Limited Entry for Bikes on Tehran Subway

EghtesadOnline: Bikers can take their bicycles on the subway during specified times as of Tuesday, in the newest move announced by Tehran Municipality to facilitate public and clean transportation for all.

News ID: ۷۴۷۹۶۴

23 July 2019

According to the website of Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway Operation Company, Metro.tehran.ir, bicycles can be taken on subway trains at any hour on Fridays and all national holidays, as well as during non- rush hours of working days.

On working days, bikers are only allowed to enter subway cars from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., i.e. after the rush hour. During the rush hours, people may only take foldable bicycles on the trains.

Introduced by Tehran Municipality in September last year, the scheme is aimed at providing bikers with a combined mode of transportation, according to Financial Tribune.

A number of subway cars in each train were marked with bike signs, indicating that bikers can enter the marked wagons with their bicycles.

In addition, bike racks are also installed in almost all metro stations for the convenience of riders.

Mohsen Pourseyyyed-Aqaei, managing director of Transportation and Traffic Organization of TM and the scheme organizer, believes that traveling via both bicycle and subway can greatly help reduce air pollution in the capital.

The move to promote biking in Iran’s major cities was launched about two years ago. To encourage bicycles as a mode of transportation in Tehran, Mashhad and Yazd, a project was launched to set up bike lending centers and provide bicycles in educational centers and travel zones.

In Tehran, 50 terminals were set up across the city, mostly in crowded downtown areas and near subway stations and tourist sites, to offer a total of 7,000 gearless bicycles. The terminals are still active at several main city squares, including Tohid, Enqelab and Azadi.

In addition, TM launched four bike lanes in the capital's districts 6 and 7, along Taleqani, Karimkhan, Iranshahr and Mofatteh streets.