How to rent and use shared bikes in Shanghai

Spring is here. As it gets warmer, biking is a great way to explore the city.

You have a variety of options when choosing a shared bike, such as Hellobike (哈啰单车), Qingju Bike (青桔单车) and Meituan Bike (美团单车). Take Hellobike and Qingju Bike for example, you can download their apps – "Hello" (哈啰) and "Didi Chuxing" (滴滴出行), or just use the mini-programs on Alipay or WeChat.

Make sure you have a payment account on Alipay or WeChat Pay before you scan a bike. If not, create an account first.

The first step is always scanning the QR code on the bike, no matter which app you use.

You can also enter the bike number to unlock it if the QR code is damaged.

If you can't find a bike around, you can open the app and click the little bicycle icon to find the bikes near you.

Click "Confirm unlock" (确认开锁) to start the ride.

After arriving at the destination, you can manually lock the bike, but remember to make sure you're in the right parking area.

Make sure in advance that there is a bike-sharing parking spot near your destination, or you might have to pay an extra parking fee.

The starting fare for a shared bike is usually 1.5 yuan (22 US cents) for half an hour. If you have a long-term need for a shared bike, there are various coupons to choose from, such as seven days of unlimited use, seven rides in 14 days or three-month to half-a-year packages.

Enjoy your ride!