Six in ten commuters travel by car

In 2002 there were on average over 5 million daily commuters, the majority travelled by car. The average commuter distance covered increased.

Commuters 1995-2002

Car commuters

In 2002 more than 60 percent of all commuters travelled by car, nearly 10 percent by public transport, 25 percent by bike and 3 percent walked.

The average number of commuters on weekdays grew by 13 percent in the period 1995-2002. The number of car commuters rose significantly by almost 23 percent, public transport also witnessed an increase in the number of commuters, car passengers fell by 20 percent.

Average commuting distance by sex

More kilometres

Over a period of seven years the average commuting distance increased by 1.2 kilometres to reach 18.2 kilometres in 2002. The commuter distance covered by both sexes was higher than in 1995. The average male commuter travels 8 kilometres more than his female counterpart.

The average distance covered by commuting motorists grew by half a kilometre from 1995 to 2002.

Furthermore, the number of car commuters increased by more than 500 thousand in the same period.

Altogether, commuting motorists covered almost 26 million extra kilometres on a weekday in 2002 compared to 1995, the equivalent of nearly 68 times the distance to the moon.

Commuters

Roughly 60 percent of commuters work outside their municipality of residence, approximately the same percentage as in 1995.

Commuters on weekdays

Longest travelling time for train commuters

In 2002 train passengers commuted an average 67 minutes and thus had the longest travelling time. It took bus passengers approximately 45 minutes to reach work. Carpoolers commuted for 39 minutes, 11 minutes longer than motorists driving alone. On average car passengers travelled 30 minutes. Commuting cyclists and walkers had the shortest travelling times: 15 and 10 minutes respectively.

Hermine Molnár-in ’t Veld

Source: StatLine