Rotterdam’s streets are alive with a growing fleet of shared electric vehicles that give residents and visitors a practical alternative to owning a car. From nimble e-scooters to long-tail cargo bikes, shared mobility has become part of everyday life in the city.
Below is an overview of the main options available today and how the rules around them work.
Electric scooters
Rotterdam’s shared scooter scene is dominated by two providers: Check and Felyx.
Both companies operate electric mopeds in two familiar Dutch categories:
- Up to 25 km/h, blue licence plate (snorfiets)
These scooters are limited to 25 km/h and normally use the cycle path. They carry a blue licence plate. - Up to 45 km/h, yellow licence plate (bromfiets)
These vehicles can reach 45 km/h and are required to use the roadway with general traffic, except where a separate bromfietspad is indicated.
In all cases, wearing a helmet is mandatory for both riders and passengers, following the nationwide helmet obligation introduced for mopeds and scooters.
Both Check and Felyx work through their own apps. After a one-time registration with ID and driving licence details, you can locate a scooter on the in-app map, reserve it, unlock it and pay by the minute. Their service areas cover most of Rotterdam and extend into neighbouring municipalities such as Schiedam and parts of the wider metropolitan region.
Felyx has scaled back operations in a number of smaller Dutch cities, but Rotterdam remains one of its core markets, alongside Amsterdam and Eindhoven.
Electric bicycles
Since early 2025 Rotterdam’s shared bike market has been reshaped by a new set of long-term permits. Today, two operators dominate:
- Lime – shared e-bikes
- Felyx – “blue” shared e-bikes, alongside its scooters
Lime holds a permit to operate up to 1,650 electric bikes in Rotterdam under a five-year licence that started on 5 February 2025. Its bright green e-bikes are dockless. You unlock them via the Lime app or through certain journey planner apps, ride with pedal assistance up to around 25 km/h, and pay per minute, sometimes with day passes or discounts through partner apps.
In early 2025, Felyx began rolling out its blue e-bikes in Rotterdam, using the same app and account as its scooters. The company now advertises more than a thousand e-bikes in the city, positioning them as a quick way to cover medium-length trips without the need for a scooter licence.
For occasional riders, the benefit is convenience: anyone already using the Felyx scooter app can switch to a bike without creating a second account.
Electric bicycles: Lime available in Rotterdam
Electric bicycles: Felyx available in Rotterdam
Electric cargo bikes
If you want to move children, pets or bulky shopping without using a car, Rotterdam has one main shared cargo bike option: BAQME.
BAQME operates a fleet of electric cargo bikes with a front box suitable for children, goods or even a large dog. Riders unlock them through the BAQME app and pay per minute or via discount passes.
Key points:
- BAQME launched in Rotterdam in 2021 and now runs several hundred electric cargo bikes across multiple Dutch cities.
- In August 2025 its permit in Rotterdam was extended until 2030, and it is currently the city’s only licensed shared cargo bike provider, after rivals such as Cargoroo withdrew.
- In Rotterdam, the bikes can be parked within designated zones shown in the app and at a growing number of official transport hubs.
Seats, belts and box design make these bikes suitable for family use, while small businesses use them for local deliveries.
City regulations
Rotterdam treats shared mobility as part of its transport system, not just a commercial add-on.
Permits and caps
- In October 2024 the city awarded new five year permits for shared scooters and bikes, taking effect from 5 February 2025.
- Under these permits and associated policy, Rotterdam aims for roughly:
- 3,000 shared scooters
- 3,000 shared bikes and e-bikes
- 750 shared cargo bikes
Operators are assessed on reliability, maintenance, complaint handling and their plans to limit nuisance.
Parking and hubs
Complaints about scooters and bikes blocking pavements prompted stricter rules:
- Shared vehicles may stand still only for a limited time before they must be moved.
- Parking on the pavement is only allowed where sufficient space is left for pedestrians, wheelchair users and prams to pass.
- Rotterdam is rolling out more than 200 transport hubs, many on the pavement or in car parking bays, where e-bikes, e-scooters and cargo bikes can be parked within a short walk of most homes.
The same regulations apply around major events, where customised service areas can be drawn to prevent vehicles piling up at entrances.
Future outlook
Rotterdam’s shared mobility market has moved from a crowded free-for-all to a curated system with a small number of long-term operators. GO Sharing has left the city, Donkey Republic has lost its place, and the remaining providers are under pressure to prove that they reduce traffic rather than simply move it around.
Yet, the direction of travel is clear:
- The city continues to integrate shared mobility into public transport apps and physical hubs, including at Rotterdam The Hague Airport.
- New permit rounds are being prepared for additional e-bikes and cargo bikes, which could open the door to more operators if they meet stricter quality and parking standards.
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