Best E-Scooter Cities in 2026
Let me be honest with you.
I’ve read a dozen “best scooter cities” lists that feel like they were written by a press release generator. Perfect paragraphs. Zero personality. And you can never tell if the author has ever actually ridden in those places.
So this year, OOTD asked me to do something different. No corporate fluff. No AI‑friendly symmetrical structure. Just a real look at the cities where riding an e‑scooter actually works – based on what I’ve seen, what riders tell us, and a few hard numbers where they matter.
Here’s the 2026 Global Ride Index. Unpolished. Unbothered. And hopefully useful.
5 Cities That Genuinely Don’t Hate E‑Scooters
I’m not going to rank them 1 to 5 with fancy medals. Instead, here’s who’s doing it right, and why a real rider would enjoy them.
Berlin, Germany – Big, Chaotic, and Somehow Functional
Berlin surprised me. Not because it’s perfect – it’s not. You’ll still find scooters parked like junk near some U‑Bahn exits. But the city made a choice during the pandemic: turn pop‑up bike lanes into permanent ones. And they actually did it.
Today, those wide lanes clearly allow e‑scooters. You’re not constantly fighting for space with cars or angry pedestrians. According to the city’s own data, Berlin recorded something like 12 million e‑scooter trips per year – more than any other European city. Half of the users? Students. Which explains why the vibe is less “corporate commute” and more “late‑night currywurst run”.
From an OOTD rider’s perspective, Berlin loves the T10. Big tires handle the occasional cobblestone, and the range is enough to cross the city without range anxiety.
One real downside: Parking can still be a free‑for‑all. The city is working on 3,000 designated parking spots, but that’s not done yet.
Vienna, Austria – The One With Actual Rules (That Make Sense)
I know, I know – “good regulation” sounds boring. But after you’ve ridden in a city with no rules, you start appreciating Vienna.
Austria updated its traffic laws in May 2026. Now e‑scooters have clear rules: no passengers, under‑16s must wear helmets, you need a bell and indicators. That doesn’t sound exciting, but it means everyone knows where they stand. Police won’t randomly fine you. Drivers don’t look at you like an alien.
Vienna also banned e‑mopeds from bike paths – sounds small, but it frees up space for actual scooters and bikes.
Riders here tend to be professionals using scooters for the last mile from U‑Bahn stations. Our S30 does really well in Vienna: enough power for the hills, and the 60km range means you don’t have to charge every single night.
What’s not great: It’s not a “fun” riding city. Vienna is orderly. If you want chaos and freedom, go to Berlin.
Paris, France – The Comeback Story Nobody Saw Coming
Remember when Paris banned shared e‑scooters in 2023? Everyone wrote obituaries. But here’s what the headlines missed: private e‑scooter ownership exploded.
People still wanted to ride. They just didn’t want the rental clutter on sidewalks. And Paris quietly built something better – the Réseau Express Vélo (REV), a network of car‑free micro‑mobility highways. You can now cross large parts of Paris on segregated lanes that feel almost Dutch.
Yes, you still see the occasional scooter thrown against a lamppost. No, it’s not perfect. But for a private rider who owns their scooter (like most OOTD customers), Paris is genuinely good now.
The S10 is the unsung hero here. It’s sleek, folds easily, and doesn’t scream “rental”. Parisians care about aesthetics – and the S10 fits right in.
Honest warning: Don’t ride like an idiot. The city has zero patience for sidewalk speeding. Stay in the lanes and you’re fine.
Portland, Oregon – The North American Underdog
I’ll admit – I didn’t expect Portland to make this list. But their numbers are weirdly impressive.
In the first year of their scooter program, an estimated 60% of scooter trips replaced car rides. That’s huge. Most cities see scooters cannibalize walking or transit. Portland actually got people out of cars.
How? They capped fleet sizes (no scooter floods), banned sidewalk riding, created mandatory helmet zones near downtown, and offered income‑based subsidies. It sounds simple, but almost no US city has done all of it right.
Portland is also compact, bike‑friendly, and full of eco‑conscious people who don’t need to be convinced that scooters are okay.
