TEHRAN – Some 13,000 bike riders used the metro since last year on the Iranian calendar month of Azar (November 22 to December 21, 2018), according to Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway Operation Company.

Taking bikes on trains is allowed at Tehran’s subway during off-peak hours on weekdays.

Peak hours for subways are from 6:30 am till 9:30 am and between 4 pm and 7 pm on weekdays. There are no peak hours on weekends.

During the first month of summer (June 22-July 22), 2,277 bike riders took a trip on metro and a month later the number increased to 2,681.

While, some 2,402 bike riders used metro over the last month of summer, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

The number of cyclists raised to 7,370 during the summer compared to the first three months of this year which was reported 4,298.

Launching the scheme, cyclists will also able to use the subway, while ordinary bikes are only allowed to enter wagons marked with labels on the train since past 8 months.

During non-peak hours, bikes are allowed in metro as long as they can be folded and stored in luggage racks, while ordinary bikes can enter the trains only on weekends and holidays.

Mohsen Pourseyyed Aqaei, deputy mayor of Tehran for traffic and transport affairs, said in June that the national document on bike transport development proposed lately will increase cycling transport to 3.5 percent in the capital.

FB/MG