People who cycle to their office do so to avoid the difficulties of city parking and to exercise as part of a healthier lifestyle. Others cycle because they care about the environment. The number of cycle commuters has risen to incredible numbers with the streets of Swiss cities filled with people riding their bikes.

A campaign going on 16 years

After a year marked by restrictions and lockdowns, the Bike to Work campaign 2021 launched by ECF Member Pro Velo Switzerland got off to a great start. The national campaign has taken place every summer since 2006 and has seen the number of participants grow steadily every year.

In 2021, the campaign, which ran in May and June, involved over 60,255 workers from 1250 companies across Switzerland who rode over 15 million kilometres, saving 2247 tons of CO2 emissions in the process. To ensure that everyone could get involved, this year’s Bike to Work introduced the home office rule, so that home workers could also participate.

Source: Pro Velo Switzerland 

Thanks to the campaign, more than 40% of the participants took part in the challenge for the first time. Pro Velo Switzerland collected positive testimonials from participants, many of whom were surprised by the numerous positive effects of cycling to work. 

“Thanks to the fresh air and mobility in the morning I arrive at the office wide awake and focused, biking to work sharpens the senses. Suddenly you notice things that didn’t even exist for you before,” remarked Annabelle M. from Köniz. “I can really recommend Bike to Work to everyone – it’s a great experience that brings mobility and fun into your daily routine.”

The next Bike to Work will take place in May and June 2022. However, this September Pro Velo Switzerland will also launch the Cyclomania-Challenge, in which participants can win points and prizes by getting out on their bikes more often in another attempt to encourage even more urban daily cycling.