Over the past decade, cities around the globe have embraced cycling like never before. Streets once dominated by cars are now alive with two-wheeled commuters, cargo bikes delivering goods, and families riding to school. The Copenhagenize Index, the most comprehensive ranking of urban cycling friendliness, evaluates 100 cities on how far they’ve gone to make cycling safe, convenient, and appealing—from protected lanes and bike boulevards to parking garages and bikeshare programs.
Notably, three Canadian cities—Montreal, Quebec City, and Vancouver—made the top 30, highlighting how Canada is building world-class cycling infrastructure, while no American cities cracked the list. Nearly all other top-ranked cities are in Europe, where pro-cycling policies are reshaping urban life.
Here’s a closer look at what Copenhagenize had to say about the 30 cities setting the global standard for cycling in 2025.
1. Utrecht, Netherlands
Utrecht tops the Copenhagenize Index by showing what happens when a city is built around bikes. Nearly a third of all trips are by bicycle, supported by calm streets, protected lanes, and bicycle-priority corridors. With €63 per resident invested annually, the city provides over 100,000 parking spots, including the world’s largest indoor bike garage at Utrecht Central Station.
Streets like Nachtegaalstraat and Amsterdamsestraatweg have reclaimed space from cars for wider cycle tracks, slower speeds, and greenery, while the Westelijke Stadsboulevard turned a four-lane artery into a safe, bike-friendly boulevard. Programs like Fietsdeals make bikes affordable for low-income residents, cargo bikes are mainstream, and advocacy groups ensure cyclists have a voice.
Utrecht is now developing a fully car-free district, proving that prioritizing bikes can reshape an entire city—and set a global standard for cycling-friendly urban life.
2. Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen has long set the global standard for cycling cities, with 52 km of protected bike lanes per 100 km of roadway and a 29% bike modal share. Recent innovations include bicycle streets in dense corridors like Nyhavn and Dybbølsbro, where wide lanes and green infrastructure support high cycling volumes while managing rainwater.
The city invests nearly €38 per resident annually in cycling, maintaining consistent growth and high infrastructure density. Current priorities focus on traffic calming, expanding 30 km/h zones, and creating car-free areas near schools, ensuring cycling remains safe, convenient, and central to urban life. Copenhagen’s influence extends worldwide, showing how a mature cycling city can keep evolving to meet new challenges.
3. Ghent, Belgium
Ghent tops Belgium in the 2025 Copenhagenize Index, transforming car-focused streets into calm, livable spaces that make cycling safe and accessible for all ages. Its bold circulation plan prioritizes cyclists and pedestrians, reshaping how people move through the city while maintaining high-quality infrastructure and growing bike usage.
Policy support is strong, with active advocacy and long-term investment ensuring that cycling remains a core part of urban life. By combining infrastructure, governance, and culture, Ghent demonstrates how a mid-sized city can lead in cycling innovation, offering a model for others worldwide.
4. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam remains the global benchmark for cycling, where bicycles dominate daily life and 37% of all trips are made by bike. Its mature network handles vast volumes with precision, but the city continues to refine safety, calm streets, and cycling culture to meet new challenges from e-bikes, congestion, and tourists.
Ongoing investment in infrastructure, governance, and public engagement ensures cycling remains the default mode of transport. Amsterdam exemplifies how a city can sustain peak performance while adapting to evolving urban mobility demands, offering lessons for cities worldwide.
5. Paris, France
Paris has transformed into a cycling city, rising to 5th place as bike trips grow from 5% to 11% of all journeys in just five years. Strong political commitment and a rapidly expanding network of protected lanes have made cycling central to the city’s urban renewal, demonstrating that historic streets can accommodate modern mobility while preserving their charm.
With public space redistribution, new infrastructure, and advocacy support, Paris shows how a major metropolis can quickly embrace cycling as a mainstream mode of transport, inspiring other historic cities to follow suit.
6. Helsinki, Finland
Even in winter, Helsinki prioritizes cycling, clearing snow from 150 kilometers of bike lanes. With extensive separated lanes, traffic-calmed streets, and new parking garages, winter riding has never been easier.
7. Münster, Germany
In this compact university town, 40% of streets have protected lanes and dedicated bike streets painted red to signal priority. Public bike counters display daily ridership, encouraging more locals to pedal.
8. Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp’s “100 Missing Links” program closes gaps in its 600 kilometers of protected lanes. Secure neighborhood parking, low-speed streets, and high female ridership make cycling accessible to all.
