In a Germany-wide comparison of the Canyon study, Stuttgart comes out on top. The city offers a strong cycling infrastructure, numerous barrier-free railway stations and comparatively low accident figures. Hanover and Cologne also score highly with their many cycle paths and secure parking spaces.
Particularly advantageous: in these cities, cycle commuters can save time every day, while car drivers spend up to 79 hours a year stuck in traffic jams. Other cities such as Duisburg and Essen still have some catching up to do - but the growing importance of cycling could soon lead to improvements there.
Berlin: Big city - big cycle path network?
More space for cyclists means more comfort and safety. Berlin and Cologne lead the way in terms of kilometres of cycle path network - with Berlin offering almost twice as many routes (2400 km) as third-placed Munich (1200 km). However, Hanover (943 kilometres) and Leipzig (810 kilometres) are also well positioned and offer a well thought-out infrastructure.
In contrast, Duisburg (last place: 150 km), as well as large cities such as Hamburg (280 km) and Nuremberg (330 km), need to improve in order to become more bicycle-friendly and offer a real alternative to driving. Especially in times of rising petrol prices and long traffic jams, a better cycling infrastructure can make commuting to work more attractive for many people.
Barrier-free railway stations make it easier to switch between bike and train
The best cycle infrastructure is of little use if stations are not designed for cyclists. Stuttgart (99% barrier-free stations) and Hanover (100%) offer optimal conditions here. By comparison, only 14% of stations in Frankfurt are barrier-free and only 27% in Duisburg.
Those who opt for a combination of cycling and local transport often have to contend with obstacles. Investing in barrier-free stations would not only relieve the burden on cycle commuters, but also many other road users.
NRW cities have the highest costs for bicycle transport
Commuters who want to transport their bike on the train have to dig deep into their pockets depending on the city. In Hanover, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, transport is free of charge - a clear advantage for commuting.
In Bremen, it costs 3.40 euros per journey, while cities in North Rhine-Westphalia such as Bochum, Dortmund and Essen are the most expensive at 4.20 euros. Anyone travelling by bike and train every day pays up to 90 euros extra per month.
Cycle safety: big differences between cities
Another key criterion for commuters is road safety. While the most populous cities Berlin (4810 accidents), Hamburg (4037 accidents) and Munich (4035 accidents) also record high accident figures, the accident rate here is put into perspective in view of the high number of cyclists.
Bochum (36 accidents), Duisburg and Wuppertal (71 accidents each) are statistically among the safest cities for cyclists. Safer crossings, better lighting and structurally separated cycle paths could further reduce the risk of accidents across Germany.
Marc Strucken
Editor
