Frequently Asked Questions

No, Blue-bikes must be brought back to the original location. If you return it elsewhere, you will be charged an extra fee. You can find the exact rates here. 

- For locations with a key distributor:

Sign in on the key distributor with your card (Blue-bike card or MoBIB card) or with the 10-digit voucher code. Follow the instructions on the screen. A drawer of the machine opens and you can take out the key which lights up red. Then find the bike with the corresponding number in the rack. You can find the bike number on the rear mudguard of the Blue-bike. We expect you back within 24 hours at the same Blue-bike location as where you borrowed the Blue-bike. There, you lock up the bike in the bike parking area and scan the black key tag on the machine. A drawer will open in which you can click the key into the red-lit opening. You will receive a confirmation on the screen that your ride was closed correctly. No message on the screen? Please contact us to check whether something went wrong.

- For locations with smart Blue-bikes:

Tap the saddle to wake the Blue-bike from its sleeping mode. You will hear some beeps. Hold your card against the card reader of the lock or scan the QR code on the handlebar of the Blue-bike. After that, the lock will open. We expect you back within 24 hours at the same Blue-bike location as where you borrowed the Blue-bike. You will place the bike there in the provided bike rack and close the lock by tilting the handle and then pushing it down. The GPS signal detects that you are at your location and your ride will automatically end. You can always check in our mobile app if the end was ended correctly.

On the website at ‘Find locations’ you'll find instructions per location on where exactly to find the Blue-bikes. Once you've arrived, you can rent a Blue-bike 24/7 via the key distributor or the smart locks with your Blue-bike card, MoBIB card, voucher code or the Blue-bike app (in case of smart locks). You can download the Blue-bike app for Android or iOS.

Once you have logged into my.blue-bike.be, you can go to the "Membership Card" page. Here you can stop your subscription by clicking on the button "Stop membership". If you have chosen to stop your membership, your membership will not be automatically renewed after the expiration date of your membership. You will then receive a confirmation e-mail. Didn't receive an email? Please send an email to info@blue-bike.be.

You can still borrow a Blue-bike until the expiration date. Important note: you will be charged for all rides you still make.

Your subscription is automatically renewed annually, so you don’t have to do anything at all. After one year, you will be asked to pay 12 euro again (the cost of your membership) and you can simply continue to cycle.

Blue-bike and other bike share schemes are complementary. Blue-bike is mostly used for journeys within another city or municipality and especially interesting if you would like to use a bike longer than half an hour. Blue-bike also isn't limited to one city.  Being a Blue-bike member, you'll be able to rent a bike on more than 60 locations. 

There are a many locations all over Belgium. You can find detailed information here, or in our Blue-bike app. You can download our app for Android or iOS. 

To borrow a bicycle, you need a Blue-bike card, voucher or MoBIB card with the Blue-bike subscription linked to it. Follow the instructions on the screen of the key distributor. You will be assigned a bike key. Take the key out of the dispenser and find the bike with the corresponding number. You can find the bike number on the rear mudguard.

Your ride time keeps running so you should return the key as soon as possible. Your ride will be closed by return of the key. You won't come back to this location? Send the key by post (by registered mail!) to the bike point. Send an e-mail to info@blue-bike.be for the correct address.

In most cases, an empty machine also means an empty bicycle parking. It is possible, however, that all the bikes in the bicycle parking have been lent, but that the users have not yet collected them. It is also possible that defective bicycles are still temporarily in the racks. If you believe that the machine is defective, however, please contact us as soon as possible!

In case of an exceptional defect you can send a text message to the number that’s mentioned near the key distributor (Blue + location + problem to 8686). We will do what's necessary. If the defect persists, you can ask for help at the bike point. Is the bike point closed? In this case you leave the key in the key box. This blue box looks like a mail box and is usually situated on the bike rack or close by (when there is no blue key box, you have to leave the key in the mail box from the bike point). Always send an e-mail afterwards to info@blue-bike.be with the reason, your client/card number and the time and location to be sure that the ride is closed correctly (without a valid reason the ride time will not be modified). It is never allowed to return the key to a different location than the one where you borrowed the bike (not in another key distributor nor in another bike point).

