River in Copenhagen

Exploring ways to be the World’s Best City for Cyclists

About Copenhagen

Copenhagen logo

Copenhagen is Denmark's biggest city and its capital, as well as a renowned cycling city. Currently, 600,000 people live within the municipal borders, whilst 1.8m people live in the Capital Region of Denmark. Copenhagen is well-known for its high quality of life and vibrant and liveable urban environment, whilst it also excels in combining sustainable solutions with economic growth. Ambitious political goals to become the world’s best cycling city are now bearing fruit. In 2018, 49% of journeys were made by bike, with more bikes than cars counted crossing the city centre. By 2025, Copenhagen aims for cycling to have a 50% modal share for trips related to work and education and to become the world's first carbon neutral capital.

Main cycling challenges

Increasing urbanisation and population growth are putting pressure on urban spaces. With bicycle traffic rising continually, several bicycle lanes are congested during rush hour and bicycle parking is insufficient in the inner city and at many stations. Furthermore, the introduction of privately owned and free-floating vehicles like electrical scooters and speed pedelecs has disrupted traditional cycling planning and regulation. There is currently little knowledge of the potential risks and rewards linked to these new micromobility solutions.

Statistics

Population icon
613,319 Population
Amount of cyclists icon
41.9k/day Amount of cyclists
(on busiest route)
Car ownership rate icon
247 Car ownership rate
(cars per 1000 residents)
City area<
90 km² City area
Length of cycle network icon
412 km Length of cycle network
Copenhagen Bridge

Timeline

Cycling solutions

As a Cycling Capital, Copenhagen has expertise in a wide range of cycling solutions. Its activities focus on smarter cycling management solutions. Copenhagen will mentor several cities in Handshake and provide knowledge and good practice for others to learn from.

Copenhagen

Contact

Henrik Lundorff Kristensen

City of Copenhagen
The Technical and Environmental Administration
Mobility
Njalsgade 13
Postbox 348
2300 Copenhagen
Denmark

mobilitet [at] tmf.kk.dk

+45 33663366

More Copenhagen updates

Copenhagen online media

This project has received funding from the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement no 769177.

The sole responsibility for the content of this website lies with the CIVITAS Handshake project and in no way reflects the views of the European Commission.