Santander Cycles: how to hire a bike in London and what it costs

A single Santander Cycles ride costs £1.65 for the first 30 minutes on a standard pedal bike, or £3 on an e-bike. A Day Pass starts at £3.50 and allows as many rides as needed over 24 hours, each lasting up to 60 minutes. Bikes can be hired through the Santander Cycles app or at a docking station terminal. Members can also use a membership key.

Santander Cycles prices

The scheme has more than 12,000 bikes at around 800 docking stations across inner and central London. One bike in six is an e-bike, and e-bikes cost more to ride.

• Single ride: £1.65 on a pedal bike covers the first 30 minutes, and each further 30 minutes adds another £1.65. An e-bike costs £3 for the first half hour and £3 for every half hour after that.
• Day Pass: starts at £3.50 and allows any number of rides over 24 hours, each up to 60 minutes. Going past 60 minutes costs £1.65 per extra hour. On an e-bike each journey is £1 more, and each extra hour is £3.
• Monthly Pass: starts at £20 and covers any number of rides of up to an hour each.
• Annual Pass: starts at £120 a year on the same terms.

Riders can keep a bike for as long as 24 hours if they pay the extra ride charges. A bike that is not returned within 24 hours, or comes back damaged, can cost up to £300.

How to hire a Santander Cycle

With the app

The Santander Cycles app avoids queuing at the docking station terminal. Choose a docking station and tap ‘Hire now’, and the release code arrives on the phone. E-bikes carry a small lightning symbol in the app.

The app shows live availability at each docking station, for e-bikes as well as pedal bikes. Free docking spaces are shown too. Past hires are listed with what each one cost and how far it went. Favourite docking stations can be saved for quick access.

At a docking station terminal

The touch screen terminal lets riders turn up and go. Select ‘Hire a cycle’ and follow the instructions on screen, which end with a printed release code. Payment is by debit or credit card. A contactless phone or watch also works. Up to four bikes can be hired at once. The terminal sells only single rides and Day Passes for standard pedal bikes, so e-bikes cannot be hired there.

With a membership key

A membership key costs £3 and is ordered by phoning 0343 222 6666 (call charges may apply). After registering it in the online account, put it into the docking point beside any bike without a red light to release it. The key works at every docking station.

QR code stickers have started to appear on some bikes. TfL says QR code hiring is on the way, but the stickers are not active yet.

Riding and returning the bike

Before setting off, look over the tyres and make sure the brakes work. The bell should work too. Enter the release code on the keypad at the docking point. When the light turns green, the bike can be taken out. Then set the saddle to the right height. The lights switch on by themselves when the pedals start turning. On an e-bike, pedal assist starts as soon as the rider pedals and helps up to 25kph.

To end a ride, push the bike firmly into any empty docking point and wait for the green light. Until it appears, the bike is not securely docked and the journey is still being charged. With no green light, call 0343 222 6666.

At a full docking station, the terminal’s ‘No docking point free’ option gives on-screen directions and 15 extra minutes. The ‘Status of nearest docking station’ option on the same terminal shows where space is free.

A bike that is unsafe to ride can be reported with the ‘Fault’ button on the docking point, which has to be pressed no more than 10 seconds after the bike goes in. Turning the saddle to face backwards tells other riders it needs repairing.

Santander Cycles discounts

• Students and graduates: 25% off, which brings the Annual Pass down to £90 and the Monthly Pass to £15. Codes come through Student Beans or Grad Beans. For students, e-bikes and rides longer than 60 minutes still cost extra.
• NHS staff: a £10 Monthly Pass, or the Annual Pass at half price for £60. Email enquiries@santandercycles.tfl.gov.uk from an NHS address to be sent a promo code.
• Healthcare staff, care workers, charity workers and teachers: 50% off the Annual Pass and 25% off the Monthly Pass, claimed through each sector’s partner website.
• Concessions: half price on the £20 monthly or £120 annual subscription for holders of cards such as the Freedom Pass and the 60+ London Oyster card. Apply through the Santander Cycles contact form, giving the 12-digit number printed on the back of the card, and ask for either a monthly or an annual promo code. Freedom Pass holders also send photos of both sides of the pass.
• Cycle to work: the £120 Annual Pass can cost 28% to 47% less, paid over 12 months, through CycleSaver, Cyclescheme, Green Commute Initiative or DASH rides. The employer has to sign up first.

Santander Cycles customer service

Santander Cycles can be reached on 0343 222 6666 from 7am to 8pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 7pm at weekends. There is also an online form. The postal address is 5 Endeavour Square, London E20 1JN, marked for TfL Customer Services on the 9th Floor.

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked against these official pages on 18 September 2026. Fares, times and rules can change, so check them before you travel.

• Santander Cycles (tfl.gov.uk)
• What you pay (tfl.gov.uk)
• Santander Cycles app (tfl.gov.uk)
• Rent a bike (tfl.gov.uk)
• Santander Cycles offers & discounts (tfl.gov.uk)