Bike-Trains in Portugal (Bicicultura)

Our partner in Portugal brings us a little of their reality related to the SafeCycling4Kids project.

“In Portugal, we've got this cool school transport thing going on. It started as a parent experiment, inspired by practices up in Northern Europe, and because it worked so well, the Lisbon City Council kicked off a pilot project for a pro-level bike train. The success story led to expansion, and now there are over 20 bike trains cruising around the capital. And get this, other cities are catching the bug too, with more municipalities in Portugal hopping on the bike train bandwagon.

So, these bike trains follow a set route, have a schedule, pit stops, and are steered by trained pros – these are like kid transportation experts. @Bicicultura (a non-profit cooperative) guides the little ones through the city streets, making sure they get to school safe and sound. It's not just about teaching kids to navigate public spaces; it's also about empowering parents. They undergo training to accompany their kids, mastering the art of cruising through daily commutes safely.

Check out some hard facts about the @cicloexpresso.pt professional bike train project:

- 600 participating kids.

- Over 1000 rides.

- More than 6,500 individual kid journeys.

About 65% of these kids would've been stuck in cars if it weren't for the bike train. For every bike train ride, there are 2 to 3 independent trips families now handle themselves.