Why cycling to work saves you time – and how to do it

How many times have you heard – or said – ‘I’d love to cycle to work but I don’t have the time’? But is that really true?

Both research and people’s own experience – including mine – say that for many people it’s quicker to cycle than use public transport or drive, while even combining public transport and cycling can save time. It’s also a more efficient use of your time.

In this guide I’ll look at why cycling can be faster than either driving or taking public transport and give some tips on how to do it.

It’s important to acknowledge that not everyone can cycle to work. There might be health reasons that some people can’t, while others simply live too far away. However, if more people who can cycle did, it would make those journeys easier – and quicker – for everyone.

Time spent, time saved

According to government statistics, in Great Britain we spend 28 minutes on average getting to work, so that’s almost an hour every day. This differs by transport mode, with rail journeys being the longest at 64 minutes per trip (128 minutes per day), while car journeys are 26 minutes each way (52 minutes). The majority of commuters drive.

Where you live also matters, with Londoners spending the most time commuting: 73 minutes per day. Commuters in Glasgow have the shortest commutes at just 39 minutes per day.

That’s a lot of time spent travelling to and from work. In fact, those ‘average’ drivers spend 8.4 days every year in their cars, getting to and from work. And this isn’t taking into account any extra time due to traffic works, unexpected holdups or congestion, which can easily add another 20 minutes or more to a journey.

Imagine what you could do with that extra time if you could save just some of it!

Swapping to cycling

Many of these shorter commutes could easily be quicker by bike – and you don’t need to be super fit. This was certainly my experience when I was working as Editor of Birdwatch magazine.

My commute by public transport – a mix of Tube and walking – took 45 minutes on a good day. On a bad day it could be more than an hour. It took around 25 minutes by bike. My fastest time was 21 minutes and 13 seconds. Yes, I really did Strava it.

That’s each way, so for the day I saved 40 minutes. Over the course of a week that’s 2 hours and 20 minutes.

At the time I hadn’t been on a bike for decades, not since growing up in Cambridge where it’s practically the law to ride a bike. I wasn’t particularly fit. The first trip took 40 minutes. But it didn’t take long to get down to 25 minutes. I wasn’t on a great bike either – just a cheap hybrid from Halfords.

I also arrived at work feeling a lot fresher and less stressed than when I was cooped up on a Tube train.

It’s not just me either. I asked on Facebook if anyone else had a similar experience and I was inundated with responses. Julie said: “It is quicker for me to either cycle from home or drive halfway and cycle the rest (Witney-Oxford) than trying to drive into the city. You can cruise past the traffic as it’s usually at a standstill! Nice way to start and finish the day too.”

Harri, who works at a hospital in a city centre, says what would be a 15-minute drive takes 10 minutes by bike, “but much, much longer to find parking, if I even could, and the parking costs £16 a day!”

How it works

Julie and Harri highlight two of the reasons why cycling can be faster than driving or public transport: traffic and finding a parking space – and that’s even assuming your workplace has parking.

Cycling means you can filter through traffic, which can save you up to half an hour per journey in particularly busy towns and cities. You can also easily change your route to avoid roadworks and heavily congested roads. You can cycle through areas where cars are prohibited, such as low traffic neighbourhoods or parks.

Congestion can really make a difference to travelling speeds. According to some studies, for example, in the City of London a car averages 7.6mph, while a cyclist averages 14mph.

Motorists are a lot more limited as to where they can drive. Cyclists, however, can combine roads, cycle infrastructure, back streets, parks, towpaths and more, taking shortcuts to find the quickest route – leaving the traffic behind.

Christine, whose 7.5-mile cycle commute takes her about half an hour compared to at least 45 minutes in a car, says it best: “I feel quite smug when I cycle past the stationary traffic!”

Once you’ve arrived at work, it’s much easier to store a bike than a car – you could spend more precious minutes driving around looking for somewhere to park. With a bike, you just need somewhere secure to chain it to. If you’ve got a folding bike you can take it into your office.

As Janet said: “I work at a school where there’s not enough parking for everyone. It’s only a mile away, but cycling means I’m not stressed about all the school traffic congesting the high street and I don’t have to find a car park when I get there.”

Use your time better

Filtering through traffic and no time lost to searching for a parking space: cycling is a more efficient way of travelling. Rachel’s experience demonstrates this: “The roadworks all round Birmingham mean diversions, bollards and traffic lights almost everywhere! It can take nearly an hour at rush hour to arrive home from Digbeth by car.

“Hmmm, guaranteed 25 mins home on the bike or 45-60 minutes by car. I know which I choose!”

But that’s not the only way cycling is more efficient. As I can personally attest, 25 minutes, twice a day, five times a week, is excellent cardiovascular exercise. No more time spent travelling to a gym and sitting on a stationary bike for 45 minutes. Plus all that money saved on a gym membership.