The key box is a blue mailbox where you can leave your key in case of an emergency. The mailbox can usually be found at the front end of a Blue-bike rack, or it is a slot in the side of the machine. The key distributor is the blue machine with a screen at every Blue-bike location where you can get your key after scanning your card, and where you can return the key after your ride.
You can only use the key box after you have scanned your key at the machine and the machine tells you that the drawers are full. Your ride is only closed by scanning on the machine. Then click on "ok" to confirm that you will leave the key in the key box. If you do not do this, your ride - and thus your fare - will continue. You can also use the key box if the machine is out of order and doesn't scan or respond. In both cases it is best to send us an email. State in your mail the key number, location, time and a short explanation of the problem. We will then check whether your ride was closed correctly and make sure the bike is available again for the next Blue-biker as soon as possible.

Yes, this is no problem at all. However, don't forget your ride time!

No, it's not possible to reserve a Blue-bike. We do monitor the availability so we can make sure there are enough Blue-bikes. If you'd like to make a reservation for tourist bicycles, you can get in touch with other bike services for their tourist offer. Click per location: www.fietspunten.be

Yes. A Blue-bike subscription will cost you 12 euros per year. Once you're a member, Blue-bike is quick and easy. You may also have received a voucher code from your employer to rent a Blue-bike. This is an offer only for companies.

If you're older than 18 years of age, you can purchase a Blue-bike subscription. You can use the Blue-bikes from the age of 14. 

You pay per day (per 24 hours). You may keep the bike longer but you will pay extra, for details click here. Always return the Blue-bike to the same location where you rented it. 

Blue-bike is mostly used by Belgian residents or by people who visit Belgium frequently since it is not possible renting a blue-bike without buying a one-year subscription. If you are frequent visitor you can register even if your address is abroad. If you’ll be visiting Belgium for a shorter time, we advise you to rent a bike at another bike service that provides rents for shorter periods. You'll find more information about other bike services here. 

A voucher is a 10-digit code that you can use once to rent a Blue-bike for a maximum of 24 hours. You can get a voucher from your employer who has a business subscription to Blue-bike, through a sales promotion of Blue-bike, or by buying a single ride from an external partner. If you are a member with a private subscription, you can't get vouchers unless you got free rides through a promotion. Companies with a business membership can purchase vouchers via their online account. To use the voucher, you must enter the 10-digit code on the key distributor or, to rent a smart Blue-bike, on the mobile app.

The automatic key distributor is available 24/7. Once you're a Blue-bike member you can rent a Blue-bike at any time as long as you have your card or voucher code with you.

You can become a member of Blue-bike in two ways: online via our website, or in one of our bike points. Be sure to check the opening hours if you want to register via the bike point. You will pay a fee of 12 euro for an online registration, and for a registration in one of the bike points you will pay 18.30 euro: 12 euro for the membership and 6.30 euro for two vouchers that you receive on the spot. You can therefore immediately borrow a Blue-bike, in anticipation of receiving your Blue-bike card, when you register via the bike point.

Log onto this website with your user account (e-mail address) and your chosen password. There you'll be able to change your account details. When you have finished editing, click "save" to save your changes.  

Your vouchers can only be used once your account has been approved. When this is done, you will receive an e-mail from us.

Your username is your e-mail address. Did you forget your password? Fill in your email address here and click 'forgot password'. You will then receive an email to reset your password. Be sure to check your spam folder if you do not immediately find the email.

It is normal that your vouchers (the number combination with which you can start a trip at the machine) are not added to your account immediately. This can take a few weeks. Have you still not received any voucher codes after one month? In this case, please send us an e-mail, so that we can check what may have gone wrong.

You can enter this discount code in step 3 of your online registration at https://www.blue-bike.be/en/become-a-member.  Promotions can only be redeemed by online registration and not through a registration in a bike point.  Advantages apply to new members and cannot be granted retroactively. Per person the maximum of 1 benefit applies and a discount code cannot be combined with other discount codes. By using the discount code you become a member of Blue-bike and you accept the general terms and conditions. 

