{"id":235580,"date":"2025-07-01T10:16:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T10:16:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/bici-passeggiate-salute\/"},"modified":"2025-07-01T11:43:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T11:43:57","slug":"cycling-walking-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/cycling-walking-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Switzerland between cycling, walking and health"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 data-start=\"252\" data-end=\"296\"><span class=\"font-377884 font-329340\">Switzerland between cycling, walking and health<\/span><\/h1>\n<h3 data-start=\"297\" data-end=\"390\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Slow mobility and quality of life: between Alps and cities, a European model of sustainability<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_235555\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-235555\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-235555 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/IMG20240714145211-1-1024x770.jpg\" alt=\"Trail signpost for hiking paths in the Pizol area, St. Gallen (Switzerland) Image by Chris Sche-Bo\" width=\"840\" height=\"632\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-235555\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Trail signpost for hiking paths in the Pizol area, St. Gallen (Switzerland) Image by Chris Sche-Bo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">In Switzerland, walking and cycling are not just means of getting around, but a lifestyle rooted in culture and supported by public policies. The country has made slow mobility a pillar of collective well-being and environmental sustainability, promoting active travel in cities, villages and the Alps.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">More than 65,000 km of official hiking trails<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">More than 20,000 km of signposted cycling routes (Veloland Schweiz network)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">64% of Swiss people own at least one bicycle<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Approximately 15% of home-to-work journeys are made by bicycle<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Almost 30% of all journeys are made on foot, one of the highest figures in Europe<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"font-377884\">Swiss hiking trails: nature, culture and city<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">The Swiss hiking system is a true national treasure, unique in terms of its ubiquity and maintenance.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">65,000 km of official trails<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Standardised signposting according to level of difficulty<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Links between towns, villages, nature parks and high mountains<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-377884\">Popular routes:<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Lake Zurich Trail<\/strong>: between crystal-clear waters and cultivated hillsides<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Walk of the Four Cantons<\/strong>: through the heart of central Switzerland<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Lavender Trail in Ticino<\/strong>: a sensory experience between scents and views<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Alpine trails in the Bernese Oberland<\/strong>: glaciers, peaks and lakes<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Urban walks<\/strong> in the historic centres of Berne, Lucerne and Basel<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Swiss cities encourage walking with dedicated urban planning: wide pavements, 30 km\/h zones, liveable squares and human-friendly neighbourhoods.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_235564\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-235564\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-235564 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1-1024x732.jpg\" alt=\"Bicycles at Z\u00fcrich-Stadelhofen station Image by JoachimKohlerBremen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons\" width=\"840\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1-1024x732.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1-2048x1463.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1-350x250.jpg 350w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bicycles-at-Zurich-Stadelhofen-station-Image-by-JoachimKohlerBremen-CC-BY-SA-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons-1.jpg 2560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-235564\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bicycles at Z\u00fcrich-Stadelhofen station Image by JoachimKohlerBremen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"font-377884\">A cycling-friendly nation<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Swiss cycling culture has historical roots: as early as 1963, Lucerne inaugurated the country&#8217;s first cycle path. Since then, the network has grown continuously and strategically.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Key figures:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">20,000 km of signposted cycle routes<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">64% of Swiss people with at least one bike<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">15% of daily home-work journeys made by bike<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">More than 200,000 e-bikes sold in 2023 alone<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Veloland Schweiz,<\/strong> the national network, connects cities and regions with routes for everyone: commuters, sports enthusiasts, families and tourists.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-377884\">State-of-the-art infrastructure: the case of Zurich<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Infrastructure innovation is a hallmark. One example is Zurich&#8217;s cycle tunnel under the main station, which connects Europaallee to Zollstrasse:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Covered route with no traffic or traffic lights<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Reduced urban crossing times<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Direct connection between economic and creative areas<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Symbol of a smart and humane urban model<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Zurich invests in cycle mobility with more than 300 km of urban paths, 7,000 bicycle parking spaces and incentives for e-bikes and cargo bikes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-377884\">Scooters: tradition and innovation<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Switzerland has a dual tradition of scooters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Traditional scooters:<\/strong> present for decades, used by children as a game and a means of active movement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>Electric scooters:<\/strong> introduced around 2018, they quickly conquered Swiss cities thanks to their practicality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">National regulations aim to ensure safety and coexistence between pedestrians, cyclists and micromobility users, with maximum speeds and age limits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Estimated annual growth of 15% for the electric micromobility sector in Switzerland.