Originated From
 AOL Search

Posted by Doug 4 years ago In:

Doug
Doug Asked:

How do you rent a bike (Vélib) in Paris

I want to rent a Vélib (bike) in Paris.  Has anyone done that with an American credit card?  I tried and failed.  Can anyone who has done it explain the tricks?

Thanks

Liked this question? Tell your friends about it

2 Answers

Order by
Oldest to Newest
Newest to Oldest
Votes
welcome jenny
welcome jenny Answered:

my experience with travel to europe and using my credit card, i found out the hard way my first time there that you must call yuor credit card co in advance and notify them that you will be using your credit card abroad. they will ask the exact dates and the exact country you will be visiting. after you do this you should be all set to use it. hope this helps.

jen

Add a comment Report
Parisforrent
Parisforrent Answered:

The problem is you need a credit card with a micro-chip to rent a Velib, and in the US, our credit cards use Magnetic stripes. Micro-chip is the standard in Europe.

The only American credit cards that work with Velib are American Express (they have a micro chip)

If you're interested in using Velib while in Paris and do not have a credit card with a chip the American Express Blue cards, which have no annual fee, will work. I have used mine in March!


Note that riding a bicycle in Paris is not for the faint of heart due to the vehicle traffic and dense pedestrian traffic. The Velib bikes are a bit heavier than standard bicycles. I usually recommend to my clients to take a bike tour first., with a company like Fat tire for example.


Add a comment Report

Related Questions

Other people asked questions on similar topics, check out the answers they received:

Frances Smith

Asked: Looking for yarn stores in Paris that carry ...

looking for yarn stores in Paris that carry unusual yarns. Thanks.
Anonymous

Asked: Age of Huffy bike

what is the age of this bike ...serial #4H460o00
  • Posted 2 years ago
ruven

Asked: Where can one buy Baccarat at a discount in ...

Where can one buy Baccarat at a discount in Paris?
  • Posted 8 months ago

More Questions

An electric bike as the main transport?

If you need a bike just for moving around the city I would never go with electric version because I like working out. But I do agree that this futristic version has its merrits.

Riding in bike lanes: easy or dangerous?

The safest place in NYC is in a cab,and thats not safe at all.

What is so special about the specialized mountain bike?

Regular mountain bikes like cheap wallmart/asda bikes ar not real mountain bikes theyre just regular bikes built to look like mountain bikes theyre ok for riding round town but not really capable of any serious off roading, and infact would be dangerous to use for this in many cases. Specialized ...

Mountain vs City Bike?

A hybrid is a mix between a mountain bike, and a road bike. Generally, they have mountain bike handlebars(straight, not curled down), fatter tires than road tires, mountain bike wheel sizes, and a more upright position compared to road bikes, and sometimes they have a small front suspension. They ...