After your registration, you will receive an email which asks you to confirm your email address. Important note: this email may sometimes end up in your spam folder, so be sure to check there if you don't immediately find the email. In the email you will find a link on which you have to click. This will take you to our website where you have to set your own password. With your email address and the chosen password, you can log in at any time to your personal Blue-bike account at my.blue-bike.be. Here you can view your ride history, change your details or cancel your membership.

You can block your Blue-bike or MoBIB card yourself in case of loss or theft by logging on to our website. Then click on "membership card". After that you will see three icons. The play/pause button allows you to block/unblock your card. Also, if you have accidentally blocked your card by entering the wrong pin code three times, you can unblock it this way. Good luck!

Can't you unblock your card yourself? It is possible that your card has been blocked because of an outstanding balance. In this case, please contact us so that you can ride again.

No. Unfortunately, it is not possible to link two cards to one subscription, but it is possible to borrow two bikes with one card. Do you still need two cards? In this case, you can create a second subscription. Be aware, however, that you can only register once with the same e-mail address.

You can link your MOBIB card to your subscription yourself by logging into your online account (www.blue-bike.be). When you are logged in, click on ‘Membership Card’ at the top. Then click on the two arrows (‘request duplicate’), where you can either order a new card, or link a MOBIB card. In order to link your MOBIB card, you must enter all 19 digits of your MOBIB card consecutively. If you don’t succeed immediately, you may also mail us your MOBIB card number, and we will arrange this for you.

With 1 Blue-bike card you can hire up to 2 Blue-bikes at the same time via the key distributor. You pay the standard rate for each bike. Perfect for a trip with friends or colleagues.The Blue-bikes can be brought back separately.

For bikes with smart locks, you can only borrow one bike at a time for the time being. At present, this new technology does not yet allow you to borrow two bicycles at the same time. The smart locks and software are still under development and the possibility to borrow two smart bikes at the same time is on top of the list of future software developments.

You can change your PIN code in your personal online account. Go to "membership card", and click on the icon "change PIN code" (PIN). Enter your new PIN code. As soon as you have added a new PIN code, you can start cycling again.

It should take a maximum of 5 working days to receive your card after your online registration. If you're registering outside Belgium, it could take longer. 

If you chose to pay by direct debit, your card will be sent after we've received your signed mandate on info@blue-bike.be or by mail. Please inform us if you have not received your card in 5 working days.

Your card may be blocked because something went wrong with your payment.  In this case you should have received an e-mail from Blue-bike to fulfil the payments. Please get in touch with us if there's another problem.

A Blue-bike card is the card you receive by post after you've registered as a member at Blue-bike. By scanning this card on the key distributor or on the smart Blue-bike, you can rent a Blue-bike. Do you have a MoBIB card? This is an electronic chip card that is used as a ticket for public transport in Belgium (NMBS, De Lijn, MIVB and TEC), with a card number of 19 digits. In that case, you can link the Blue-bike subscription to your MoBIB card, and you will not need a Blue-bike card. You can do this during your registration or afterwards via your online Blue-bike account at my.blue-bike.be. If you linked your MoBIB card when you registered, you will not receive a Blue-bike card from us; you can start cycling immediately after confirming your email address by scanning your MoBIB card on our Blue-bike key distributor or smart Blue-bike. 

No, to make the Blue-bike system quick and easy, there are no extra features to hire. On the back of the Blue-bike there is a handy basket where you can put your laptop or shopping bag. Therefore it is technically impossible to provide children seats or bike bags.

Currently, we only have standard Blue-bikes available. These are city bikes with three or seven gears, depending on the location. The saddle can easily be raised or lowered. We currently have no e-bikes available.

Yes, there are even two locks: a wheel lock and a cable lock. 

No, this is unfortunately not possible. Due to the fact that we invoice a large number of small amounts every month, it is impossible for us to follow-up on this correctly. For this reason, direct debit is the best option. In this way, you also avoid reminders. If you disagree with the amount on your invoice, please send us an e-mail. We will then review this before the direct debit is processed.

No, unfortunately it is not possible to pay by credit card. For this reason, we ask members who paid by credit card in the past to transfer the money manually with the mentioned structured communication. Members in this situation can also switch their payment method to direct debit. You can easily change your payment method to direct debit on your personal online account by choosing direct debit under 'payment method' and by then changing your bank account number. 

