Commuters in Flevoland clock up most kilometres

Commuters living in the province of Flevoland travel by far the largest distances between home and work: on average 48 kilometres a day. Many of these commuters work in the Amsterdam area. In the province of South Holland people live closest to their work. The average home-to-work distance there is 25.5 kilometres.

Distance between home and work per province, 1999

Source: CBS/VROM, Housing demand survey, 1999

Driving to work

On average, Dutch people travel 29 kilometres to get to and from their jobs.

Over half of them do this by car. If the distance is less than 25 kilometres, just as many people cycle. Although cars are used most often, train commuters cover the longest distances. Train passengers travel an average 72 kilometres a day, car drivers an average 38 kilometres.

Means of transport for commuting between home and work, 1999

Source: CBS/VROM, Housing demand survey, 1999

Owner-occupiers live further from their work

Home-owners live further from their work than people who rent their dwellings. Owner-occupiers travel an average 32 kilometres to and from work, compared with 27 kilometres for tenants. Owners are less likely to move house when they get a new job.

For couples, if one of the partners lives close to or far from their place of work, this is often the case for the other partner as well. If both partners live far from their work they usually do not move to be close to the workplace of one of the two.

The above results are taken from the commuters survey 1999. The outcomes are very similar to those for 1998.

Astrid Smits