Amanda said that her place of work moved to a cyclable distance about two years ago, and while she doesn’t save much time compared to the Tube, “I feel like I’m getting 45 minutes’ exercise for the price of about five. Plus, I’m saving money and it’s just a really enjoyable way to travel.”

Kara agrees. “Mine is the same-ish time as my train commute. Where it saves me time is in the activity it builds into my week: it would take far more time to go to the gym!”

Cycling is more efficient than either driving or taking public transport. You aren’t stuck with a specific route and you don’t have to make stops. You can take the back streets, parks and tow paths that are restricted for cars. There’s none of that ‘dead’ time that motor traffic gets stuck in due to congestion.

One benefit that came up repeatedly was the predictability of cycle commuting. Time spent travelling by car or public transport can fluctuate wildly, due to roadworks, congestion, delays or even ‘leaves on the line’.

Because you’re always on the move with cycling, your journey time will be pretty much the same all the time, apart from a few minutes here and there stopped at traffic lights.

Liz in Birmingham said that commuting is quicker by bike, especially in rush hour. But, she adds: “For me the biggest benefit is knowing exactly how long a journey will take. No being late, and no leaving extra early to allow time for traffic, closed roads or parking!”

Jon sums up that feeling of frustration of just waiting around. “I always disliked waiting for the bus/Tube/train. When you cycle you are always heading towards your destination.”

Going further and faster

There is a limit to how far people can, or even want to, ride to work. But that limit can be extended. Cycling to a local train station and then to your workplace at the other end is fast, efficient way of getting there.

It’ll be faster than walking or taking the bus, and even if driving is faster, you’ll save time and money on parking. A long time ago I used to commute from Cambridge to London. Parking at Cambridge station ran into the hundreds every month. That was more than 25 years ago; I shudder to think how much it would cost these days.

Unless you’re travelling outside of peak times, you’ll need a folding bike for this. You’ll be able to take one on buses as well as trains, though, so it’ll be very convenient. It’s also easy to store one – just fold it up and put it in the corner of your office, and once you’re back home it can live in the hallway.

The ultimate hack, though, is an electric bike. The extra bit of oomph provided by the electric motor means you can go further, making longer commutes much more doable. It’ll also get you through the traffic faster without upping the effort so you can arrive at work more quickly without breaking a sweat.

Top tips for quicker commute

• Plan your route: look for quieter roads, dedicated cycle paths and shortcuts. You don’t have to take the same main roads that motor traffic is restricted to. Use a journey planner that’s tailored for cycling such as Cycling UK’s Journey Planner to find the best route.
• Be flexible: have a few routes in mind or keep an eye out for alternatives so you can avoid unexpected roadworks or heavy traffic.
• Be aware of the distance: you don’t want any nasty surprises, especially if you’re new to cycling to work.
• Be prepared: get as much as possible ready the night before. When I ride to the Cycling UK office I pack my bag and get lunch ready the previous night and keep everything I need – lock, lights, helmet, Garmin, tools – together so I always know where it is.
• Ride the route: if this is your first time cycling to work, ride the route on a weekend first so you can be sure of the time taken. Then leave yourself plenty of time so you don’t feel rushed. As you get more familiar with the route you’ll find you can shorten this.
• The right kit and bike: you don’t need any special clothing or bike. Just wear something you’re comfortable in. If you need to carry a lot with you, a bike that you can fit panniers to is best, while a more upright position might be more comfortable.
• Maintenance: it might not matter what type of bike you’re riding, but it does need to be up to the job. If your bike hasn’t been used for a while, a service is a good idea. The Big Bike Revival offers free cycle repairs, while Cycling UK members can get a free bike check with Evans Cycles.
• The Cycle to Work scheme: if you do want to buy a new bike – a folding one or an e-bike for example – check out this scheme. You could save up to a quarter on the cost. Find out more in our beginners’ guide.
• Cycle Friendly Employer: a cycle-friendly culture, infrastructure and policies (showers, somewhere to store your kit, safe parking for your bike) at your workplace will help encourage you to ride more and make things more efficient. Talk to your employer about our Cycle Friendly Employer accreditation.

I’d like to leave the final word to CreativeLynx9690 on Facebook, who sums it up nicely: “I’ve just started cycling from Liverpool St to Lambeth. Admittedly only on dry days. I love the freedom it gives me. No more racing for the Tube and frog marching to work.

“At the end of the day, I am no longer have the stress of being stuck underground and missing my Overground connection. Then instead of a 15-min walk it’s a 5-min leisurely cycle. I seem to have more time on my hands and am so less stressed. Plus I’m keeping fit at the same time.

“If I had to, I think I could cycle from E4 all the way to Lambeth but I’ll build up to that.”

If you’re planning to start cycling to work, check out our advice pages for all the tips and information you’ll need.