Your annual membership fee (€12) will be charged on your first invoice in the month following your registration. Important note: if you register via a bicycle point, you do not have to pay on the spot, but this will be charged on your invoice afterwards. When you use a Blue-bike, the standard charge is €3.15 per 24 hours per Blue-bike. In several cities, a Blue-bike loan is free or only €1.15 for the first 24 hours per ride thanks to a contribution from the Flemish government and the local city or municipality. If you keep the bike longer than 24 hours, there is a surcharge. Click here for the details. You will receive a monthly statement with your ride overview by email. You only pay for your use each month by direct debit, or manually if you chose this payment method as a company. Via your personal online account you can view your ride overview at any time.

It's important to end your bike hire correctly. The key always has to be brought back to the key distributor. You journey will only be completed after returning the key to the key distributor. 

It's important that the electronic key does not get left behind in the blue 'keybox'. If this happens your rental will not be ended correctly.  The 'keybox' is a seperate box only to be used in case of a defect key distributor. After leaving your key in the keybox, send us an e-mail (info@blue-bike.be) so we can complete your journey correctly. We don't want you to be charged more than you should. 

Have you got other questions about your invoice? Let us know and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

We always present a direct debit order for a specific invoice once on your account. Sometimes, your bank refuses to execute the direct debit order. There may be several reasons for this. Your bank can give you information. In that case, we will ask you to pay the invoice exceptionally by bank transfer. In the reminder, you will find the payment instructions to settle this. The next invoice we will try again to collect automatically via direct debit. If you have changed your account number, you can change your payment details by logging in to my.blue-bike.be. Future invoices will then be presented on the new account number. Any outstanding invoices will have to be settled manually.

You largely determine this yourself. You pay a fixed rate of 12 euro for your membership every year. In addition, you pay the costs for the bike trips you made on a monthly basis. You always pay a fixed rate per 24-hour period. In Brussels, for example, you pay 3.15 euro for the first 24 hours; in Leuven the rate is 1.15 euro for the first 24 hours. You can review all the rates here. Please note, however, that other rates apply after 24 hours. Return your bike therefore to its original location in time!

In cooperation with the Flemish government, cities and municipalities can decide to finance Blue-bike. The reasoning is that every Blue-bike possibly means one car less in the city centre. A Blue-bike card is required (€12 per year) and the preferential rate is valid for the first 24 hours of your rental. Detailed information per location can be found here.

Your Blue-bike subscription is automatically renewed, to make sure you can keep on using Blue-bike. You can terminate your subscription up to two weeks before renewal. The non-payment of an invoice when you did not use Blue-bike, but did create a membership is not a valid termination of your subscription. You will still have to pay the membership fee if you did not cancel your membership on time. You can terminate your membership via your online account, or by sending an email to info@blue-bike.be.

It's important to finish your journey correctly. If you hired a Blue-bike through the automatic key distributor the key needs to go back in there after returning your bike. Only this way your journey is completed correctly.

The keybox is a separate box only there for leaving the key in case of a defect key distributor. In this case, send us an e-mail mentioning your member number so we can manually close your journey. 

Does your bike have a defect? If you are near the Blue-bike point, you can return the bike. You can report the problem via the key distributor and get a new bike free of charge if the bike was returned within 15 minutes.

If you are more than 1.5 km away from the Blue-bike point, you can make use of Ethias' free Blue-bike assistance:

- Call Ethias on 011/28 28 28

- Mention the policy number: 45.338.256

- Mention your Blue-bike card number

- Mention the bike number (is located at the rear mudguard)

More information about the assistance of Ethias can be found here.

You can report Blue-bike defects when returning the key to the key distributor or in case of a smart Blue-bike, via the Blue-bike app. You can then choose from several options. The bike is blocked so that it can no longer be borrowed until the bike point has carried out the repair. You will be allocated another bike free of charge within 15 minutes.

Let us know as soon as possible. You'll need to give us the number of your Blue-bike, which is written on the back of the Blue-bike.
Unfortunately, you'll have to pay the cost of a new key, in accordance with our general conditions.

