Top 10 Bicycle Friendly Cities of the World

Climate change, the pollution of the world every day, the blows to natural life, and the increasing transportation costs have led people to search for alternatives. Many countries are adopting more environmentally friendly policies to counter climate change. In many countries, especially in the European Union countries, it is seen that motor vehicles have been replaced by environmentally and economically friendly bicycles.

Since the increasing traffic density is an important problem in almost every part of the world, it is thought that motor vehicle accumulation can be solved by turning to bicycles. In this context, new bicycle paths are constantly being opened, and the tendency to bicycle in intercity transportation is accelerating as much as in the city. Bike-friendly cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen stand out from other places in the world. Here are the 10 most bike-friendly cities in the world where cycling is a part of everyday life;

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1. New York, USA

Being one of the most popular cities in America and the whole world, New York is also known as a multifaceted city including an entertainment center, nightlife, crowded metropolitan life, numerous museums, and a cultural center. New York, where people of many religions and races live together, is a place that is always full of tourists and attracts a lot of attention. There is no need to mention that the traffic in this city, which has a population of 9 million, is quite heavy.

The number of cyclists is rapidly increasing in New York, where there is heavy traffic almost every hour of the day. You may think that it is very difficult to navigate in congested traffic by bicycle. However, the results of social studies show that New York is rapidly rising in the bike-friendly city rankings.

New York stands out as a bike-friendly city both in America and around the world. Thanks to some regulations made in the city, cyclists can travel safely. Facilities were provided for pedestrians and citizens traveling with non-motorized vehicles such as bicycles and scooters. For this purpose, some roads and streets were closed to vehicle traffic and allocated only to non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians.

In addition, by adding green painted lanes to the roads where vehicle traffic flows, bicycle paths have been allocated. In this way, it is known that a distance of 560 kilometers is gained to the bicycle path. Just as there are parking lots for motor vehicles in the city, many parking lots have been built for bicycles. There are almost 1000 bike stations in New York. Public cycling is constantly encouraged by the New York City Council, new cycling paths are opening, and efforts continue unabated to include cyclists in the traffic pattern.

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2. Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is such a bicycle-friendly city that we would not be exaggerating if we state that in recent years, it is about to overtake Amsterdam in worldwide social research. In Copenhagen, which is the number one in the world in cycling, we can say that almost more than half of the population is on bicycles. Here, it is possible to see people pedaling in all weather conditions, regardless of rain, heat, or snow.

Thanks to the bicycle, almost every point of the city can be reached. Copenhagen is one of the most ideal places to pedal, with many bridges and roads designed only for pedestrians and bicycles. The city administration is constantly seeking innovation and projects for more people to use bicycles. You can see a bicycle shop or office for renting bicycles in every corner of Copenhagen, which has a 480-kilometer-long bicycle path.

Like the Copenhageners who cycle to work or school every day, you can explore this city on a bike that you can rent. This city, where all types of bicycles, including electric and GPS, are available, is completely bike-friendly.

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3. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is a city that attracts thousands of tourists every year. This place is known as one of the 3 best cycling cities in the world. Standing out from other touristic centers in Europe with its canals, natural beauty, and cultural structure, Amsterdam is called the Venice of the North. It is known that there are more than 1500 bridges in this historic and beautiful city.

With its vibrant nightlife, delicious Dutch cuisine, drinking culture, and unique atmosphere, this European city is always uniquely beautiful. Thanks to the canals and lush parks that dominate the entire city, this is a place where people can relax and spend time in peace. We wouldn’t be wrong to say that Amsterdam is a bike-friendly city. In the European city where freedoms prevail, you can see people using bicycles almost as often as motor vehicles.

Amsterdam, where more than 1 million people live, is one of the most livable places in the world. Cycling is almost a lifestyle for the people living in this city. It is among the information that there are around 800 thousand bicycles throughout the city. While wandering around Amsterdam, you can see all kinds of people, young and old, on bicycles. The bicycle, which is considered among the basic means of transportation such as taxis or the metro, is an integral part of daily life here. For this reason, many points of the city are closed to vehicle traffic.

Each of the canals and streets that make up the city in Amsterdam, which has a 400-kilometer-long bicycle path, are connected by bicycle. When you come to this city, you can choose to rent a bicycle instead of public transportation. You can also enjoy touring the city by participating in bicycle guide tours. The most popular bicycle tour route is the Red Light District, Waterloo Area, Vondelpark, Makers Use, Leidseplein Square, and The Gooyer. You can have the most enjoyable holiday experience while traveling to this city by bike.

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4. Strasbourg, France

Although it has a very large surface area, we can say that Strasbourg is the most ideal city in France for cyclists. You can see many cyclists in daily life in this city similar to the Netherlands. In Strasbourg, which is built on a 530-kilometer bicycle road, bicycles are more preferred than public transport. When you come here, you can rent a bike for a fee of 5 Euros per day.

