Bike Hotel Makes Cycling Simpler for Norwegian Commuters

Citizens of Norway have plenty of reasons to ditch their gas-guzzling vehicles for bikes. The Scandinavian nation is investing nearly $1 billion in bike highways and currently working towards making their capital city’s center car-free by 2019. Now, residents of Lillestrøm have further motivation to get where they’re going on two wheels: Before taking the train into Oslo, commuters can leave their bikes at the Lillestrøm Bicycle Hotel nearby.

According to WIRED, the new building is one of several bike hotels in Norway. But the set-up at the Lillestrøm Train Station is the country’s largest, holding up to 400 bikes at once. Cyclists leaving town for work or vacation can use the hotel’s facilities for a fee of roughly $7.16 per month. Inside, bikes are stacked on top of one another using special racks; features on the outside, like round-the-clock lighting and a public green space on the roof, make the structure a valuable resource for the whole community.

In a nation that already embraces its cycling population, Lillestrøm stands out: In 2014, bikers in the town were rewarded €12 in “reverse toll money” for European Mobility Week. Citizens will actually have to spend money on this latest bike-friendly perk, but for a lower monthly price than a single Uber ride it's sure to attract plenty of lodgers.

[h/t WIRED]

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