Firstly, please block your card to make sure no one uses your Blue-bike card. You can block your card by logging on to the website with your e-mail address and your password. Once logged on you'll find the possibility to block the card and to apply for a new one.

If there's anything wrong with your bike, please notify a 'bike point' employee, or put the key back in the key distributor and mark the bike as 'defect' - instructions on how to do this are on the key distributor display. You can also e-mail us here; be sure to include the number of your Blue-bike. 

If your Blue-bike broke down and you're too far to walk back to the 'bike point', you can call Ethias for free assistance: Click here to learn how.

If your Blue-bike gets stolen please report it at a police station and send an e-mail to info@blue-bike.be. Send the official report and your Blue-bike key to: Blue-bike, Postbus 113, 2018 Antwerpen Centraal Station. Please let us know as soon as possible. You will have to pay a fee, see here. If you don't send us an official report and/or your Blue-bike key, you'll have to pay the price of a new Blue-bike (see rates). 

We hope of course that you never get hurt, but if you do or if the bike is damaged, you can contact Ethias for free transport to the Blue-bike location or to the hospital, click here for more information. If the bicycle is damaged, you will be charged for the costs. You can have your liability insurer reimburse you if you were responsible or recover the costs from the car liability insurance of the vehicle that was responsible for the accident. If you were hurt and a vehicle with car liability insurance was involved, you can get reimbursed by this insurer, whether you were at fault or not. This automatic compensation does not apply if, for example, another bicycle or pedestrian was involved. In that case, you would have to prove the other party's responsibility.

The app only allows you to borrow Blue-bikes that are equipped with a smart lock. With a Blue-bike or MOBIB card, you can borrow both types of bikes. You can use the app to check which type of bike is available at which location.

The Blue-bike app does not replace the My-Blue-bike web application. You can log into the My-Blue-bike web application via the website. Besides consulting your rides, you can also block your card or change your account and payment details. For the time being, this is not yet possible in the Blue-bike app.

You can only report a defect for the last bike you rode. In addition, the following conditions must be met:

• The bike is equipped with a smart lock. To report a defect for a bike equipped with a key lock, you must report the defect on the key dispenser.
• You must have finished your ride at a Blue-bike location
• You are the last user of the bicycle

If you break down during your ride, you can call Ethias free breakdown service. Lock the bike and stay with it until Ethias breakdown service arrives. Your ride will be closed automatically. You can find more information here.

You might not have the latest version of the app. Delete the current app on your smartphone and download the Blue-bike app via Google Play (Android) or Apple App Store (iOS). Only if you are a Blue-bike member can you log in to the app. You can become a member here. The first time you use the Blue-bike app you have to go through the login procedure. This is done in only 2 steps. In the first step, we check your email address and the password that you chose when you became a member. This is the same password as for your personal online Blue-bike account. In the second step, we ask you to confirm your mobile number.

Have you forgotten your password? Enter your email address here and click "send". You will then receive an email to reset your password. Make sure to check your spam folder if you do not immediately find the email.

You can only report a defect for the last bike you rode. That's why your bike number is already filled in.

With the Blue-bike app, you can check at which locations you can borrow a Blue-bike and how many Blue-bikes are available. You can view your rides and consult the details of a ride such as start location, start time, end location and end time. For a ride on a Blue-bike with a smart lock, you can even view the route of your ride. Rest assured, this information can only be viewed by you. Blue-mobility will only request route details in exceptional cases such as loss or theft of the bike. Via the app you can also report a defect for a bike equipped with a smart lock on condition that you have finished your ride at a Blue-bike location. If you do break down on the way, you can call Ethias bicycle assistance. You can find more information about breakdown assistance here.

You can download the Blue-bike app, titled "Blue-bike", for Apple (iOS 8 or higher) and Android devices (Android 4.1 or higher) via the Apple App Store or Google Play respectively. 

No, the Blue-bike shall always be returned to the location where you took it. If, due to circumstances, this is not possible, then a surcharge will be applied. You can find our rates here. 

No. Charges are the same for bikes with a smart lock and bikes with a key lock.

