More bikes than cars in Copenhagen city centre

For the first time since 1970, more commuters are using two wheels than four in the heart of the capital

The authorities in Copenhagen have been measuring the traffic coming in and out of the city centre since 1970.

For the first time since records began, the number of bicycles is now exceeding the number of cars. This year, 252,600 cars entered the centre compared to 265,700 bikes.

The number of bicycles has increased by 35,080 since last year – a 13 percent rise.

Back in 1970, just 100,000 bicycles entered the city centre compared to around 340,000 cars. And by 2000, the number of bikes had risen to 170,000 compared to 320,000 cars.

According to copenhagenize.com, 41 percent of the commuters to the city centre arrive on a bike, 27 percent via public transport and 26 percent by car.

Investment paying off
Copenhagen has made significant investments in cycling, with more than 1 billion kroner being poured into infrastructure projects including 17 bicycle bridges that give cyclists easy access to the city centre without having to compete with vehicular traffic.

However, while there has been an increase in city centre cyclists, the number of bicycle journeys in the Greater Copenhagen area has been static for the last 20 years, and bicycle use in Denmark as a whole has declined slightly in recent years.




Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.


  • “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    “It’s possible to lead even though you don’t fit the traditional leadership mold”

    Describing herself as a “DEI poster child,” being queer, neurodivergent and an international in Denmark didn’t stop Laurence Paquette from climbing the infamous corporate ladder to become Marketing Vice President (VP) at Vestas. Arrived in 2006 from Quebec, Laurence Paquette unpacks the implications of exposing your true self at work, in a country that lets little leeway for individuality

  • Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Deal reached to bring more foreign workers to Denmark

    Agreement between unions and employers allows more foreign workers in Denmark under lower salary requirements, with new ID card rules and oversight to prevent social dumping and ensure fair conditions.

  • New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    New association helps international nurses and doctors Denmark

    Kadre Darman was founded this year to support foreign-trained healthcare professionals facing challenges with difficult authorisation processes, visa procedures, and language barriers, aiming to help them find jobs and contribute to Denmark’s healthcare system