First National Travel Survey Reveals Two-Wheelers and Buses Dominate Indian Commutes

Over 42 percent of Indian workers rely on two-wheelers to reach their workplaces, anchoring daily mobility even as mass transit expansions accelerate across major metros. The benchmark findings come from the National Statistics Office's inaugural National Household Travel Survey, which polled more than 20 lakh individuals across 4.92 lakh households between July 2025 and June 2026.

Daily travel times remain surprisingly brisk across both rural and urban areas. More than 83 percent of workers reach their desks or job sites in under half an hour, averaging a 25-minute journey. Students log an average 23-minute trip, with 87.6 percent arriving within 30 minutes, relying primarily on walking, local buses, and bicycles.

Commuting expenses highlight stark demographic splits. Urban employees spend an average of ₹1,044 monthly on daily work transit, compared to ₹612 for rural workers. Gender disparities also persist in daily movement: male workers spend ₹835 monthly compared to ₹533 for women, reflecting lower female workforce participation in daily journeys exceeding one kilometer.

For long-distance and overnight travel, public transit remains irreplaceable. Buses handle 55.8 percent of all overnight household journeys, followed by inter-city railways at 17.7 percent, driven overwhelmingly by social visits and religious pilgrimages. The transport ministry and Indian Railways will use the survey data to recalibrate regional bus routes, train scheduling, and urban transit capital spending.