Bike sharing surges in Florence as city brings in AI parking checks

Bike-sharing rentals in Florence increased by 45% in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, prompting the city to introduce stricter parking controls alongside new discounted fares.

The measures, agreed between Florence City Council and RideMovi, the company operating the city’s bike-sharing service, took effect on August 3. They include higher penalties for improperly parked bicycles, real-time checks using artificial intelligence and cheaper rentals between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.

AI to check where bikes are parked

The penalty for leaving a shared bicycle in an area where parking is prohibited has increased from €3 to €5.

RideMovi is also upgrading its Capture AI system, which analyses the photographs users take at the end of their journeys to show where they have left the bicycle.

Until now, parking checks were carried out subsequently and on a sample basis. Under the new system, photographs will be analysed immediately.

If a bicycle appears to have been parked incorrectly, the user will receive a warning and will be asked to move it before completing the rental.

There will initially be a short training period during which users will receive warnings rather than penalties. Once the system is fully operational, sanctions will apply to incorrectly parked bicycles.

Florence Mobility Councillor Andrea Giorgio said the measures were intended to reduce problems caused by bicycles being left on pavements and other public spaces, an issue that continues to generate complaints despite the growing popularity of the service.

Cheaper bike sharing after 2 a.m.

The city has also introduced special overnight fares, presenting bike sharing as an additional transport option after late-night bus services end.

Between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., people without a subscription can use an e-bike for €1 per 20 minutes. Conventional bicycles cost €0.50 per 20 minutes.

Florence has extended some bus services until 2 a.m., and the municipality says the discounted bike-sharing rates are intended to provide a relatively inexpensive option for journeys later in the night.

Rentals up 45%

The changes come during a period of rapid growth for Florence’s bike-sharing system.

The municipality said the number of rentals recorded between January and July 2026 was 45% higher than during the same seven months of 2025.

The increase means more shared bicycles are circulating around the city, making enforcement of parking rules more important, according to the council.

A further discounted option has been introduced for Florence residents who regularly make short journeys. A new pass costs €4.99 per month and reduces the price of the first five minutes on an e-bike from €1.50 to €0.99. After five minutes, the normal €1.50-per-15-minute rate applies.

For conventional bicycles, the pass provides journeys of up to 20 minutes for €1 each.

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