April 16, 2023 - With over 526km of cycling facilities and a cycling modal share of 19%, the volume of bicycle traffic in Leipzig, Germany, a city with a population of 2.5 million, has doubled over the past 20 years.

Boasting 225km of separated bike lanes and 205km of cycle lanes, there are approximately 100km of routes shared by pedestrians and cyclists, along with an additional 500km of paths in parks and forests.

There are nearly 600,000 bicycles in the city and 12,000 bicycle racks have been installed, with up to 500 new bicycle racks being added annually.

A recent study shows that 79% of all trips to Leipzig’s city centre are made on foot, by bicycle, or by public transport. Sustainability is a priority, and the city has developed an Urban Mobility Strategy 2030 with a high priority on bicycles and a modal share goal of 23% while aiming for 70% for walking, cycling and public transport.

Leipzig’s Nextbike public share system offers over 1,500 bicycles. Following a successful pilot for cargo bikes in 2022, the fleet now includes 30 cargo bikes, including nine e-cargo bikes and one unit for wheelchair users in cooperation with other local bike share systems.

The city also supports the purchase of cargo bikes, and in 2019/20 a total of 75 cargo bikes were subsidized for companies.

The city of Leipzig is over 1,000 years old with a population of 2.5 million people in the metropolitan region. Leipzig is rated as the most liveable city in Germany by the GfK marketing research institution. The city is also recognized as having the second-best future prospects in Germany according to the Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).

One of the most important cycling routes southwest of the city centre is over the Sachsenbrücke bridge where 9,000 cyclists (2020) make the journey daily through the countryside.

In October 2022, Leipzig adopted its Energy and Climate Protection Programme 2030, paving the way to climate neutrality by 2040. The plan comprises almost 60 complex measures.

In recognition of its sustainable urban development policies and ambitions for cycling, Leipzig was chosen as the host of the world’s leading cycling conference, Velo-city 2023.