Public Bicycles in Kochi: Schemes since 2018

Ashraf Gents Hostel

Key facts

When Kochi Metro opened in June 2017, metro users could borrow cycles free for up to 100 hours, with about 100 cycles docked at stations, according to a Times of India report republished by CPPR in September 2019.
On 9 May 2018 The News Minute reported a scheme run by Athi Bicycle Club with about 50 cycles at eight docking stations from Maharaja’s College to Edappally, sponsored by Axis Bank.
In 2019 a KMRL official described the original cycle scheme as a six-month pilot run by a private cycle club, according to the Times of India.
By November 2020 Kochi Metro allowed passengers to carry bicycles free inside trains at six stations, according to India Infra Hub (24 November 2020).
MYBYK, the app-based bike-share company founded in Ahmedabad in May 2014, later operated in Kochi in association with Kochi Metro and extended to Infopark, according to Wikipedia and an Infopark announcement.

Kalamassery metro station above NH 544. Photo: Gnoeee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The 2017 pilot: free cycles at metro stations

Kochi Metro’s first section, Aluva to Palarivattom, opened on 17 June 2017, with stations at Kalamassery and Cochin University. Alongside it, a cycle-share scheme let metro users borrow bicycles free for up to 100 hours, with about 100 cycles docked at stations. The scheme was run by a private cycle club; KMRL’s Hari G. P. later described it to the Times of India as a six-month pilot and “just a branding exercise for the metro”. The same 2019 report said many of the bikes had been “lying unused and rusted”. See the metro’s arrival in Kalamassery for the line itself.

Timeline

Date	What happened	Source
17 Jun 2017	Metro opens; free cycle-share pilot at stations (about 100 cycles, up to 100 free hours)	Times of India via CPPR (2019)
9 May 2018	Athi Bicycle Club scheme: about 50 cycles, eight docks from Maharaja’s College to Edappally, Axis Bank sponsor	The News Minute
13 Sep 2019	Times of India reports pilot bikes unused; CSML plans a public bike share at 220 locations	Times of India via CPPR
Nov 2020	Cycles allowed free inside metro trains at six stations	India Infra Hub (24 Nov 2020)
Date not confirmed	MYBYK app-based bike share runs in Kochi with Kochi Metro and is extended to nine points at Infopark	Infopark announcement (via Zee5)

We could not confirm the exact launch date of MYBYK in Kochi, the outcome of later bike-share tenders, or the number of cycles in service today. We also found no dated source for other app-based brands such as Yulu operating in Kochi, so they are left out.

2018: the club-run docks

In May 2018 The News Minute described a reworked scheme run by Athi Bicycle Club, founded by Athirup M., with Kochi Metro providing the bicycles. About 50 cycles were spread across eight docking stations between Maharaja’s College and Edappally metro stations. Membership was free, with 100 free hours a month, after which accounts were blocked; cycles had to be returned within 24 hours. Axis Bank sponsored it. Athirup said the aim was to link metro stations with schools, colleges and public places. In 2019 he told the Times of India that the main obstacle was funding for maintenance.

Bigger plans, and the climate question

In 2019, Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML) was planning a public bike share at 220 locations through a public-private partnership, according to the Times of India. Plans for a metro-linked bike share continued to be discussed after that; for the metro’s ticketing side, see Kochi1 card history. The Centre for Public Policy Research’s chairman, D. Dhanuraj, argued in 2019 that Kochi had no dedicated cycle tracks and needed a cycling ecosystem first; a CSML official cited the humid climate and long monsoon.

Bicycles on trains proved simpler. From late 2020, passengers could take cycles into metro trains free at six stations, Changampuzha Park, Palarivattom, Town Hall, Ernakulam South, Maharaja’s College and Elamkulam, using lifts with staff help, with more stations to be added on demand. The app-based MYBYK service, which began in Ahmedabad in 2014, appeared in Kochi in association with Kochi Metro and was later extended to nine points on the Infopark campus at Kakkanad.

Why this history matters near the NAD signal

Kalamassery is flat in parts and hilly in others, and a lasting public bike network has not settled here in the sources we found. For short trips from the NAD Road signal to KINFRA, the Medical College or HMT, a personal bicycle or two-wheeler is still what most residents use. Ashraf Gents Hostel at Ashraf house, NAD Road, has open parking for a few vehicles; ask about space for a cycle on the call. Our two-wheeler guide, metro tips and the archive hub have more.

Frequently asked questions

Did Kochi Metro offer free cycles?

Yes. When the metro opened in June 2017, a pilot let users borrow cycles free for up to 100 hours, with about 100 cycles at stations.

Can I take a bicycle on Kochi Metro?

From November 2020, KMRL allowed cycles free inside trains at six stations, with more to be added on demand. Check current rules before travelling.

Is there a public bike share in Kalamassery now?

We found no current, dated source for a bike-share dock in Kalamassery. Check KMRL’s and MYBYK’s apps for the present network.

Why did the early scheme struggle?

Reports cited lack of maintenance funding, no dedicated cycle tracks and the humid, rainy climate.

Sources

Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed 8 October 2026. How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.

Cite this guide: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “Public Bicycles in Kochi: Schemes since 2018.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kochi-cycling-and-public-bike-history/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.