Media Information, 23 January 2026
Düsseldorf introduces “Düsselbike” bike system
Donkey Republic takes over operations / Connected Mobility Düsseldorf controls system / ERGO supports as main sponsor
This summer, the state capital is launching the new municipal bike system, “Düsselbike”. The 2,500 white hire bikes – 8 gears, front basket with 12-litre capacity, mobile phone holder, 26-inch wheels – from the provider Donkey Republic are sponsored by the ERGO Group and can in future be conveniently hired via an app.
With the introduction this summer of 2,500 hire bikes – our Düsselbikes – we want to make it even easier for people in Düsseldorf, but also for visitors to our city, to be mobile in the state capital in a simple, flexible and environmentally friendly way. From today, people can already help shape a small piece of Düsselbike by suggesting a first name for one of the 2,500 bikes which will in future be attached to the bikes.
Name suggestions for the bikes will be submitted up to and including Friday, 6 March, via the website www.cmd.nrw/duesselbike.
After a Europe-wide tendering procedure was successfully completed in December 2025, Connected Mobility Düsseldorf (CMD) was able to award the contract for the next five years on behalf of the city to the Danish company Donkey Republic, an experienced partner for bike-sharing systems in numerous European cities such as Copenhagen, Barcelona and Amsterdam.
We are delighted to support urban and climate-friendly mobility in Düsseldorf as a strong partner and thus also strengthen our position on the German market.
The insurance company ERGO, which has its headquarters in Düsseldorf, is the main sponsor of this municipal project.
As a company rooted in Düsseldorf, we support environmentally friendly and health-promoting mobility with our commitment and thus contribute to further improving the quality of life in our city.
Urban bikes have already established themselves as a modern and efficient solution to the challenges of urban transport in many European metropolises. In future, they will be a new fixture in the urban mobility mix and make Düsseldorf even more bicycle-friendly.
System setup and digital management
Preparations are currently underway for the system launch. CMD is responsible for setting up the necessary infrastructure and coordinating operations with Donkey Republic. The total of 2,500 bikes will be rolled out in three stages.
When the system launches on 1 July 2026, 500 hire bikes will be available at 20 stations in city districts 1-4 (Altstadt, Carlstadt, Stadtmitte, Pempelfort, Derendorf, Golzheim, Flingern-Nord, Flingern-Süd, Düsseltal, Oberbilk, Unterbilk, Bilk, Friedrichstadt, Hafen, Hamm, Flehe, Volmerswerth, Oberkassel, Heerdt, Lörick, Niederkassel).
From the second stage, all city districts will be served with hire bikes, and the outer districts will also be given greater consideration. This means 1,000 hire bikes at 40 stations on 1 August and a further 1,000 at 40 stations on 1 September. The Düsselbikes can be hired and returned both at specially constructed city bike stations with bracket systems and at the sharing stations already available. In future, around 400 stations in all will be available for the Düsselbikes. The digital control of the bikes should ensure a smooth process.
Our goal is a modern bike system that guarantees high availability through data-based location finding and AI-supported rebalancing strategies.
In addition to people in Düsseldorf, the target group of the municipal bike system also includes commuters, students and tourists. The hire bikes will be available throughout the city at strategically planned locations, such as public transport hubs, residential neighbourhoods or other places of public interest. There will also be cooperation locations at large companies, universities and hotels. The comprehensive network of stations and seamless connections to the outer districts provide targeted support for public transport and successfully close the first and last mile.
Outlook
The necessary infrastructure, some of which is already in place with over 270 sharing stations, will be further expanded before the launch in July. Preparations for operation and marketing are also underway. This includes, for example, the development of a pricing system. Pricing integration into the Rheinbahn system is planned. The hire bikes can be booked via the Donkey Republic app. More details will follow before the system launch.
Further information on the planned bike system in the state capital Düsseldorf is available on the following website: www.cmd.nrw.
Further information
This media information contains forward-looking statements that are based on current assumptions and forecasts of the management of ERGO Group. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the forward-looking statements given here and the actual development, in particular the results, financial situation and performance of our Company. The Company assumes no liability to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.