Mobility Week encourages people to think about their own mobility choices
European Mobility Week is celebrated annually in September, from 16 to 22 September. Mobility Week encourages people to think about their everyday mobility choices and their impact on the environment, society and health.
By covering distances under your own steam, you can incorporate beneficial exercise into your daily routine. Walking to the shops and back, for example, easily equates to a brisk walk in terms of steps taken. Even busy people can get their recommended daily amount of exercise by cycling to work. Every step and even short journeys are good for the body.
Physical activity has health benefits, but the environment also benefits when people travel using their own energy. European Mobility Week ends with the traditional Car-Free Day on 22 September. This theme day encourages people to try cycling to work or using public transport whenever possible. When using public transport, you also walk more steps to and from stops than when driving your own car.
Facts about exercise:
- Even a half-hour walk every day can improve your endurance by 10–15% in just a few months. (UKK Institute).
- The average distance travelled on an electric bike is approximately 10 kilometres. Of all daily journeys made by Finns, 75% are less than 10 kilometres long. When the burden of cycling is lightened by an electric bike, even a journey of twenty kilometres can be covered with ease. (UKK Institute, Follow-up study on the scrappage incentive campaign, 2023)
- A passenger car typically seats five people, but most of the time, people travel alone or in pairs. The efficiency of car travel can be increased by picking up passengers travelling in the same direction, for example to work or leisure activities. (Passenger Transport Survey, 2021)
The theme of Mobility Week 2025 emphasises that everyone has the right to sustainable mobility regardless of income, place of residence, functional capacity, gender or other factors. For some, the cost of mobility or lack of options may limit their ability to travel to work, education or basic services. The goal of sustainable mobility is to make mobility accessible, affordable, inclusive and safe for all.
Schools and early childhood education units are encouraged to organise activities in line with Mobility Week in their own operating environments. The accompanying guide contains material and tips for education professionals on how to implement the theme week’s activities:
This content has been translated using AI