On Your Bike!
Cycling is arguably the best way to get around Portsmouth. Being flat and compact, the city is easy to navigate on two wheels in no time at all - and without too much effort. What's more, with miles of designated cycleways available, there are plenty of safe and scenic routes to enjoy.
Portsmouth cycling routes
One of the city's best-known cycling routes is the Shipwrights Way, which reaches its end at the Historic Dockyard. This 50-mile route links some of Hampshire's prettiest villages as it stretches from Alice Holt Forest down through Bordon, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Staunton Country Park, Havant, Hayling Island and, finally, Portsmouth. The route was designed to reflect how timber was moved from the forest down into Portsmouth to build naval warships.
A gentler (and indeed, shorter) ride awaits those who want to stay within the city. There's the Seafront Cycle Ride, Langstone Harbour Cycle Ride and the Famous Figures Cycle Ride - among others.
For those just starting out on their cycling odyssey - or those who aren't quite so confident on city roads - there's a network of quieter routes designed to be suitable for all levels of ability. Take a look at the colour-coded routes on our Maps page.
If following a waymarked route doesn't appeal, you can always take a self-guided tour of the city, using the regular map or the Active Travel one.
Bike hire in Portsmouth
If you don't have a bike (or don't want to bring it with you), don't worry. There are plenty of places around the city where you can hire bikes by the day - at reasonable rates. The likes of Southsea Cycles, Portsmouth Cycle Exchange and Bike-u-Like are just some places offering hire services. These are also shops in their own rights with knowledgeable staff, so you can pick up any accessories you need, get a once-over on your bike, or ask general questions about cycling or the local area.
Voi Bikes
If you don't have your own bike, or would prefer to leave it at home, Portsmouth has the solution! The Voi Bike scheme lets you quickly and easily hire a bicycle or ebike, on a pay-as-you-ride basis. Simply download the app, find a bike bay and hop on. Then when you're done, drop it back off at a bay (or leave it in a safe place outside of a bay for a small charge). There are currently more than 360 bikes and ebikes available for hire from the 90+ bays dotted across the city.
The scheme has proved enormously popular and captured the attentions of locals and visitors alike - who travelled over 44,000km in total across just the first nine months. The city now has 4,108 active users, with many more visitors also taking up the offer.
As part of Voi's ongoing commitment to sustainable and inclusive transport, the cycle fleet also includes 40 Explorer Light 1 (EL1) e-bikes. With frame that are 25% lighter than the standard models, plus improved handling, these bikes are easier to transport and will support those who may find heavier models challenging to use.
Like other Voi e-bike models, EL1 bikes include onboard geofencing to detect slow and no-ride zones in the city. Their smaller wheels offer precise positioning, to help riders keep their balance.
The 40 EL1 bikes are evenly distributed across existing Voi racks throughout Portsmouth, ensuring widespread access for visitors.
The Voi website has more details on the bikes available and all the key information you need - including where to download the app.
Scooters
Voi also operates Portsmouth's fleet of e-scooters, offering visitors the chance to get around the city quickly and easily. Simply head to the website to register and you can be on your way in no time. Find out more on our Travel Information page.
Bringing your own scooter? Head to Southsea Skatepark or Pitt Street to show off your moves!
