Cycling in Munich

Bike path in central Munich

Cycling in Munich accounts for 14 percent of all traffic in the German city of Munich. This makes Munich the leader in bicycle use among the large German cities and therefore (since the summer of 2010) Munich has been named Radlhauptstadt (the bicycle capital).^[1] Around 80% of the population of Munich own a bicycle.^[2]

From 1992 to 2010 a total of 32 million euros were spent on new bike racks and investments in expanding the cycling network. For environmental reasons, the city aims to increase the modal share for cycling to 17 percent by 2015^[2] and for this additional financial resources for infrastructure, public relations and events have been allocated: from 2010 annual funds to promote cycling will triple to €4.5 million.

Bicycle network

Bike path along Goethestrasse in Munich

Munich's bicycle network is more than 1,200 kilometers long^[2] - this is more than 50 percent of the total length of Munich's road network. There are 212 one-way streets in Munich which are open in both directions to cyclists (i.e. contraflow). There are also 17 dedicated Fahrradstrassen: bicycle streets where cyclists have priority and vehicles are limited to 30kmh.

Since 2007 the street signage for Munich's bicycle network has slowly been replaced by new green and white signs, whose type is twice as large and the destinations and distances are marked. Signed bicycle routes connect points in the city in ways that are suitable for cyclists and there is minimisation in obstruction on roads, by pedestrian and better flow through traffic lights.

As of 2010^[update] there are about 25,000 bicycle racks in the urban area not including the 50,000 bicycle parking spaces at bus stops and public transport hubs.^[2]

Public bicycle hire system

A Call a Bike public bicycle in Munich

Munich's bicycle hire system, the Deutsche Bahn run Call a Bike, is available in the central area of the city, that part of Munich surrounded by the ring-road known as the Mittlerer Ring.

References

1. ^ Radlhauptstadt München
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Radlnetz: Radlhauptstadt München

External links

• Radlhauptstadt München