Such a facility can be as simple as a lockable bike cage or shed or as complex as a purpose-built multi-level building: the common purpose is that they provide secure bicycle parking.
Some are based at railway stations to facilitate "bike and ride" multi-modal transport, while others are situated at the end of the commute and as such are located in town or city centres, universities, and workplaces.
Advanced bicycle parking station provide protection from weather, thieves and vandalism not only for the vehicle but also for the helmets and other personal belongings.
Automatic bike parking stations exist in many forms, such as underground silos using automated storage and retrieval system.
There may also be information available, such as pamphlets/brochures for bicycle safety, maps and other literature ,e.g. about cycling routes or nearby points of interest.