Walking home from the Tube last night, my eyes fell upon brand new and shiny bike docking stations a couple blocks from my flat.  AWESOME!!!

For those of you moving to London who might not yet be aware, the city is introducing a new cycle hire scheme (sponsored by Barclays, London Relocation Ltd.‘s bank of choice through which we set our clients up with their accounts in one day to make relocating to London that much easier!).

The Transport for London website outlines the scheme, but, basically, London residents will now be able to rent bicycles for commuting or recreation.  It’s similar to the Zipcar concept in which you can rent a car that is parked somewhere in your local area, picking it up and dropping it off back in its designated street space independent of having to actually walk into a rental office.

You can start renting bikes as of now if you sign up for a membership, whereby you’ll get a “key” to the terminal that will release the bike from its lock; you will also be able to manage your account online.  This is the way to go if you’ll be a frequent user, as it will save money and add convenience.

Alternatively, if you prefer to wait a little longer, coming soon is an option for “Casual Use” for only the occasional rental, like if you simply want to pedal through one of London’s many beautiful gardens.  This is open to non-UK residents, so even if you’re just visiting London as a tourist, you can take tourism to a fun new level—there are even guided cycle rides!  Access is obtained either directly at the docking station, online, or by phone.

I’ve embedded the helpful how-to video above for your reference (hey Americans, no giggling at the way they spell “tires”) and am positively psyched for London to become the next cycle-friendly Amsterdam.  Let’s get rollin’!

London is a city set up well for walking and public transportation–I simply see no point in having a car here and would never want to fight that traffic on my own.  Whenever you need to plan how to get from A to B via train or bus (and would like to gauge the amount of time to allow for this travel), we recommend that you bookmark the Transport for London website:   https://www.tfl.gov.uk

Here, you can find route maps, timetables, how to buy tickets (including procuring your Oyster card) or use the Journey Planner feature to enter your starting and destination locations.  The site also posts live service updates or, for your added convenience, you can consult the Travel Tools page to sign up for mobile travel alerts or email notifications of weekend closures–there is always one line or another that is closed for scheduled engineering works over the weekend, which definitely cramps one’s plans when you show up at the station expecting service to run the same as it does any given weekday.

London Relocation Ltd. has your flat-searching transportation covered, as we hire a driver for the entire day–but when you’re officially on your own, TFL will be a necessary resource.  Happy travels!