Cycling to work could save Rotterdam commuters €1,359

ROTTERDAM, 13 May 2026 – The average worker in Rotterdam lives 16.4 kilometres from work, according to research by career platform Cvster based on CBS figures. With current fuel prices, swapping the car for a bicycle could save Rotterdam commuters up to €1,359 a year, which is basically a small holiday, a new e-bike fund or a very irresponsible number of kapsalons.

For diesel drivers, Cvster calculates a yearly saving of around €1,008. For petrol drivers, the saving rises to around €1,359, provided you leave the car at home and make the commute by bike instead.

Rotterdam commute is bikeable

The average commuting distance in Rotterdam is slightly lower than the South Holland average of 16.6 kilometres. Nationally, workers live an average of 19.6 kilometres from work. So yes, Rotterdam is doing better than the national average. Not “throw confetti on the Coolsingel” better, but still. We’ll take a win where we can get one.

Fuel prices make cycling tempting

With current fuel prices, every visit to the pump feels a little like being gently robbed by a machine that smells of petrol. That makes the bicycle suddenly look less like a lifestyle statement and more like a financial strategy with handlebars.

Cycling is cheaper, healthier and more sustainable. Fine, we knew that already. But when the difference can run into more than a thousand euros a year, the bike starts sounding less like a moral lecture and more like a very smug accountant.

E-bikes stretch the commute

According to the Fietsersbond, 15 kilometres is considered an acceptable commuting distance on an electric bike. For a regular bicycle, 10 kilometres is seen as acceptable.

That matters because almost 60% of workers live within 15 kilometres of work, while around 40% live within 10 kilometres. In other words, plenty of commutes are not as wildly unrealistic as your sleepy morning brain claims at 07:15.

Short trips still go by car

RVO figures show that only 28% of all commuting trips are made by bicycle. That leaves quite a bit of room for improvement, especially on shorter routes.

The spicy little detail: a quarter of workers still take the car for a commute of five kilometres or less. Five. Kilometres. In Rotterdam terms, that is barely enough time to finish complaining about the traffic.

Travel allowance still applies

Leaving the car at home does not mean you automatically lose your tax-free kilometre allowance. Employers may also pay this allowance when you cycle to work.

That allowance is expected to rise to 25 cents per kilometre. If your employer pays it, the saved fuel costs are pure gain. Add fewer kilometres on the car, less wear and potentially lower maintenance, and suddenly your bike is doing finance, fitness and climate policy before breakfast.

Rotterdam has a real choice

Of course, not every commute is easy. Distance is one thing, but weather, safety, time, childcare, luggage and sweaty office arrivals all count. Rotterdam wind is not exactly famous for emotional support. Still, the numbers are hard to ignore. If your commute sits somewhere around that 10 to 15-kilometre range, cycling even a few days a week could save real money by the end of the year.

Bike more, spend less?

You do not have to become that person who talks about tyre pressure at parties. Even replacing one or two car commutes a week can make a difference. Your legs may complain at first. Your raincoat may become a personality trait. But your wallet? Your wallet might be quietly cheering from the bottom of your bag.