German railway rents bikes to commuters

Germany's rail system has extended a bike rental program to the nation's capital to help commuters shave time off their daily train commutes, reported the Associated Press. Deutsche Bahn, Germany's railway operator, deployed more than 1,200 bicycles around Berlin last week, and plans to distribute 800 more by the end of the month. The program, Call-a-Bike, began two years ago in Munich, where 1,100 bicycles are currently on the streets, said the news service. To use the bikes, which may be picked up at stations, random street corners, or wherever previous riders may have left them, riders must first register a credit card or bank account number with the railway. Registered customers then call a number on the bicycle's lock to get a code to unlock the bike. Use of the bicycle is 5 cents a minute, and does not exceed $15 for a full day, said the news service.