Traveling to work: Belgians top Europe with record-breaking daily commutes

Belgium once again leads Europe in commuting times. Surpassing the one-hour mark also means Belgians are exceeding the threshold that commuters generally find acceptable.

The average Belgian commutes for 61 minutes. This is longer than in all other surveyed countries — 16 European countries were examined — and exceeds the average acceptable commuting time of 57 minutes. Thirteen per cent of Belgians travel more than two hours daily.

Nevertheless, 41 per cent of Belgian commuters do not find such a long journey burdensome. "It appears that Belgians have largely accepted long travel times as part of their work," explains Veerle Michiels of SD Worx. About a third of commuters do experience significant commuting complaints.

There are some notable differences among Belgian commuters. For example, men (average 65 minutes) generally travel longer than women (average 56 minutes). Twice as many men (23 per cent) as women (12 per cent) travel more than 100 kilometres daily. Compared to men, women tend to live closer to their workplace, have shorter average commute times, and a lower acceptable commuting time limit. Women also prefer to work from home more often than men.

There are also some striking differences in Europe. In Sweden (57 minutes) and Ireland (56 minutes), people commute for nearly as long as in Belgium, but in Slovenia and Italy, the average commute times are only 32 minutes and 35 minutes, respectively.

"Employees have varying expectations depending on their role, place of residence, and life stage. Employers who effectively manage hybrid work, flexible schedules, and transportation options can significantly enhance their attractiveness in the labour market," concludes Michiels.

Earlier, it was reported that Australia had halved its fuel tax and offered free public transport as prices surged.