For a Blue-bike with a smart lock you lock the bike manually after returning it to the Blue-bike location. To do this, you tilt the handle on the lock toward the bike and then push the handle down. The smart lock detects that your bike has been locked at the Blue-bike location and your ride will automatically end. Please note that your ride will only be ended when the bicycle is at the location, not when it is outside the location and the lock has been closed. So, it's possible to lock your Blue-bike with a smart lock while using it. In that case, the time count of your ride will continue and will only end when you lock the smart lock at the Blue-bike location.

In the app, you can see which locations are equipped with smart locks, and which locations still have a key dispenser - or a combination. You can also recognise Blue-bikes with smart locks by the QR code on the panel on the handlebar. With a Blue-bike or MOBIB card in your pocket, you're always sure that you can rent a bike. With the app, you can only rent Blue-bikes that are equipped with a smart lock.

A bicycle equipped with a smart lock cannot be opened with a physical key. There are 3 ways to open the smart lock:

1)     Through the app
First, tap the bike seat of an available Blue bike equipped with a smart lock to wake the bike from its sleeping mode. You'll hear a beep. Open the Blue-bike app and scan the QR code on the handlebar sign. You hear a series of beeps. The lock pops open. You can now start cycling. Do you hear a long beep when you ‘wake’ the Blue-bike from its sleeping mode and do you see a red light on the lock? Then the Blue-bike is not available. Try waking up another Blue-bike.

2)     With your Blue-bike card or MOBIB card
First, tap the bike seat of an available Blue bike equipped with a smart lock to wake the bike from its sleeping mode. You'll hear a beep. Hold your card close to the card reader of the smart lock. You hear a series of beeps. The lock pops open. You can now start cycling. Do you hear a long beep when you ‘wake’ the Blue-bike from its sleeping mode and do you see a red light on the lock? Then the Blue-bike is not available. Try waking up another Blue-bike.

3)     Through a voucher
To rent a bike that is equipped with a smart lock with a voucher, you need to use the app. When you use the app for the first time, you can enter a voucher code on the home screen. When you are already logged in, you should first log out. When you open the app again, you will be able enter the voucher code. Then, tap the bike seat of an available Blue bike equipped with a smart lock to wake the bike from its sleeping mode. You'll hear a beep. Scan the QR code on the handlebar sign with your app. You hear a series of beeps. The lock pops open. You can now start cycling.

For bikes equipped with a smart lock, you can only rent one bike at a time.

Bring the bike back to a Blue-bike location and send a text message to 8686 stating Blue smart + problem. Blue-bike will block the bike so it cannot be borrowed again and will quickly send someone to repair the bike. If you cannot ride to a Blue-bike location and you are more than 1.5 km away from a Blue-bike location, you can call Ethias breakdown service. Stay with your bike until Ethias arrives. You can find more information here.

The lock is equipped with a lever with a safety button. To remove the safety, you first have to turn the button in the direction of "arrow 1" and then you have to push the lever down in the direction of "arrow 2" to close the lock. You can also find these instructions on the instruction panel attached to the side of the bike basket. If the lock is closed correctly you will hear a beep and a green light on the lock will come on. If this does not work, check if a spoke of the rear wheel is preventing the lock from closing.

The smart lock is equipped with a card reader, GPS tracker, a motion sensor, LED lights, an audio buzzer and communicates with the central Blue-bike platform over the mobile phone network. The built-in card reader allows you not only to borrow a bike with the app, but also with your Blue-bike or MOBIB card. The GPS tracker enables Blue-bike to automatically close a ride made with a bicycle equipped with a smart lock when the lock is closed at a Blue-bike location. Moreover, you can consult the route details of your ride through the Blue-bike app. Rest assured, the route details can only be viewed by you. Blue-mobility will only request the route details in exceptional cases such as loss or theft of the bike. The motion sensor is not only used to wake the bike from its sleep mode, it is also used to detect any attempted theft. An alarm will go off and Blue-bike will immediately be notified of the suspicious movements. The LED light and the buzzer give information about the communication process using colours and sounds. For example, if someone tries to borrow a bike with a blocked card, the user will hear a long beep and see a red light coming on. When the user uses the app to borrow a bike, he or she will also see the reason for refusal.