OOTD’s T10 is the top seller here. The hills in Portland are real – you need torque. And the bigger tires help on rainy pavement (which is… frequent).
Downside? It rains. A lot. Bring a good jacket.
Vilnius, Lithuania – The Dark Horse Nobody Talks About
Okay, this one is personal. Vilnius was ranked #1 in Europe for sharing economy openness in 2025 by the Consumer Choice Center. But that’s just a trophy. What actually matters: the city is small (600k people), word of mouth still works, and owning a car is genuinely optional for many residents.
I talked to a local OOTD rider who said: “I sold my car two years ago. Between my scooter, a car‑share app, and a train, I don’t miss it.”
Vilnius doesn’t have the fancy infrastructure of Paris or Berlin. But it has trust. People don’t vandalize shared scooters as often. The city didn’t over‑regulate out of fear. And the old town – a UNESCO site – is surprisingly scooter‑friendly if you ride slowly and respectfully.
Our S30 shines here because of the 60km range. You can ride from the city center out to the regional parks and still come back without hunting for a plug.
What’s missing? Dedicated scooter lanes. You’re sharing with bikes and sometimes cars. Not for beginners.
Honorable Mentions (Because They Deserve a Nod)
- Stockholm, Sweden – Boringly competent. Great data sharing, seamless multimodal trips. But expensive.
- Barcelona, Spain – They force you to park in virtual zones (GPS‑defined spots). Annoying at first, but sidewalks stay clean.
- Amsterdam, Netherlands – Obviously great for biking, but e‑scooters are still legally a bit weird there. Worth watching.
- Hangzhou, China – Once had over 800,000 shared bikes. The appetite is huge, but regulation is messy.
What Actually Makes a City Good for E‑Scooters?
After writing this, I realized it’s not one thing. It’s five:
- Real bike lanes – Not painted gutters. Segregated paths.
- Parking that isn’t stupid – Virtual stations work. Free‑floating chaos doesn’t.
- Rules that are clear and enforced fairly – Vienna is the gold standard.
- Good transit integration – Let me ride to the station and fold my scooter.
- Culture – When locals don’t hate you for existing on a scooter, everything is easier.
Vilnius proves that even without perfect infrastructure, a welcoming culture goes a long way.
Where OOTD Riders Actually Ride the Most
We don’t publish raw sales data, but looking at aggregated activity (anonymized, obviously), here’s where our community is most active:
- Berlin + Rhine‑Ruhr – Dense, bike‑friendly, used to micro‑mobility
- Paris metro area – Private scooter boom after the shared ban
- Greater London – Our biggest English‑speaking market; folding models rule here
- Vienna & eastern Austria – Clean, regulated, high trust
- US Pacific Northwest (Portland–Seattle–Vancouver) – Eco‑conscious and hilly
Across all of them, the T10 is the most popular model. People want versatility more than top speed.
A Final Thought (Not a Conclusion)
No city is perfect. Every place on this list will frustrate you sometimes – bad pavement, confusing signs, the occasional angry driver.
But compared to five years ago? The world is slowly, painfully, getting better at hosting e‑scooters. The shift has gone from “tolerating” to “designing for them”. That’s real progress.
Will your city be on next year’s list? Maybe. It depends on whether your local government stops treating scooters as a nuisance and starts seeing them as… just another way to move.
Until then – ride where you’re welcome, fold it when you’re not, and don’t be the rider everyone hates.
What’s your scooter city?
Seriously – I want to know. Drop a comment or tag @OOTD. Your city might make the 2027 edition.
– Someone who actually rides to work
About OOTD (short version)
We make electric scooters for people who care how they move. Not just speed – style, durability, and a bit of personality. T10 for rough roads. S10 for the city. Your world, your ride.
FAQ – Short & Sharp
Q: Why isn’t London on the main list?
A: Huge ridership, but rental rules are still a mess and private ownership is legally gray in some boroughs. Infrastructure is improving, though.
Q: Does OOTD run shared scooters in any of these cities?
A: No. We’re a private ownership brand. Our riders buy their scooters.
Q: How often will you update this?
A: Once a year, maybe more if a city does something amazing or stupid.