Is taking the stairs instead of the lift worth it?

Yes, in small portions: 10 minutes of stairs a day burn about 75 kcal at 70 kg – a good 500 kcal over a week.

Does stair climbing burn more than walking?

Yes, almost twice as much per minute: 6.8 against 3.8 MET in the Compendium.

Does stair climbing suit long challenge days?

Only as seasoning: the knees carry a lot of load, so the planner allows at most 2 hours. One hour burns about 445 kcal at 70 kg.

Calories burned by sportCalories burned

Calories burned climbing stairs

By Thomas Freimoser · Updated: October 26, 2026

Stair climbing is walking against gravity: every step lifts your whole body weight. That is why it burns almost twice as much per minute as walking on the flat.

Short answer

At 70 kg you burn about 445 kcal per hour climbing stairs – almost twice as much as normal walking on the flat.

kcal per hour by pace and body weight

Pace / variant	55 kg	70 kg	85 kg	100 kg
general6.8 MET · Code 17131	395	445	495	545

Example person: 35 years, 172 cm · total energy including resting metabolism · rounded to 5 kcal · MET values: Compendium 2024.

Calculate for your bodyHeight, age and sex shift the values by up to 20 %.

What raises the burn

Almost twice as much as walking: stair climbing is 6.8 MET in the Compendium, normal walking 3.8 MET.
Weight matters especially: the heavier you are, the more you lift with each step – the gap between 55 and 100 kg is especially visible here.
Feet and knees carry the main load. The planner therefore caps stair climbing at 2 hours a day.

Frequently asked questions

Is taking the stairs instead of the lift worth it?: Yes, in small portions: 10 minutes of stairs a day burn about 75 kcal at 70 kg – a good 500 kcal over a week.
Does stair climbing burn more than walking?: Yes, almost twice as much per minute: 6.8 against 3.8 MET in the Compendium.
Does stair climbing suit long challenge days?: Only as seasoning: the knees carry a lot of load, so the planner allows at most 2 hours. One hour burns about 445 kcal at 70 kg.

In comparison

Similar burn at 70 kg, from the calmest to the most intense variant:

Elliptical325–585 kcal/h
Tennis390–520 kcal/h
Hiking390–510 kcal/h
Stair climbing445 kcal/h

And for the 10K Burn Challenge?

With stair climbing alone it would take 2.3 hours to burn 1,000 kcal. The planner shows how a whole day of 5,000 to 10,000 kcal comes together.

Build a day in the planner

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For healthy, trained adults only. Burning 10,000 kcal in a day is extreme. Drink, eat, rest – and stop immediately at any warning sign. Safety & methodology