Antwerp is in the top 10 bicycle-friendly cities in the world according to the Copenhagenize Index
9. Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux has converted former car lanes into continuous green-framed bike tracks. With cargo bikes handling deliveries and extensive “bicycletteries,” the city supports both commuting and urban logistics on two wheels.
10. Nantes, France
The Grandes Voies Vélo network ensures well-marked, high-quality bike routes across the city. Low-speed streets, car-free areas, and 1,200 secure bike spaces at the main train station support a growing cycling culture.
11. Bonn, Germany
Bonn is upgrading from painted lanes to protected ones, raising its bike mode share from 15% to 21% in seven years. Speed limits and traffic calming encourage safer streets for cyclists.
12. The Hague, Netherlands
With 60% of streets under 30 km/h and programs like “Den Haag Fiets!” for kids and families, The Hague is investing heavily in connecting suburban routes and providing secure bike parking.
13. Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg’s Velostras network links the metro area, supporting cargo bike deliveries and encouraging new riders through Bike to Work challenges and abundant parking.
14. Lyon, France
Lyon has nearly three-quarters of its streets under 30 km/h. Its Voies Lyonnaises network, riverside bikeways, and France’s largest secure bike hub make city cycling easy and safe.
15. Montreal, Canada
Montreal leads North America in bike infrastructure, with cohesive protected lanes, record-breaking Bixi rides, and North America’s first bicycle streets. Saint-Denis corridor alone hit 1.3 million trips in nine months.
Go Bike Montreal bicycle festival
16. Malmö, Sweden
Malmö boasts 27% bike mode share with a dense network of protected lanes, regional bike highways, cargo bike-friendly infrastructure, and school street programs for young riders.
17. Munich, Germany
Munich is building a bike highway network, replacing painted lanes with wide protected tracks and tree buffers. Cycling mode share rose from 18% to 21% between 2019 and 2023.
18. Oslo, Norway
Oslo prioritizes safety with Vision Zero policies, 30 km/h speed limits, snow-cleared lanes, and winter bike tire subsidies. Ridership is growing despite a fragmented network.
19. Vienna, Austria
Vienna added 44 kilometers of bike routes in five years, including its first Dutch-style bike street. Subsidies for cargo bikes, school training, and bike festivals foster a city-wide cycling culture.
20. Bern, Switzerland
Bern has 18 kilometers of protected lanes, bicycle streets, and 2,600 station parking spaces. Cargo bikes are common, supported by SwissPass rentals.
21. Graz, Austria
With 130 kilometers of cycle paths, pedestrian-bike bridges, and educational programs, Graz nurtures riders of all ages and aims for 30% bike mode share in five years.
22. Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich converted a former car tunnel into a bike-only corridor, added color-coded pavement for easier navigation, and requires all students to pass cycling exams. Mode share rose from 8% in 2019 to 11% today.
23. Rotterdam, Netherlands
Coolsingel boulevard transformed from car-centric to cyclist-friendly, with a two-way bike lane and new streetcar connections. Traffic dropped by 10,000 vehicles, and 5,000 underground bike spaces link directly to transit.
24. Ljubljana, Slovenia
A 20-hectare car-free center anchors Ljubljana’s cycling-first approach, with separated lanes, bike-safety programs, and rising mode share at 14%.
Cycling in Ljubljana (photo: Mankica Kranjec/ Nea Culpa)
25. Bologna, Italy
Bologna’s Bicipolitana network spans over 100 kilometers, with half the city in low-speed zones. Inclusive planning and secure parking have helped women surpass 50% of trips.
26. Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is extending separated bike lanes beyond the city center, building new bridges, and gradually improving bike parking infrastructure.
27. Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
With 120 kilometers of protected lanes and cargo bike subsidies, this Spanish city supports both commuting and deliveries, hitting an 8% bike mode share.
28. Wroclaw, Poland
Wroclaw has 428 kilometers of bike routes and a cargo bike logistics hub. Mode share is 5%, with bikeshare systems offering tandems, kids’ bikes, and e-bikes.
29. Quebec City, Canada
Quebec City’s fully electric bikeshare has grown from 100 to 1,300 bikes, with new infrastructure boosting ridership and traffic-calmed streets encouraging safe cycling.
30. Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver has 109 kilometers of protected or off-street bike paths. The Granville Connector converted car lanes into wide separated lanes, and low-speed limits are spreading across 25 neighborhoods.