The one-of-a-kind Copenhagenize Index 2025 reveals the 100 cities worldwide that are transforming their streets to develop cycling as a main mobility solution.  

The Copenhagenize Index – in its EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union edition, is brimming with fresh data and stories from around the cycling world.  A masterclass will be held on 25 November on the learnings from this index.

Six years after its last edition ranking bicycle-friendly cities, and following a pandemic that reshaped our daily mobility habits new questions have arisen: which global cities are truly investing in transforming their streets for cyclists? And which ones have fallen behind? The answers are revealed in the 2025 edition of the Copenhagenize Index  – EIT Urban Mobility Edition. Out of 150 pre-selected cities, 100 cities from 44 countries were evaluated, making this ranking a one-of-a-kind global benchmark, featuring urban centers from every continent. 

The 2025 Copenhagenize Index points to global maturity in cycling policy. Cycling is no longer treated as a niche mobility issue but as a cross-cutting lever for climate action, public health, and overall quality of life. Across continents, we see a shift from pilot projects toward more structured, long-term programs, embedded in broader resilience and sustainable mobility plans. Yet, the gap between ambition and implementation remains wide, with funding stability, political continuity, and technical capacity emerging as key differentiators between the top and mid-ranking cities. 

Global Insights into the Top 100 ranking 

This international ranking brings together cities from every continent, representing diverse urban forms, climates, and economies. Climate alone does not determine whether a city can become bicycle-friendly or not. From the heat and humidity of Singapore and Dubai to the cold, snowy winters of Helsinki, Québec City and Minneapolis, all have rightfully earned their place in the ranking. These cities show that cycling can thrive anywhere, and that the bicycle has become a powerful tool in tackling climate change. 

Beyond climate or topography, the strongest predictor of cycling success is continued investment supported by effective, interdepartmental governance. Cities that treat cycling as a system – integrating infrastructure, communication and monitoring – consistently achieve higher and more stable results. 

While historical cycling cities have invested for decades, many of today’s top-ranked cities achieved their position by making a decisive policy shift: moving from modest initiatives to making cycling a central pillar of urban development. By embracing the full benefits of cycling, these cities are transforming both mobility and urban livability, adapting infrastructure to meet real user needs, and enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to cycle daily. 

European cities dominate the ranking for several reasons, including a strong political commitment — often driven and supported by local citizens — to invest in the ecological transition. But progress is not uniform. Some cities once celebrated as cycling pioneers, particularly in Europe and the Americas, have slowed their investments or scaled back ambitions, and therefore no longer rank among the leaders. 

Similarly, in parts of the Global South, streets once full of cyclists are seeing more motorized traffic as economic development progresses. Everyday cycling is caught in a paradox: rising incomes and motorization reduce bicycle use just as governments begin to invest in infrastructure. This underlines the importance of positioning cycling not as a mode of necessity, but as a desirable, efficient and modern transport choice. These shifts highlight the ongoing need for robust data collection and stronger capacity building among local authorities, to reverse declines and support cycling growth. 

Global insights on the Top 30 ranking 

Crossing into the Top 30 reflects more than infrastructure quantity; it signals a strong alignment between policy vision, design quality, and everyday use. These cities have normalized cycling as a practical, year-round mode of transport, and not just a mobility alternative, but a social norm.  

• The top performers: Utrecht, Copenhagen and Amsterdam remain at the top, now joined by Ghent. 
• Major cities on the rise: Paris and Helsinki have dramatically accelerated their efforts and are approaching the doorstep of the world’s top performers. They must now demonstrate their ability to remain bicycle-friendly over time.  
• Close behind: Antwerp, Münster, Bordeaux, The Hague, Strasbourg, and Montréal are closing the gap thanks to steady investments in all key aspects of bicycle policy. 
• Back on top: Nantes has returned to the ranking after its absence from the last edition. 
• Newcomers to watch: Québec City, Lyon, Bern, Graz, Bologna, Stockholm, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Wrocław enter the Index for the first time, signaling strong momentum towards cycling transformation. 

What sets the Top 30 apart 

Most high-ranking cities share one common strength: a clear advance in their design standards, from wider cycle tracks and effective separation from motorized traffic, to the transformation of urban corridors into full bicycle streets where rider volumes justify it. Such infrastructure directly boosts the number of people choosing to cycle. These examples show that streets do not have to prioritize cars — when designed for everyone, the benefits extend across the entire city. 

However, there is still room for improvement. Intersections often remain the weakest links, and certain infrastructure types, such as bidirectional cycle tracks, are sometimes applied in contexts where they may not be the most effective. 

The leading cities also converge in their strong development of intermodality, linking bicycles and public transportation. This includes safe bicycle parking, bike-share systems, and the integration of shared mobility with public transportation access cards. 

Institutionally, these cities stand out for their capacity to transform political determination into delivery. Dedicated cycling units, stable funding mechanisms and robust monitoring systems have enabled them to move from plans to measurable results. They demonstrate a culture of evaluation and iteration, continuously refining designs based on user feedback and data rather than on fixed masterplans.  

Ultimately, the 2025 edition of the Copenhagenize Index is more than a ranking. It is a snapshot of how cities are redefining mobility and reclaiming public space. It shows that investing in cycling is not just about transportation, but about shaping healthier, more resilient, and more equitable cities.  

Marc Rozendal, CEO at EIT Urban Mobility: “Beyond serving as a global ranking, this edition positions the Copenhagenize Index 2025 – EIT Urban Mobility Edition as a learning instrument, offering public authorities and urban mobility professionals the knowledge, tools and strategies to improve cycling policies and infrastructure.” 

Clotilde Imbert, CEO at Copenhagenize: “The Copenhagenize Index 2025 – EIT Urban Mobility Edition reveals a global maturity of cycling policy. Over the globe, cycling is no longer treated as a niche mobility issue but as a cross-cutting lever for climate action, public health, and quality of life.” 

Key figures 

Safe and connected infrastructure pillar 

• Copenhagen has the world’s highest density of cycling infrastructure, with 52 km of protected bicycle lanes for every 100 km of roadway. 
• Top 3 cities for secure bicycle parking: Utrecht offers 89 spaces per 1,000 inhabitants, followed by Osaka with 78, and Ghent with 68 spaces per 1,000 inhabitants. 
• Thanks to their generalized 30 km/h urban speed limits, French cities provide some of the calmest and most comfortable street environments for walking and cycling — Bordeaux (89%), Nantes (88%), and Paris (87%) of total street networks. 

Usage and reach pillar 

• Paris shows the strongest growth in cycling, with a 6.2-percentage-point increase in modal share between 2019 and 2024, marking one of the most significant post-COVID rises globally. 
• Across the 100 ranked cities, 10 achieve a bicycle modal share of 25% or higher –all of them European– confirming cycling as a mainstream mode of transport. 
• Among the top 30 cities, 19 report a female cycling share of 45% or higher –all of them in Europe– reflecting strong gender balance and perceived safety in everyday cycling. 

Policy and support pillar 

• Across the 100 ranked cities, higher per-capita spending aligns with better overall performance: Utrecht, with €64 per capita, ranks 1st, while Ghent, with €33 per capita, ranks 3rd. 
• All top 30 cities have an adopted cycling master plan (or a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan with a dedicated chapter on cycling) and a dedicated team within the city administration working on cycling policy. 
• While 91 of the 100 ranked cities have an adopted cycling master plan (or SUMP), only 72 have issued design guidebooks aligned with best practices.