Personal vehicles continue to be the leading mode of transport for commuting in Belgium, with cycling taking a strong second place in all Flemish provinces, except Brussels, where one in three workers relies on public transport.
A survey conducted by SD Worx, involving 1,000 working Belgians, revealed that satisfaction with commuting varies significantly by region. Workers in Brussels face the longest journeys, spending an average of 40 minutes per trip—equating to 80 minutes of travel per day, the highest in the country.
In contrast, employees in Limburg and West Flanders report the highest satisfaction with their commutes, largely due to shorter travel times. Meanwhile, East Flanders and Antwerp lead in bicycle use for daily commutes.
“Those working in Brussels take twice as long to cover the same distance compared to workers in Limburg,” said mobility expert Veerle Michiels. “Brussels also attracts the most commuters from nearly every other province, meaning they often travel greater distances and spend longer on the road. Over one-third of them spend more than an hour and a half commuting each day.”
The choice of transport is as impactful as commute duration. “Cycling is gaining ground in Flanders and even positions us among Europe’s top three for cycling commutes, behind only the Netherlands and Sweden,” Michiels explained. “In East Flanders and Antwerp, more than one in three workers now prefers cycling as their primary mode of transport.”
