Montreal's BIXI line opens as the spring season begins

Montreal-based bike-sharing service BIXI is making a splash in the spring, announcing that it will open more than 60 percent of its network as of Tuesday afternoon, the earliest start of the season.

The service will be available throughout Montreal, as well as in Westmount, Mount Royal, Montreal East and Boucherville. Some stations will also be available this week in Laval and Longueuil.

As of April 8, 85 percent of the network is operational across the island of Montreal.

The full network will be launched on April 15 in all cities, i.e. Montreal Islands, Longueuil, Laval, Boucherville and Terrebonne.

The nonprofit said in a press release that 2023 was its most popular season with more than 576,000 users. That's a 31 percent increase from 2022, already a record year. A quarter of Montrealers use BIXI, BIXI Montreal acting president Sylvia Morin said in a news release.

“BIXI has been part of the daily lives of Montrealers for 16 years and its popularity is undeniable,” said Sophie Mauzerollet, member of the City of Montreal's Executive Committee responsible for transportation and mobility, in a press release. “By offering a simple, flexible, cost-effective way to embrace sustainable mobility, BIXI has become an integral part of Montreal's transportation offerings.”

Mauzerolle said the city is investing in 1,300 new bikes and 32 new stations this year, bringing the network's total to more than 11,000 bikes, including 2,620 electric bikes spread across 934 stations in eight different cities.

New equipment will be added to the Montreal network throughout the season, the company said.

BIXI said preseason tickets are currently available through April 15 for $96, which is $3 less than last year's regular rate.

BIXI Montreal held a press conference Tuesday to officially launch its 2024 season — the first year-round service as part of a pilot project last winter that made 150 stations available in a reduced area.

Mouserolle said the bike-sharing service will continue year-round in the coming years.