Berlin mulls free rental bikes to tourists who arrive by train

Berlin’s tourist board has announced that the city is planning to introduce a new scheme rewarding tourists for travelling to the German capital by train, rather than by plane.

Berlin to launch reward scheme for eco-friendly tourists

The head of Berlin’s tourism board, Sabine Wendt, has announced that the city plans to introduce a new scheme to reward tourists who arrive in the capital using the train. Though the details are still patchy, possible rewards would include free tours, discounted tickets for sights and attractions, or free rental bikes. 

According to Tagesspiegel, already half of the 12,3 million tourists who visit Berlin each year arrive by train. With daytime and night train services being expanded across Europe, these figures are only expected to increase in the coming years.

Berlin plan would be modelled on existing Copenhagen scheme

The new system would be modelled on an existing scheme in Copenhagen, and according to Wendt, visitBerlin is already in close contact with its Danish counterpart.“CopenPay” was first piloted in summer 2024, allowing tourists who arrived by train to use public transport or rental bikes for free.

This summer, between June 17 and August 17, CopenPay will run properly for the first time. Tourists who arrive by train and stay in the city for four days or more will be able to take advantage of the scheme.

In 2025, visitors will also be offered yoga classes and free tickets for sights and attractions. The city has dubbed the scheme an antidote to budget airline city breaks, and hopes it will encourage tourists to plan longer, more conscious visits.