service is available from 9:30-12:30/ 14:00-18:00/ and 21:00-23:00. During the rest of the year the time windows are: 9:30-12:30/ 14:00-17:00/ and 20:00-23:00.The rules of the new service are the following:It is not necessary to buy a ticket for the bicycleThe cyclists enter the bus through the central doorThe bicycle has to be strapped with the safety belt and the responsible persons needs to remain at its sideUsers with wheel chairs and strollers have priority over cyclists, meaning that no bicycle can enter in the bus when a wheel chair or stroller is already in there.In cases of a high concentration of travelers wanting to enter at the selected “foot-of-the-hill” bus stops, the normal travelers have priority over the bicycle.