We would not be mistaken if we say that bicycle is the most convenient way of transportation in Strasbourg, which has 530 kilometers of bicycle path. Another feature that distinguishes this city from other similar ones is that it has its own bicycle rental system called Velhop. It is known that 4400 Velhop bikes are spread throughout the city. You can easily borrow the Velhop bike at the most suitable distance for your location via the application on the phone. After completing your transportation, you can hand over the bike to the most convenient stop by locking it with the key on it.

If you want to explore Strasbourg by bike, the best route for you is from Notre Dame de Strasbourg. Afterward, you can stop by La Petite France Region, Palais Rohan Palace, and Art Museum with your bike and finally go to the Jardin des Deux Rives and complete your city tour with pleasure.

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5. Münster, Germany

Münster is a city located within the borders of Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia state. In this bicycle-friendly city, 39% of all traffic flow is made up of businesses that use bicycles. As a result of the city administration’s continuous production of projects that support cycling and the construction of bicycle paths, according to the results of the research conducted in 2014, it is seen that the use of motor vehicles in traffic is abandoned at a rate of 29%.

It is possible to see people from all walks of life, including employees and students, on bicycles. When you come to this medieval city, which smells of history, you can make a discovery in peace and pleasure by using bicycles instead of public transportation.

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6. Utrecht, Netherlands

With a population of 300 thousand people, Utrecht is one of the most cycling places in the Netherlands. Holland’s 4th metropolitan city is quite suitable for exploring by bicycle. Located in the center of the country, this city is as bike-friendly as Amsterdam. You can see people on bicycles almost everywhere in this city, which has long cycle paths and green parks. It is known that the largest bicycle park in the Netherlands with a capacity of 12,500 bicycles was built in Utrecht, which also has a large number of bicycle parks.

When you come here, we recommend that you explore the city by bicycle, not public transport. You can rent a bicycle from many points in Utrecht, where there are 8 different bicycle routes for tourists. It is possible to rent a bicycle for 8 Euros per day. You should definitely see the history-smelling streets of Utrecht on your bike. You can watch a bicycle exploration route starting from the Dom Tower, visiting the Ooude Hortus Botanical Gardens, and ending at the Dick Bruna Museum.

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7. Malmö, Sweden

Malmö, Sweden’s third-largest city, hosts 7% of the population in the whole country. Malmö, one of the richest locations in Sweden in terms of history and culture, is located very close to Copenhagen. In this bicycle-friendly city, it is seen that the administration is constantly working to encourage people to use bicycles.

Malmö has a 400-kilometer bicycle path. Almost every part of the city is arranged to make life easier for cyclists. One of the best examples of this is the addition of apparatus to hold cyclists at traffic lights. Thanks to these holding devices, there is no need to get off the bicycle in order to maintain balance while in the red light.

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8. Hangzhou, China

Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province in China, is known for being an extremely touristic and interesting place. It is known that the meaning of the name of the city is the river where the ferries swim. You can see people riding bicycles in many parts of Hangzhou, which is the economic and cultural center of the state it is affiliated with.

Cycling among the heavy traffic and crowded population is a savior tool for those living in this city. The city also has a bike-sharing scheme called Hangzhou Public Bicycle. This system includes 2,700 bike stations and 65,000 bicycles. As a result of the studies carried out by the city administration, the number of bicycles in question is expected to increase to 175 thousand as of this year.

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9. Antwerp, Belgium

Being the most bicycle-friendly city in Belgium, Antwerp has the distinction of being the second largest port city in Europe. Antwerp, the city with the highest surface area after Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is a trade center that is very important for the whole of Europe. More than 500 thousand people live in this city, in which the Schelde River flows 350 kilometers long. In bicycle-friendly Antwerp, cycling is a pleasure, especially by the Schelde River.

It is possible to find a bike station in almost every corner of the city. Antwerp, where everyone can pedal, regardless of whether they are young or old, has a unique bicycle rental system. The bicycle rental scheme called Velo, which was established thanks to the city administration’s encouragement to use bicycles, attracts a lot of attention. By using the Velo application on smartphones, when you come to this city, you can eliminate your transportation problem by renting the bike closest to you.

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10. Eindhoven, Netherlands

The Netherlands generally has geography consisting of plains. As such, it should not be surprising that it is among the countries where bicycles are used the most in the world. Eindhoven is one of the places where bicycles are used the most in the whole country. In Eindhoven, almost all of the inner city and connecting roads with other cities have bicycle paths.

Almost everyone owns a bicycle in this city, which has a transportation network built on the use of bicycles rather than motor vehicles. There is also a bicycle park with a famous architectural design here. This bike park, called The Blob, manages to attract attention with its 1700 bike capacity and bubble-like architecture.

In this city where bicycle and architecture are intertwined, there is also a bicycle path created by the inspiration of the famous painter Van Gogh’s Starry Nights. This bicycle path, built of 50,000 small stones, is bright at night thanks to the solar energy stored by the stones. Cycling is so common in Eindhoven that it even acquired a colloquial term for itself. Hovering is the cycling through which the vehicles are standing still in traffic. Every day, many people provide their transportation by hovering without getting stuck in traffic.