Scroll down for an English language map of active Tel-o-fun docking stations.
The Tel-o-fun project has finally launched and it’s currently being brought into action all over town. In case you’re wondering what the hell I’m on about, it’s the Tel Aviv public bike rental project. When the project is fully functioning (hopefully this month) you will be able to get really cheap membership (14NIS for a daily, 20NIS on Saturdays and holidays, 60NIS weekly, 280 yearly) with a credit card at any functioning docking station and take any bike for under 30 minutes for free, to return to any functioning docking station throughout the city. If you go over the first half hour, you’ll get charged 5NIS, the next half hour is another 5NIS and then the price goes up to an unspecified amount. Losing or getting the bike stolen will cost you 4500NIS.
At the moment, you can sign up for a membership key somewhere (in Hebrew) but not use a credit card for renting the bikes. This will soon change, though.
Sadly, the official website doesn’t have English on it. Nor is there an English language map of the docking stations. Apart from the awesome map I have made for you, of course!
Please feel free to share the map with anyone you want and tell them how awesome I am. For now, it seems the docking stations in the centre (Dizengoff, places like that) and the Old North have bikes. The official Tel-o-fun website has a cool feature that gives you what I assume is real time info about docking stations and the bikes (and docking spaces) available there, but obviously it’s all in Hebrew.
Big disclaimers:
1. Not all docking stations listed are functioning. if you’re going to rely on one for bike return, I suggest you physically go and look before your journey and make sure it’s on. Otherwise it’s more $$$ for the city council and a frustrating journey for you.
2. There are more bike stations in town than the ones listed. I assume those are definitely not working yet.
3. All locations are approximate. I know where some are because I’ve been there and tried to stick the pin in the right place, but sometimes I’ve relied on the city council’s map and I reckon that’s been done by someone who didn’t visit all the places either.
4. I assume the system has an option for English as well, as that would be the smart thing to do. Then again, so would an English language map on the official site, so you never know. I’ve not had a chance to try the system yet.
Here’s the map. The link to the map on Google is: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=217055915024812561560.0004a210aa035126c0f85&ll=32.065242,34.798974&spn=0.002268,0.004823&z=18
View Tel Aviv public bike stations in a larger map
Great post, and an even better guide and web site. Unfortunately, becasue one need an ID number (?) and a local telephone number to register for this service, tourists can’t use it. Over 100 cites in Europe and a dozen in the U.S. are implementing these bike service. It’s a great way to see a city while being healthy and eco. Hope they make this program more inclusive.
You can rent on a weekly or daily basis without ID, just using a credit card. All this info is in my guide 🙂