Changing the way we travel on a daily basis is a win-win situation for everyone
– individuals, employers, and society as a whole.
Cyclists and pedestrians spend 25 percent more in the city center than drivers, thanks to their more frequent visits.
Regular physical activity results in 2–4 fewer sick days per year.
Cyclists have a 46 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who do not commute to work.
The transportation sector accounts for approximately 35 percent of Sweden’s domestic emissions, and 60 percent of these come from passenger cars. Daily commuting makes up a large portion of car travel—nearly half of the more than two billion car trips taken annually are trips to and from work and school, or for running errands. When these are replaced with active travel—such as walking, biking, public transit, or carpooling—we reduce emissions.
Traffic congestion costs society huge sums of money—according to the EU, approximately 270 billion euros per year—primarily in lost time and disruptions to supply chains. When more people choose to walk, bike, or use public transportation, congestion decreases and traffic flows improve. With Green Travel Plans, the percentage of people switching from cars to sustainable alternatives could increase by five percent in the short term and at least ten percent in the long term.
New infrastructure is expensive and time-consuming—a roundabout can cost 25–40 million kronor, while larger projects can cost hundreds of millions and require many years of planning. Systematic work with Green Travel Plans can reduce the need for major infrastructure investments. Instead, the municipality can use those resources for long-term initiatives aimed at changing behavior—a more flexible and scalable way to improve mobility and accessibility without spending money on permanent roads.
Active commuters enjoy significant health benefits: they take fewer sick days, and positive health effects are already evident after just six weeks of active commuting. Less car traffic also leads to cleaner air, which benefits everyone living in the area. Economically, investments in increased cycling and active transportation yield nine kronor in public health benefits for every krona invested.
Neighborhoods with good cycling and public transportation infrastructure have higher property values, and cyclists and pedestrians spend more in downtown stores than drivers. Green travel habits can therefore not only reduce climate impact and promote health—they also strengthen the city’s economy.
Active commuters have a 36 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
One-fifth of Sweden’s domestic CO2-equivalent emissions come from passenger cars, and half of all trips are daily commutes.
Traffic jams and congestion in the EU are estimated to cost 3 trillion kronor each year.
The summary of the “Green Travel Plans” approach presented here is the result of a collaboration in 2025 between Viable Cities, SKR (Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions), the City of Linköping, and a dozen Swedish municipalities as part of the Climate-Neutral Cities 2030 initiative, with the aim of facilitating, deepening knowledge of, and accelerating and broadening the implementation of the approach in the municipalities. The work was carried out in 2025 with funding from Vinnova as a feasibility study to prototype an accelerator designed to support the implementation, scaling, and dissemination of Green Travel Plans and other successful initiatives for climate-neutral and sustainable cities at the local level.
The City of Linköping, which has been working with Green Travel Plans since 2013, is a pioneer among municipalities and has inspired a number of other municipalities to launch similar initiatives, not least Lund and Östersund. Twelve cities at various stages of implementing Green Travel Plans have participated in the work and shared experiences and insights, concrete tools, methods, and documents with one another and with the project. These have been collected and compiled to inspire and guide other cities and their local stakeholders in their joint efforts to implement and further develop Green Travel Plans. Implementing green travel plans contributes to reducing climate emissions and a range of other positive effects, such as smoother daily travel, better accessibility, improved public health, inclusion, and gender equality. Evaluations of travel to areas with green travel plans show, among other things, reduced congestion and lower climate emissions over time. The travel plans have also created a clear forum for dialogue on sustainable transportation with employees, employers, and property owners.
To support the implementation, dissemination, and scaling of new working methods, knowledge resources such as guides, descriptions, and tools are needed. A key insight is that the value of these resources increases significantly when combined with opportunities to meet, discuss, and learn together with others who are working to implement similar working methods.
Viable Cities is a strategic innovation program with the mission of achieving climate-neutral cities by 2030, ensuring a good quality of life for all within the planet’s limits. The program is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, Vinnova and Formas and coordinated by KTH.
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