Active and micro-mobility in Germany - Statistics & Facts
As walking and cycling play a key role in decarbonizing passenger transport, the German government supports the expansion of active travel infrastructure as part of its climate protection program and has set ambitious targets for the coming years. By 2030, Germany aims to increase cycled kilometers across the country to 224 million per day, doubling the daily distances covered by bike in 2017. The federal government is also increasingly focusing on walking, by funding pedestrian infrastructure directly since 2022, rather than through schemes with a broader remit. Yet, private motorized transport currently dominates transport in the country. While over two-fifths of trips made by Germans in 202 were by active mobility, private motorized transport, such as cars and motorcycles, accounted for nearly half of all trips made.
Active mobility includes any mode of transport that primarily relies on a person expanding their own energy to propel themselves, including by walking and cycling. The term is often extended to include people using mobility aids, such as electric wheelchairs. Electric kick-scooters are frequently discussed alongside active mobility in an urban setting. Still, they are generally not considered an active form of mobility, falling into the category of micro-mobility devices instead.
E-bikes already made up 53 percent of all new bicycles sold in Germany in 2023, overtaking manual bicycle sales for the first time that year. Yet, e-bikes are not the only bicycle segment that are changing the picture of cycling on German streets . The number of cargo bikes sold in Germany increased to 235,000 units in 2023. This is in addition to 206,000 new bicycle trailers sold in the same year, many of which are specifically designed for the purpose of carrying goods, children, or even dogs. The popularity of e-bikes and cargo bikes, which are substantially more expensive than traditional bikes, is also reflected in the rise in the average price paid for a bicycle in Germany. In 2022, this average price stood at nearly 1,800 euros, more than twice the average price paid in 2017.
Active mobility includes any mode of transport that primarily relies on a person expanding their own energy to propel themselves, including by walking and cycling. The term is often extended to include people using mobility aids, such as electric wheelchairs. Electric kick-scooters are frequently discussed alongside active mobility in an urban setting. Still, they are generally not considered an active form of mobility, falling into the category of micro-mobility devices instead.
Walking: Overlooked transport
Walking is one of the most commonly used forms of transport that receives disproportionately little attention. Thirty-nine percent of Germans reported that they walk daily, more than any other type of transport. Yet, walking is also easily overlooked and often undercounted. For example, while many public transport journeys start or end with walking, this may never be reported in transport surveys, with only the public transport section of the trip being recorded. Walking as transport, rather than for recreation, is particularly prevalent among young and old age groups. Around a fifth of students in Germany walk to their place of education, while the walking modal share for commuting to work lies at just under seven percent.The bicycle boom continues
Next to walking, cycling is a predominant form of active mobility in Germany. Bicycle sales in Germany spiked in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. While they have dropped off slightly in the following two years, sales remain at roughly the same volumes recorded before the pandemic. In particular, the wide availability of e-bikes, which are legally classed as bicycles but provide electrical power assist, has changed bike useage patterns and the customer base for vendors. E-bikes allow riders to cover longer distances, making the bike a more attractive transport option for a wider range of people.E-bikes already made up 53 percent of all new bicycles sold in Germany in 2023, overtaking manual bicycle sales for the first time that year. Yet, e-bikes are not the only bicycle segment that are changing the picture of cycling on German streets . The number of cargo bikes sold in Germany increased to 235,000 units in 2023. This is in addition to 206,000 new bicycle trailers sold in the same year, many of which are specifically designed for the purpose of carrying goods, children, or even dogs. The popularity of e-bikes and cargo bikes, which are substantially more expensive than traditional bikes, is also reflected in the rise in the average price paid for a bicycle in Germany. In 2022, this average price stood at nearly 1,800 euros, more than twice the average price paid in 2017.
