Renting a Bicycle in Czech Republic: Shops, Sharing Schemes, and Pricing in 2025

Bicycle rental in Czech Republic falls into two distinct categories that serve different needs. Shared bike systems — primarily Nextbike and Rekola — cover short city trips and are designed around station-to-station use with a smartphone app. Hire shops provide full-day or multi-day rentals, including road bikes, touring bikes, cargo bikes, and child trailers, and are the relevant option for anyone planning a longer ride or a day on a EuroVelo route.

Nextbike Prague: How It Works

Nextbike operates the largest bike-sharing network in Prague with approximately 200 docking stations across the city as of 2025. Stations are concentrated in the inner districts — Praha 1 through Praha 7 — with sparser coverage in the outer zones. The system requires registration via the Nextbike app (available on iOS and Android) and a payment card linked to the account.

Pricing is structured around 30-minute intervals. The first 30 minutes costs 29 CZK. Each subsequent 30-minute block adds another 29 CZK. After 60 minutes the rate changes: 60 CZK per 30-minute block from the second hour onward. This structure makes Nextbike economical for short crossings — from Vinohrady to Žižkov, or from Smíchov to the centre — but adds up quickly for anything over 90 minutes of continuous use.

Bikes available in the Nextbike Prague fleet are upright city bikes with 3-speed internal gearing, a dynamo-powered front light, and a rear rack. They are not suited to multi-day touring or routes with significant elevation, but work well on flat riverside paths and the central city grid.

Rekola: The Pink Bikes

Rekola operates a dockless (free-floating) bike system in Prague and several other Czech cities including Brno, Olomouc, and Hradec Králové. Bikes are locked with a combination lock and located via the Rekola app. They do not need to be returned to a specific station — any public area within the operating zone is a valid return point.

Pricing as of April 2025: 40 CZK per 30 minutes, or a 24-hour rental for 249 CZK. The 24-hour option is Rekola's best value for full-day use. Monthly subscriptions are also available at approximately 479 CZK, which includes 60 minutes of riding per day before overage charges apply.

Rekola bikes are heavier than the Nextbike fleet and use a similar 3-speed city configuration. The dockless model is convenient in districts away from Nextbike stations, particularly in Žižkov, Vinohrady, and parts of Nusle where Nextbike coverage remains thin.

Independent Hire Shops in Prague

For anything beyond city cycling — touring the EV4 along the Elbe, spending a day in the Bohemian Switzerland area, or a multi-day route — independent shops are the appropriate option. Several established hire operators exist in Prague:

Praha Bike (Dlouhá 24, Praha 1)

One of the older rental operations in the city, offering city bikes, mountain bikes, and e-bikes. Pricing typically runs 350–500 CZK per day for a standard bike, 900–1,200 CZK for an e-bike. Child trailers and child seats are available on request. The shop also runs guided cycling tours, though these are a separate operation from equipment hire.

City Bike Prague (Královdvorská 4, Praha 1)

Focused on city and hybrid bikes suitable for urban use and day trips. Daily rates start at 290 CZK for a basic city bike. The shop is open seven days a week during the cycling season (April to October) and requires a passport or ID card as a deposit rather than a cash deposit.

Bike Adventures (Mánesova 28, Praha 2)

Specialises in touring bikes and multi-day rentals. Panniers, GPS devices, and repair kits can be rented alongside the bike. This shop is among the few in Prague that can equip a cyclist for a full EuroVelo segment departure, including fitting the bike before the journey. Daily rate for a loaded touring bike: 580–720 CZK.

Bike Rental in Regional Cities

Outside Prague, several cities have developed hire options tied to their local cycling infrastructure:

• Brno: Nextbike operates in Brno as well, with approximately 50 stations in 2025. For touring on EV9 through the South Moravian wine country, hire shops near Brno hlavní nádraží (main station) offer multi-day rental with panniers.
• Olomouc: A compact cycling-friendly city where hire shops are located near the historic centre. The Olomouc City Card (available at the tourist information centre) includes discounts on bike hire from partner operators.
• Český Krumlov: Popular with visitors using the Vltava cycle path. Several hire operators near the castle area focus on half-day and full-day rentals for the southern Vltava section. E-bikes are available for the hilly stretches around the river bends.
• Děčín: The starting point of the Labská stezka (EV4 in Czech Republic). At least two established hire shops near the railway station serve cyclists beginning or ending the Elbe route.

What to Verify Before Renting

Regardless of whether using a sharing app or an independent shop, several practical checks apply before starting:

• Confirm whether the bike includes lights — Nextbike and Rekola both have dynamo lights, but hire shop bikes vary.
• Check tyre pressure before a longer ride. Many hired bikes sit inflated below the recommended range.
• Ask specifically about the return time and late-return policy. Some shops add a flat fee for returns after closing, while others add the daily rate again.
• For app-based systems, test unlocking the bike before moving away from the station — connectivity issues occasionally prevent the lock from releasing if the phone signal is weak.

For riders planning to enter Czech Republic on a EuroVelo route — arriving by train from Germany or Austria — all major border entry stations (Děčín, Cheb, Mikulov direction) have luggage facilities and at least basic repair infrastructure at the station itself, though a full-service hire shop is typically a short taxi or tram ride away.

Last reviewed: April 5, 2025. Pricing and availability subject to seasonal change. Verify current rates directly with operators before travel.