EU workers from the Netherlands and Belgium most frequently commute, according to a recent report
In a recent survey by SD Worx, an HR services company, Belgium has emerged as a European frontrunner in cycling commuting, with over one in five workers (20%) falling into the "super-commuter" category—employees who spend at least 90 minutes on the road each day.
This trend places Belgium in Europe's top three cycling nations, with 41.3% of workers cycling for part or all of their commute, a significant increase from less than a third five years ago. The Netherlands, known for its structural mobility due to employees traveling between client sites, follows closely behind with a cycling rate of 38.7%.
However, the report also highlights that Belgian workers spend the most time commuting, averaging 57 minutes per day. This is largely due to the geographic spread of jobs and population, a challenge shared by Sweden, where longer commutes are also common. In contrast, Southern European countries such as Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Portugal have the shortest commutes, with most workers reaching their jobs in under 30 minutes.
In Ireland, housing pressures in Dublin contribute to increased travel time, a problem also faced by the Netherlands, where high property prices in cities force workers to live further afield. Despite this, Dutch employees are more likely to use company cars compared to Belgium, where tax incentives and employer reimbursement schemes make bike commuting financially attractive.
Public transport lags far behind cycling and the car in Belgium, with only 8% of workers using it. The train, however, is unusually strong at 11%, largely because many civil servants travel free of charge. In the Netherlands, the train is less popular due to its high cost and overcrowding.
The cities in Belgium with the most jobs causing the occurrence of super-commuters are not explicitly identified in the provided search results. However, it is worth noting that in 2023, around 44,000 Belgians and nearly the same number of Germans cross the border daily for work in the Netherlands.
The survey defines "super-commuters" as employees who spend at least 90 minutes on the road each day. In the European Union, Dutch workers have the longest commutes in terms of distance.
British workers also spend above-average time commuting, with 50 minutes per day, on par with the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany.
The rise in cycling in Belgium is a positive step towards reducing carbon emissions and promoting a healthier lifestyle. As the country continues to grapple with long commutes, it remains to be seen whether further investments in public transport and cycling infrastructure will help alleviate these challenges.
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