Capital Bikeshare is increasing prices
Capital Bikeshare is raising its prices on bike rentals on Aug. 1.
Annual memberships will increase from $95 to $120 a year. The price of a 30-day pass will rise from $20 to $25. Day passes will increase from $8 to $10.
Capital Bikeshare is raising the fees for e-bikes for members from 10 cents to 15 cents per minute.
Non-members will see the price of a single ride on a classic bike increase from 5 cents to 15 cents per minute. The per-minute price for e-bikes for non-members will go from 15 to 35 cents. Non-members will be charged $3 to park e-bikes outside of a station.
Related story: More details emerge on Capital Bikeshare expansion
After Aug. 1, Capital Bikeshare says a 15-minute ride on a classic bike for non-members will rise from $1.75 to $3.25, including $1 to unlock a bike and 15 cents per minute.
A 15-minute ride on a classic bike for members will be free; there will be no charge to unlock a bike, and there is no per-minute charge for rides up to 45 minutes.
A 15-minute ride on an e-bike for non-members will rise from $3.25 to $6.25, including $1 to unlock and 35 cents per minute.
For members, a 15-minute e-bike ride will increase from $1.50 to $2.25, including 15 cents per minute. There is no unlock fee for members for e-bikes.
According to Capital Bikeshare, the price increases are necessary to handle increased growth.
“Capital Bikeshare has experienced unprecedented ridership, setting new monthly records from May to October 2024, including an all-time high of 725,346 trips in October,” Capital Bikeshare says. “This incredible growth continued into 2025, with a new single-day ridership record of 35,569 trips during the Cherry Blossom Festival.”
“This increased ridership means more and more of you are choosing Capital Bikeshare as your preferred way to get around,” the company says. “However, this growth also brings significant operational and management costs.”
Capital Bikeshare is holding a virtual information session on the pricing update on July 16 at 7 p.m. Access the meeting here.
“This increased ridership means more and more of you are choosing Capital Bikeshare as your preferred way to get around,” the company says. “However, this growth also brings significant operational and management costs.”
This logic inverts the principle of economies of scale.