Edition 2022

Foto omschrijving: Senior citizens riding their e-bike across a green levee under a blue sky with lots of white clouds.

How much do we cycle per week on average?

In 2020, the 12 to 17‑year-olds cycled most frequently, either on bicycles or e-bikes. They also travelled the most kilometres: an average of 33 kilometres per person per week. The over-75s preferred the bicycle least. They cycled an average of 14 kilometres per week, as many as 25 to 34‑year-olds.

Hoeveel fietsen we gemiddeld per week?How much do we cycle per week on average? 6 tot 12 jaar6 to 11 yrs15,2 km12 tot 18 jaar12 to 17 yrs32,9 km18 tot 25 jaar18 to 24 yrs16,8 km25 tot 35 jaar25 to 34 yrs14,0 km35 tot 50 jaar35 to 49 yrs15,5 km50 tot 65 jaar50 to 64 yrs19,1 km65 tot 75 jaar65 to 74 yrs23,4 km75 yrs and over13,7 km

In 2020, a year of government measures imposed to counter the coronavirus pandemic, people cycled less frequently and also covered fewer kilometres per week on average than in 2019. This was excluding the over-75s, who cycled equally often both years and covered the same distance.

An average of 4.2 bike rides a week

In an average week in 2020, residents of the Netherlands aged six and over used a bicycle for 4.4 trips, almost 1 less than in 2019. The 12 to 17‑year-olds also cycled less often in 2020, but at 8.4 times they still cycled nearly twice as often as the average Dutch person. With an average of 33 kilometres per person per week, they also travelled the most kilometres. Similarly, despite cycling less often and less far than in 2019, 6 to 11‑year-olds rode their bikes nearly 7 times a week and covered over 15 kilometres a week.

While 65 to 74‑year-olds cycled less often than young people, when they did go out, they covered relatively many kilometres, around 24 kilometres per week in 2020. This figure is the same as it was in 2019. People aged 75 and over cycled the fewest kilometres per week at 14 kilometres. In 2020, 25 to 34‑year-olds were also cycling 14 kilometres a week. This was nearly 18 kilometres a week in 2019.

Students and pupils cycle the most

Both students and pupils rode their bikes most frequently and they also pedalled the most kilometres. They rode their bikes almost 7 times a week in 2020 and cycled more than 22 kilometres per person during such week. In 2019, this was 9 times and 29 kilometres. Pensioners spent less time on their bicycles, but when they did, they covered a greater distance. In total, pensioners cycled an average of 21 kilometres per person per week, both in 2020 and the year before.

Average cycling distance per person per week, 2020 (kilometres)
Persoonskenmerken Kilometres cycled
Students or pupils 22.45
Pensioners, early retirees 20.69
People working
12-29 hrs/week
18.79
People working
30 hrs/week or more
16.69
Unemployed people 14.64
People with work disability 11.77
Other 13.14

Mainly recreational cycling kilometres

In 2020, most bicycle trips were made to run errands or to do some shopping. However, most cycling kilometres were travelled for recreational purposes, such as touring, hiking and for going out, sports and leisure. The average of 4.7 kilometres per person per week for the purpose of touring and hiking was almost a third higher than in 2019. For going out, sports and leisure, almost one-fifth fewer kilometres were cycled in 2020 than in 2019. For commuting to and from work, this was one-third fewer kilometres.

Average cycling distance per week by travel purpose, 2020 (kilometres)
Reismotief Distance
Touring, hiking 4.67
Going out, sports, leisure 3.60
Travel to/from work, (non-)daily commute 3.07
Shopping, groceries, errands 2.18
Attending education/courses/childcare 1.85
Visit, overnight stay 1.33
Other travel purposes 0.99
Services, personal care 0.33
Business, occupational 0.23

The questions

Colophon

This web publication was developed by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) in cooperation with Textcetera The Hague.
If you have a question or comment about this publication, please contact us.

Disclaimer and copyright

Cookies

On this website, CBS uses functional cookies on this website to allow proper functioning of the site. These cookies do not contain personal user data and have minimal or no consequences for your privacy. In addition, CBS uses analytical cookies to track visitor statistics, including the number of page views, which topics users are searching, and how visitors reach our website. The purpose is to gain insight into the functioning of the website in order to improve your user experience. We minimise traceability of visitors to our website as much as possible by anonymising the final octet (group of eight bits) of each IP address. These data are not shared with other parties. CBS does not use tracking cookies. Tracking cookies are cookies that track visitors during their browsing of other websites.

The functional and analytical cookies have minimal or no consequences for your privacy. In accordance with current regulations, these cookies may be placed without prior consent.

More information (in Dutch only): https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/telecommunicatie/vraag-en-antwoord/mag-een-website-ongevraagd-cookies-plaatsen

Explanation of symbols

Empty cell figure not applicable
. figure is unknown, insufficiently reliable or confidential
* provisional figure
** revised provisional figure
(between two numbers) inclusive
0 (0.0) less than half of unit concerned
2016–2017 2016 to 2017 inclusive
2016/2017 average for the years 2016 up to and including 2017
2016/’17 crop year, financial year, school year etc., beginning in 2016 and ending in 2017
2004/’05–2016/’17 crop year etc. 2004/’05 up to and including 2016/’17

Due to rounding, some totals may not correspond to the sum of the separate figures.

About CBS

CBS responds to developments in Dutch society by providing statistical information as facts that matter, and communicates on these facts with the outside world. In doing so, CBS offers insights into current developments in society and helps answer policy questions. Research at CBS is focused on broad trends in society and how these are interrelated.

CBS has offices in The Hague, Heerlen and Bonaire with altogether approximately 2,000 staff. A society-oriented working attitude is essential to CBS. CBS provides figures which are relevant to society. Every year, CBS publishes around 600 statistical studies. Virtually every day, CBS data and figures are communicated to the outside world via news releases, video messages and through social media. This results in some 50,000 articles per year in daily newspapers and on news sites.

For more information on CBS’s tasks, organisation and publications, go to cbs.nl/en-gb.

Contact

Should you have any questions or need more information, please contact us.

Contributors

Concept & image editor

Irene van Kuik

Infographics

Hendrik Zuidhoek

Janneke Hendriks

Richard Jollie

Editors

Gert Jan Wijma

Karolien van Wijk

Michel van Kooten

Paul de Winden

Ronald van der Bie

Sidney Vergouw

Translators

Taalcentrum-VU

Gabriëlle de Vet

Frans Dinnissen

Final editor

Elma Wobma

We thank all CBS colleagues who have contributed to this edition of The Netherlands in numbers.