European Mobility Week, September 16–22: car's day offs are good for human well-being and the environment
The annual European Mobility Week will be celebrated from 16 to 22 September 2025, encouraging people to reflect on their everyday mobility choices and their impact on the environment, society and their own health.
– Walking and cycling are good everyday exercise. It improves fitness and supports well-being in many ways. Moving more by muscle power is also important for the city's climate goal and for the use of space. Most journeys of less than one kilometre are made on foot, but for longer journeys the share of car travel starts to increase. For example, almost half of trips of 2–5 km are made by car. Many people could possibly cycle these distances, says Sanna Ovaska from Transport System Planning.
Leaving the car at home once a week supports the climate goal
The City of Tampere has set a target to increase the modal share of sustainable mobility – walking, cycling and public transport – to 69% by 2030. One of the key reasons is climate.
In terms of transport, meeting the emissions reduction target is most challenging because of Tampere's growing population and slow changes in mobility habits.
The mobility choices of the people of Tampere will play a big role in achieving the target. Even one day of for car per week makes a big difference: if every car-using Tampere resident left the car at home once a week, Tampere could reach the 2030 carbon neutrality target.
Laura Inha from the Climate and Environmental Policy Unit points out that one day is a good rule of thumb:
– Of course, different life situations affect our mobility choices and opportunities. But giving car a day off is a genuinely effective way to support the climate goal, as two-thirds of transport emissions are caused by car traffic. If everyone did the same, once a week would help to significantly reduce transport emissions.
Mobility Week in the city
In 2025, the theme of Mobility Week will be Mobility for Everyone. The theme week is visible in Tampere in a variety of ways.
Tampere's primary schools are participating in the Mobility Week with an inter-class school trip challenge: encouraging students to actively walk or cycle their way to school throughout September.
The Adult Education Centre of the Tampere Region is also celebrating Mobility Week. During the week, you can bring a friend to some of the health promotion courses. Students whose courses are covered by the campaign will be informed about the promotion of Mobility Week by e-mail.
Free bike maintenance for university students
Mobility Mindshift project of the City of Tampere and the University of Tampere is inspiring young people to move more sustainably now and in the future. Tampere upper secondary schools and Tredu will be promoting sustainable mobility throughout the academic year with a variety of activities and events. In the autumn, upper secondary education students will have the opportunity, for example, to come up with alternative ways of using parking spaces.
In cooperation with the national Students on the Move project, the project will offer free bike maintenance and related guidance on the campuses of the Tampere University:
- Tue 16.9.2025 from 9.30- to 1.30 (TAMK main campus)
- Wed 17.9.2025 from 9.30 to 11.30 (University of Tampere Central Campus)
- Thu 18.9.2025 from 9.30 to 11.30 (University of Tampere Hervanta Campus)
Older people invited to indoor walk and be interviewed on 18.9. at Hakametsä Ice Arena
The City of Tampere and Hakametsä Sport Campus have challenged students from the University of Tampere to develop solutions that improve or maintain the ability and motivation of older people to move independently in an urban environment. During the Mobility Week, the students invite people over 65 to exercise and be interviewed at the Hakametsä Ice Arena on 18 September from 12.30 to 14.30. The programme includes indoor walking, socialising and gymnastics at your own pace. A similar event will also take place on 9 October.
Test the cargo bikes for free in Vuores on 13.9.
You can test shared cargo bikes free of charge at the Vuores Street Festival on Saturday 13.9. from 13-16 at Vuoresauklo. The shared cargo bikes are an experiment by the City of Tampere. Electric-assisted cargo bikes can be rented until the end of October in both Vuores and Epilä.
