From January 2026, shared e-scooters will be banned in Prague. The city is responding to chaotic parking and reckless riding in the Old Town. In future, only bicycles and e-bikes will be allowed in sharing schemes.
At the start of the new year, a ban on the operation of shared electric scooters will come into force in Prague. The city administration is reacting to e-scooters that were often left on pavements or ridden recklessly through the Old Town. Tourists frequently used them as a leisure attraction rather than a means of transport – much to the annoyance of residents and pedestrians.
The operator Lime, which provides electric scooters in Prague, is prepared for the ban. Speaking to irozhlas.cz, CEO Václav Petr said that the city is following a restrictive approach that is not in line with the European trend. “In the spring, we introduced new e-bikes to the people of Prague, which were very well received. Our scooters will now be moved to cities such as London, Rome or Athens, where they operate alongside rental bicycles.”
Parking rules apply only to rental bicycles and e-bikes
In future, only bicycles and e-bikes will be allowed in sharing schemes. These vehicles may only be left in specially designated zones – so-called “parking islands.”
“We are introducing clear rules to free public space from uncontrolled e-scooter parking. In the city centre, they were often used more as a tourist attraction than as a means of transport and caused chaos on pavements and in pedestrian zones,” said Zdeněk Hřib, Deputy Mayor of Prague responsible for transport, in October when the ban was announced.
The citizens of Prague’s first district had already voted in a referendum in favour of banning shared e-scooters. Central districts in particular have long pushed for restrictions, as the vehicles are primarily used by tourists. In Nerudova Street in Prague’s Old Town, a ban on riding e-scooters has already been in place since mid-August.
