Viking Line is the main sponsor for Turku’s new city bikes
The launch of rental city bikes in Turku, on 1 May, allows passengers to travel with Viking Line all year in both the archipelago and the centre of Turku. Viking Line is now a co-operative partner for the Turku city bikes (known as Föli-fillarit in Finnish).
Starting on the 1st of May, Viking Line will be highly visible in the Turku cityscape, even outside the Port, since we are the main sponsor for the new city bikes in Turku.
Turku has 34 bike stations with a total of 300 city bikes that enable people to move around the city easily and ecologically throughout the year.
The decision to sponsor city bikes fits perfectly with Viking Line’s long-term environmental work. Cycling is environmentally-friendly and a natural part of our Green Actions ideology. As a shipping company, Viking Line’s commitment to green values has been manifested in e.g. minimised carbon dioxide emissions and co-operative efforts to benefit the Baltic Sea. As for Turku, the city aims to be a carbon neutral city by 2040, and the city bikes play a significant role in helping to realise this aim.
“We wanted to be part of the city bike project, since green values are important to us and providing the ability to cycle around the city supports these values,” states Riikka Arola, Regional Manager at Viking Line.
The city bike system is comprised of rental bikes and bike stations, which serve as the pick-up and drop-off points for the bikes. The bikes are intended for short-term use in the city centre. The addition of the city bikes improves the services provided by Turku’s public transportation company, Föli, as well as making them even greener. A city bike can be rented for different lengths of time. For example, you can rent a bike for one day at a cost of 5 euro or for the entire year for 40 euro.
The outdoor advertising company providing the digital advertising connected with the bikes and bike stations is Clear Channel Suomi Oy, which is partly responsible for the acquisition of private funding for the city bike service.
“For Viking Line, this collaboration signifies a long-term and impressive way to be a positive and environmentally-friendly part of the everyday cityscape in Turku,” says Lassi Tolonen, Development and Product Director at Clear Channel.
The introduction of the system has sparked interest and enthusiasm among Turku residents. Although Turku was already known for its developing bike accessibility, the new city bikes will take the cycling possibilities one step further.
“A total of 90% of Turku residents live within a 30-minute cycling distance from the city centre. Turku has the means to develop into a cycling city like Copenhagen,” envisions Stella Aaltonen, Project Manager of the city bike project.
Christa Grönlund
Communications Manager, Marketing Communications
358 9 123 5242 christa.gronlund@vikingline.com
Johanna Boijer-Svahnström
Vice President, Corporate Communications
358 18 270 00 johanna.boijer@vikingline.com
Viking Line is a public limited company and a market-leading brand in passenger traffic on the northern Baltic Sea. It offers passenger services, recreation and cargo carrier services on the vessels Gabriella, Mariella, Amorella, Rosella, Viking Cinderella, Viking XPRS and on the flagship Viking Grace.
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