The Deutsche Bahn is reviewing its bike-sharing business, including Call a Bike as part of a strategic realignment. The group says that non-core activities are under review as it plans to focus more closely on its core rail business. Decisions on the future shape of its micromobility operations and car-sharing service Flinkster are to be guided by commercial viability. No final decision has yet been made on whether Call a Bike will continue.
The situation is clear in the Stuttgart Region Stuttgart: The Stuttgart Region Association has terminated its contract with the previous operator, Deutsche Bahn Connect effective 30 November 2026, and awarded the successor contract. From 1 January 2027, the private provider Lime will take over operations. The plan is for a pedelec system with around 2,000 bikes, about 1,000 of them in the state capital, Stuttgart. The region says it will maintain the existing coverage and preserve links with public transport.
The developments show two different levels at work: nationally, Deutsche Bahn is reviewing its holdings outside its core business. At local and regional level, clients such as cities, districts and transport associations make their own decisions about changes of operator and the scope of services. Contracts there are usually funded and set locally. Even if the group reassesses services such as Call a Bike across the board, regional systems such as RegioRadStuttgart remain covered until the contract expires.
For users, the changes could mean adjustments to fares, apps and technical processes. When operators change, the availability of conventional bikes compared with e-bikes, service arrangements and payment models often change too. During such periods, local authorities and transport associations regularly consider transitional arrangements and discounts for public transport- customers, to keep connections between bike-hire systems and transport-association fare schemes working.
It remains unclear whether, and to what extent, Deutsche Bahn will continue or scale back its nationwide bike-sharing service. For the Stuttgart Region, however, 1 January 2027 marks a clear turning point. Until then, RegioRadStuttgart will continue to be operated by the existing provider, Deutsche Bahn Connect. The Stuttgart Region Association points to the coverage already achieved and intends to maintain it with the new provider. This means the basic service will remain in place across the region, while the wider framework for Deutsche Bahn’s nationwide service is still being reviewed.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).