The Slovak Town of Malacky as a Small Paradise of Cycle Paths

Located about 35 kilometers north of Bratislava, Malacky has added at least one new section of cycle path every year since 2017. Today, the town offers approximately 16 kilometers of standalone cycle paths, and most streets feature a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h.

We visited the town during the Cyklomestá 2026 conference, organized by Cyklokoalícia, a Slovak organization promoting sustainable mobility. During a cycling tour held as part of the conference, it was clear that individual projects do not form isolated sections, but gradually connect the entire town. Almost the entire town center can be navigated on continuous, separated infrastructure.

At the same time, attention to public space is evident. Street upgrades go beyond building bike lanes; the entire street profile is addressed, including new flower beds, tree alignments, and sidewalk improvements. The cycle paths here are true bike lanes, not shared paths for pedestrians and cyclists. This eliminates conflicts with pedestrians and prevents cyclists from returning to mixed car traffic due to the discomfort of shared paths.

Red asphalt instead of road paint

Most of the newer routes are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic. Running through green belts alongside streets, they feature red asphalt and connect schools, the town center, town squares, the sports hall, the hospital, and the château park. The projects frequently incorporate new trees, perennial beds, and widened sidewalks.

A new bridge over the highway

Among this year’s additions is a pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the D2 highway. The 46-meter-long steel structure links the town center with the Na majeri development area, eliminating one of the town’s major barriers.

Another major change will be the modernization of the railway line, which is planned to include up to six new underpasses for pedestrians and cyclists to connect currently severed parts of the town.

A 15-Minute city by bike

Malacky has long worked with the vision of a 15-minute city by bike. The goal is not simply to build as many cycle paths as possible, but to enable safe trips to school, work, and the shops without needing a car. At the conference, speakers highlighted that cycle paths are only one part of a broader urban transformation. For instance, plans are underway to convert a parking lot into a new town square featuring greenery and blue-green infrastructure.

Malacky demonstrates that even a town of 18,000 residents can build a network in just a few years that holds its own alongside much larger European cities—not through a single massive project, but by building the next missing section year after year.