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/auto-free-countries\/\">Between nature and silence the car-free villages to discover<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/postbus\/\">PostBus symbol of Switzerland<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-377884\">Well-being and sustainability: a conscious choice<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Getting around on foot or by bicycle is not only practical or economical, but a choice that generates measurable benefits:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Reduces the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Improves mood, sleep and cognitive functions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Decreases traffic and air pollution<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Stimulates sociability and connection to the region<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-377884\">Switzerland, Europe and the world in comparison<\/span><\/h2>\n<table style=\"height: 669px;\" width=\"1257\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Country<\/th>\n<th>Bike ownership (%)<\/th>\n<th>% urban trips by bike<\/th>\n<th>% urban trips on foot<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Switzerland<\/td>\n<td>~64%<\/td>\n<td>~15%<\/td>\n<td>~30%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Netherlands<\/td>\n<td>~130% (1.3 bikes\/person)<\/td>\n<td>~36%<\/td>\n<td>~25\u201330%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Denmark<\/td>\n<td>~90%<\/td>\n<td>~25\u201330% (62% in Copenhagen)<\/td>\n<td>~25\u201330%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Germany<\/td>\n<td>~80\u201385%<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201315% (25\u201330% in bike-friendly cities)<\/td>\n<td>~30%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>France<\/td>\n<td>~50%<\/td>\n<td>~5\u201310% (Paris &gt;15% in central areas)<\/td>\n<td>~25\u201330%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Italy<\/td>\n<td>~50%<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201315% (North)<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201325%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Sweden<\/td>\n<td>~60\u201370%<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201325% (big cities)<\/td>\n<td>~30%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Norway<\/td>\n<td>~60%<\/td>\n<td>~8\u201312%<\/td>\n<td>~25\u201330%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Finland<\/td>\n<td>~60\u201370%<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201320% (Helsinki ~12\u201315%)<\/td>\n<td>~30%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Poland<\/td>\n<td>~40\u201350%<\/td>\n<td>~5\u201310% (Warsaw ~7\u20138%)<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201325%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>United States<\/td>\n<td>~50%<\/td>\n<td>~1\u20133% (some cities ~5\u20137%)<\/td>\n<td>~5\u201310% (NYC ~20%+)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Canada<\/td>\n<td>~50%<\/td>\n<td>~2\u20135% (Montreal ~7\u20138%)<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201320%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Australia<\/td>\n<td>~50%<\/td>\n<td>~2\u20135% (Melbourne ~5\u20136%)<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201320%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>New Zealand<\/td>\n<td>~50%<\/td>\n<td>~2\u20134% (Christchurch ~5\u20136%)<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201325%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Argentina<\/td>\n<td>~50\u201360%<\/td>\n<td>~1\u20135% (Buenos Aires increasing)<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201330%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Thailand<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201330%<\/td>\n<td>&lt;5% (Bangkok ~1\u20132%)<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201330%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Singapore<\/td>\n<td>~40\u201350%<\/td>\n<td>~2\u20135%<\/td>\n<td>~25\u201330%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>United Arab Emirates<\/td>\n<td>~20\u201330% (growing)<\/td>\n<td>~1\u20133%<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201315%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Qatar<\/td>\n<td>~20%<\/td>\n<td>~1\u20132%<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201315%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>South Africa<\/td>\n<td>~30\u201340%<\/td>\n<td>~1\u20133%<\/td>\n<td>~15\u201325%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Japan<\/td>\n<td>~60\u201370%<\/td>\n<td>~10\u201315% (highly variable)<\/td>\n<td>~30\u201340% (very high in Tokyo and Kyoto)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Switzerland is among the most advanced countries in Europe for active mobility, thanks to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Public investment in trails and paths<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Integration with public transport<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Public awareness<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"font-377884\">Inclusive approach: suitable for athletes, families, commuters and tourists<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Between the Alps, lakes and people-friendly cities, Switzerland offers a virtuous example of how sustainability, health and quality of life can go hand in hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/k16trade.ch\/seqex-en\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-230949 size-medium aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FullLogo_Transparent_NoBuffer-300x145.png\" alt=\"K16 TRADE &amp; CONSULTING SWITZERLAND\" width=\"300\" height=\"145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FullLogo_Transparent_NoBuffer-300x145.png 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FullLogo_Transparent_NoBuffer-1024x495.png 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FullLogo_Transparent_NoBuffer-768x371.png 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FullLogo_Transparent_NoBuffer-350x169.png 350w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/FullLogo_Transparent_NoBuffer.png 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Slow mobility and quality of life: between Alps and cities, a European model of sustainability<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":235556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1344,260,210,257,2323],"tags":[2596,795,405,263,2597,264,887,2595],"class_list":["post-235580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-curiosity","category-highlights","category-magazine","category-switzerland","category-tourism","tag-cycling","tag-economy","tag-europe","tag-future","tag-outdoors","tag-sustainability","tag-switzerland-en","tag-well-being"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=235580"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":235582,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235580\/revisions\/235582"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/235556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=235580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=235580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=235580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}