# Ecobici Mexico City!



## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

I walked around Reforma and Hamburgo recently trying to register for an ecobici but none of the machines were able to register new users. I was confused at any rate, by how the machines would dispense the card I would need to rent a bike.

Is there anyone who uses this program who can advise me on how to sign up? How would I get the card? I see there are offices you can go to? Are they able to provide non-Mexican bike sharers with cards the same day they apply?

All feedback on the bike sharing experience with them appreciated!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

MissThing said:


> I walked around Reforma and Hamburgo recently trying to register for an ecobici but none of the machines were able to register new users. I was confused at any rate, by how the machines would dispense the card I would need to rent a bike.
> 
> Is there anyone who uses this program who can advise me on how to sign up? How would I get the card? I see there are offices you can go to? Are they able to provide non-Mexican bike sharers with cards the same day they apply?
> 
> All feedback on the bike sharing experience with them appreciated!


I don't know about EcoBici in Mexico City, but I have used MiBici in Guadalajara. I don't know if it is the same company. For what it is worth, I signed up in their office. I paid with a debit card ($365 mxn/year) and they put the debit card in their records for any overcharges I might incur. Here you get 30 minutes each use included in the annual fee. After 30 minutes there can be additional charges. If I need more than 30 minutes I just check it in and out again. They gave me the key fob that you need to use the system immediately.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

https://www.ecobici.df.gob.mx/sites/all/themes/ecobici/files/contrato_short_es.pdf

You need a Mexican national credit card. ID for legal resident of Mexico and leave a frozen deposit of $5,000 pesos on your credit card and pay $300 pesos for 1, 3 or 7 days registration and $400 pesos for 1 years to use the service. No tourists.


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## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

I think Ecobici is open to anyone with a passport and credit card now. I'm going to the office today. I'll find out, Thanks everyone for your feedback!!


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## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

Okay, customer service at Ecobici office near San Cosme said I needed a Mexican credit card or permanent residence to rent a bike for more than 7 days. Oh well, will buy a bike or something I guess...lol...


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## Chelloveck (Sep 21, 2013)

MissThing said:


> Okay, customer service at Ecobici office near San Cosme said I needed a Mexican credit card or permanent residence to rent a bike for more than 7 days. Oh well, will buy a bike or something I guess...lol...


You could also open a BBVA Bancomer Cuenta Express account if you need a Mexican debit card.


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## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

Well, I'm on a 180 day tourist card and have been to a few banks where I've been turned away without proof I'm a permanent resident, so I'm burnt out on trying to do things as a tourist.

The government here wants Americans who want to live here do so legitimately, which is understandable. I just can't meet any of the criteria yet to do much more than what I'm doing...need to decide how to make myself more able to be here on less of a tentative basis I guess...


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## Chelloveck (Sep 21, 2013)

MissThing said:


> Well, I'm on a 180 day tourist card and have been to a few banks where I've been turned away without proof I'm a permanent resident, so I'm burnt out on trying to do things as a tourist.


The Bancomer Cuenta Express account does not require any proof of residency, or even proof of your address. Show them your passport and deposit a minimum of $100 pesos.

It's merely a convenience account. They only allow a maximum of $16,000 pesos per month in deposits to the account anyway. So, it's not a full-range bank account, but it will get you a Mexican debit card if you feel you need one to take advantage of services such as EcoBici.


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## MissThing (Nov 12, 2015)

There's a Bancomer near me. Maybe I'll go over and check it out. Thanks for the tip!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

MissThing said:


> There's a Bancomer near me. Maybe I'll go over and check it out. Thanks for the tip!


Be sure to let us know how it goes.


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## jchock3 (Sep 22, 2016)

Chelloveck said:


> The Bancomer Cuenta Express account does not require any proof of residency, or even proof of your address. Show them your passport and deposit a minimum of $100 pesos.
> 
> It's merely a convenience account. They only allow a maximum of $16,000 pesos per month in deposits to the account anyway. So, it's not a full-range bank account, but it will get you a Mexican debit card if you feel you need one to take advantage of services such as EcoBici.


We were in Mexico City for a month, so wanted to get the annual Ecobici pass. We went to one BBVA Bancomer, mentioned the Express account, and they insisted we needed to provide proof of residency. Not deterred, we went to the BBVA Bancomer (Coahuila 216, Roma, Roma Sur, 06700 Ciudad de México, D.F.) around the corner from the Ecobici office in Roma Sur (Campeche 175, Cuauhtémoc, Roma Sur, 06760 Ciudad de México, D.F.). They did request an address and local phone number (which we had) when setting up the account, but didn't require any proof of residency, only a passport. We deposited 500 pesos, they gave us the debit card on the spot, we walked around the corner (with a copy of our passport) and got our annual card for Ecobici. 

The BBVA Bancomer Express debit card came in handy another time when trying to reload data on our Telcel sim cards (US credit/debit cards didn't work online for us)


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