Facts

The latest key figures and newest knowledge about the cycle superhighways, the commuters and the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration

Key figures

The Cycle Superhighway Collaboration’s key figures and results provide an overall picture of cycling traffic, users, and the effects of the cycle superhighways. The data is based on statistics from the 16 existing cycle superhighways and the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration’s user survey from 2024.

87%

AVERAGE INCREASE IN BICYCLE TRAFFIC IN 2024 ON THE CYCLE SUPERHIGHWAYS

43%

OF USERS ON CYCLE SUPERHIGHWAYS HAVE CHILDREN LIVING AT HOME

12 KM

IS THE AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH FOR COMMUTERS ON THE CYCLE SUPERHIGHWAYS

64%

OF USERS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO A CAR ALWAYS COMMUTE BY BIKE

14%

OF NEW USERS USED TO COMMUTE BY CAR

53%

OF USERS COMMUTE BY BIKE JUST AS MUCH DURING SUMMER AND WINTER

20%

OF USERS ON CYCLE SUPERHIGHWAYS COMMUTE ON EBIKES

71%

OF USERS FEEL LESS STRESSED IN EVERYDAY LIFE WHEN THEY BIKE

Behind the numbers

All cycle superhighways are measured one year before and one year after establishment and evaluated in a comprehensive route assessment. From these evaluations, key figures are calculated, including the average trip length across the network, the share of new users who previously commuted by car, and the proportion of users riding electric bikes. These figures are updated as new route evaluations are completed. Read more about the route evaluations and find them here.

In addition to the bicycle counts conducted as part of the before-and-after measurements, the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region continues to monitor bicycle traffic across all routes year by year to track long-term developments.

From these annual counts, the average increase in bicycle traffic on the cycle superhighway network is calculated. Read more about the annual bicycle counts.

Key figures are also derived from data collected in a cross-cutting user survey conducted in 2024.
Read more in the section About the commuters below or in the article about the user survey.

About the commuters

Survey: Who are the super cyclists?

In autumn 2024, the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration conducted a survey of users on the cycle superhighways. Respondents were recruited during rush hour at 14 different locations across the region – all outside central Copenhagen. More than 1,100 participants took part, providing valuable insights into the travel habits and motivations of the cyclists who commute on the cycle superhighway network – the so-called super cyclists.

Use of different modes of transport

  • 81% of respondents cycle daily or almost daily
  • 42% of respondents walk daily or almost daily
  • 35% of respondents drive 1–3 times per week
  • 19% of respondents use public transport 1–3 times per week

Respondents with children living at home

  • 43% of respondents have children living at home
  • 57% of respondents do not have children living at home

Respondents with access to a car

  • 49% of respondents always have access to a car
  • 18% of respondents sometimes have access to a car
  • 33% of respondents do not have access to a car

When asked: “Do you commute by bike on the days you have access to a car?” respondents answered:

  • 64% always choose to commute by bike, even when they have access to a car
  • 30% sometimes choose to commute by bike, even when they have access to a car
  • 6% do not commute by bike when they have access to a car

Respondents with access to a car and children living at home

  • 65% of respondents with children living at home always choose to commute by bike when they have access to a car
  • 63% of respondents without children living at home always choose to commute by bike when they have access to a car

There is no significant difference in cycling frequency between those with and without children at home, even when a car is available.

Combined transport

  • 40% of respondents combine cycling and train at least 1–3 times per month
  • 11% combine cycling and metro at least 1–3 times per month
  • 9% combine cycling with bus or car at least 1–3 times per month

Year-round commuting

  • 53% of respondents commute by bike equally in summer and winter
  • 43% commute more by bike in summer than in winter
  • 3% never commute by bike regardless of the season

Motivation to cycle

When asked: “What motivates you most to cycle?” respondents could choose up to three answers:

  • 86% are motivated by physical health and exercise
  • 46% are motivated by mental well-being
  • 33% are motivated by climate-friendly benefits
  • 32% are motivated by a sense of freedom
  • 32% are motivated by speed

Respondents with access to a car were also asked what motivates them to choose cycling over driving:

  • 38% choose the bike for health and well-being
  • 22% for nature experiences and surroundings
  • 15% for economic reasons
  • 7% for personal space and alone time
  • 7% for infrastructure quality

Climate-friendly transport habits

Regarding the statement “It is important to me that my means of transport are climate-friendly”, the responses were:

  • 25% strongly agree
  • 44% agree
  • 25% neither agree nor disagree

The effect of cycling on the commuters’ happiness

  • 89% of respondents strongly agree or agree that they are happier in everyday life when they cycle
  • 10% neither agree nor disagree

The effect of cycling on the commuters’ experince of stress

  • 71% of respondents strongly agree or agree that they feel less stressed in everyday life when they cycle
  • 23% neither agree nor disagree

Most important qualities of cycling infrastructure

When asked: “Which of the following qualities in cycling infrastructure are most important to you?”, respondents answered:

  • 87%: Good surface quality
  • 62%: High maintenance level
  • 57%: Wide cycle tracks
  • 35%: Priority at traffic lights
  • 28%: Good lighting

Most important qualities of surroundings

When asked: “Which qualities of the cycling route’s surroundings are most important to you?”, respondents answered:

  • 85%: As few stops as possible along the route
  • 65%: Scenic surroundings
  • 56%: Routes away from car traffic

Want to know more about the user survey? Read our article about the user survey (in Danish) or acces the full report below.

Download

Survey

Users of the cycle superhighway network

This report documents the results of the survey of the users of the cycle superhighway network in the Capital Region of Denmark (2024). The report is in Danish.

Socio economics

Cycle superhighways pay off

A fully developed cycle superhighway network has an estimated economic return of investment (internal rate) of 23%, according to a socio-economic analysis conducted by the Technical University of Denmark in 2021.

This makes the cycle superhighway network one of Denmark’s most profitable infrastructure projects. 77% of the socio-economic benefits come from improved public health, meaning the majority of the gains benefit the national government.

Read the scientific article on the socio-economic analysis of the cycle superhighway network.

About socio-economics analyses

Socio-economic analyses are assessments used to determine whether an (infrastructure) project is economically viable for society – in other words, whether it provides a return in the form of a net social benefit. An infrastructure project is considered a sound investment if it has an internal rate above 4%.

The Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region has commissioned several socio-economic analyses of the full vision network – both because the network continues to grow and because the transport-economic unit prices used in the analyses are regularly updated.

According to the 2024 transport-economic unit prices society saves DKK 7.60 per kilometre cycled on a regular bike and DKK 4.71 per kilometre cycled on an e-bike. On average, society saves DKK 7.11 per kilometer cycled in general.