They once seemed most at home on the bustling streets of Asian cities like Delhi, Bangkok and Kolkata but cycle-powered rickshaws can now be found ferrying folks across town in Berlin, London and Amsterdam.

Whether futuristic fiber-glass pods or wooden carriages, rickshaws are a good way to experience a city and help cut down on congestion, as more and more European cities seek to promote environment-friendly forms of transport.

In Berlin, one of the first European cities to adopt rickshaws, more than 200 bicycle taxis whiz at up to 15 km an hour through leafy Tiergarten park, past tourist attractions and through town squares.

“It is completely environment-friendly. We have new models with engines to help the drivers up hills but they use 100 per cent renewable energy,” said a spokeswoman for Velotaxi, Berlin’s biggest rickshaw company.

While the city is still home to around 7,000 car taxis, rickshaw companies say that their speed and green credentials mean their vehicles are more than just tourist transport.

While cycle rickshaws appear to be going out of fashion in India, Berlin has embraced pedal power since the launch of the first velotaxi fleet in 1997. “It’s better than the subway, better than a taxi, better than a bus because you feel free,” said Ulf Grotensoan, leaping out of a rickshaw near the Brandenburg Gate.

“This is something out of the ordinary —you would think you would get this on a holiday in Asia, not in Berlin - but you can.” In Amsterdam, driver Peter Jancso said many of his customers liked to be whisked away in his yellow rickshaw and compared the experience to Queen Beatrix’s, who travels in a golden carriage on occasions. “I like to make my passengers feel like the Queen,” he said.

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