Quito Mayor confirms launch of expanded QuitoBici bike‑share system

The Quito municipal government began a test phase for the new QuitoBici bike‑share service on 28‑29 July, ahead of its official inauguration next week. The system will operate 250 bicycles at 25 stations along a 40‑kilometre corridor from Quitumbe to La Ofelia, integrating with the city’s broader mobility network.

A public‑procurement contract signed on 27 November 2025 valued at US$5.55 million (plus VAT) covers the four‑year deployment, operation, maintenance, stations, anchorage points and technology for the 250 bicycles. Social‑media claims that each bike cost US$22,000 were deemed misleading; the contract amount is for the whole package, not per‑bike purchase.

Mayor Pabel Muñoz stressed that dividing the total contract value by the number of bicycles is a “gross error” and highlighted that the service includes real‑time GPS tracking, electronic locks and a mobile‑app registration via the Cuenta Ciudad platform. Users must create a Cuenta Ciudad account to access QuitoBici, with rides limited to 60 minutes and unlimited trips per day.