June 11, 2025 - Velo-city is back – this time by the Baltic Sea, in the dynamic port city of Gdańsk! With cyclists, advocates, and exhibitors from around the world gathering once again, the energy is high and the conversations are rolling. As always, ECF is here with daily reports to keep you up to speed on everything happening at the world’s leading cycling summit.
Quote of the day
“If citizens of the future are to be in control of their cities, then they need to be at the table with all stakeholders. If you’re not at the table, you’ll be on the menu!” – Gil Penalosa, Founder 8 80 Cities and #Cities4Everyone.
After an exciting start to the event, a performance by local cycling acrobats “Flying Bikes”, the Master of Ceremonies, Maciej Kautz, introduced the Mayor of Gdańsk, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, as the first speaker. Mayor Dulkiewicz detailed how campaigns like Cycling May, that started locally in Gdańsk and today sees over 300.000 students across the country cycle to school during the month of May, transformed Gdańsk into Poland’s cycling capital – not a revolution but a peaceful evolution.
Her speech was followed by ECF president Henk Swarttouw, who urged cycling advocates to take the lead and step up while governments step back. Mieczysław Struk, Marshal of Pomorskie Voivodeship, followed by stressing that bicycle mobility is a right, not a luxury, and outlining how the region works toward equal access for all.
Gil Penalosa, Founder 8 80 Cities and #Cities4Everyone, tied things up as the last keynote speaker. After an introduction by ECF CEO Jill Warren, the founder of 8 80 Cities and #Cities4Everyone used the examples of Paris, France and Bogota, Colombia to illustrate how not talking about cycling can actually be beneficial when promoting it. “It’s not about cycling,” said Penalosa, “But about better cities.” His message was clear: do the things that matter to people to get a seat at the stakeholder table – because “if we’re not at the table, we’ll be on the menu.”
Tuesday’s session highlights
IN-FOCUS
Pedal and Tracks: Overcoming Barriers to Seamless Rail Travel for Cyclists
#CyclistsLoveTrains2025
ECF’s much-anticipated report on the bicycle-friendliness of long-distance trains was unveiled today, naming Belgium’s NMBS/SNCB and Switzerland’s SBB as joint leaders, with Hungary’s MÁV-START close behind.
Fabian Küster, ECF’s Director of Advocacy and EU Affairs, and policy intern Jacob Rozenburg conducted the research and shared key insights during a session moderated by journalist Laura Laker.
While the overall trend is positive, there’s still much to learn from top performers. Denis Brachet, Intermodality Manager at NMBS/SNCB, credited Belgium’s strong cycling culture and a customer-first mindset for their success. He also announced plans for new rolling stock by 2030, designed with cyclists and people with disabilities in mind.
Jon Worth, founder of the #CrossBorderRail project, emphasised that such progress must be backed by the right political framework.
Spain is one example that is taking action seriously. A royal decree is in the works which would mandate at least eight spaces per train, according to Sheila Ferrer, the national coordinator of the country’s cycling office.
Read the full report including ECF Awards 2025 here.
