We spend 1.5 hours in traffic - per day

The domestic mobility of the population has remained almost stable in recent years: On average, each resident aged 6 and older traveled 36.8 kilometers daily in 2015, virtually the same as in 2010. However, over the past two decades (since 1994), an increase of 5.5 kilometers or 18 percent can be observed. The daily time spent on the road (travel time) decreased slightly between 2010 and 2015, by 1.3 minutes to 90.4 minutes per person. This is the result of the "Microcensus Mobility and Transport", a survey conducted jointly by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) and the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE).

Car leads the way - train catches up

Almost two-thirds of daily domestic distances, namely 23.8 kilometers, are covered by car, and one-fifth (7.5 km) by rail. The shares of distances covered on foot, at 5 percent, and by public road transport, at 4 percent, are significantly smaller. However, if travel time is considered instead of distance, the share of walking increases to more than one third (36%), while the shares of car and train decrease significantly (to 41% and 8%, respectively). On average, the inhabitants of Switzerland spend half an hour a day on foot.

Compared with 2010, the number of car kilometers per person per day and the occupancy rate of passenger cars have remained almost stable. The fact that road traffic has nevertheless increased in recent years is primarily due to population growth. The distance traveled per person per day by rail increased by 6 percent between 2010 and 2015, and even by more than three quarters since 1994 - an increase that is primarily related to the expansions of service and infrastructure that have taken place. The increasing importance of rail also partly explains the aforementioned reduction in daily travel time.

Distances are shorter in the agglomerations

The length of the daily distance traveled varies according to population group. For example, men's daily distances are on average around a third longer than those of women. Of the various age groups, young adults between 18 and 24 show the longest distances at 48 kilometers.

Furthermore, the place of residence also influences mobility: At 34.8 kilometers per person per day, residents of the agglomerations cover significantly shorter distances than the population of the other parts of the country (42.5 km). They also use their cars less and public transport more often. Of the inhabitants of the ten most populous conurbations, those living in Bern and Winterthur have the highest public transport distance shares (34% and 33% respectively). In terms of walking, Geneva and St. Gallen lead the way with shares of 8 percent each. In recent years, the shares of public transport and non-motorized traffic have grown in the agglomerations. Among other things, the agglomeration programs co-financed by the federal government have probably contributed to this.

Leisure traffic dominates - even on weekdays

By far the most important transport purpose is and remains leisure. Around 44 percent of daily distances in Germany are covered in connection with leisure activities. This is followed by commuting to work with a share of 24 percent and shopping with 13 percent. Even if only the days from Monday to Friday are considered, leisure remains by far the most important transport purpose.

Inhabitants of Switzerland fly 9000 kilometers per person per year

If all distances are added up that the Swiss resident population covered per person in the course of 2015, the result is an average distance of 24″850 kilometers - more than half a circumnavigation of the globe. In addition to the domestic daily distances considered so far, the annual mobility also includes all trips and all distances traveled abroad. Distances abroad have increased sharply in recent years. In 2015, they totaled 11″100 km per person, which corresponded to a share of 45 percent of annual mobility. More than a third of annual mobility, namely 9000 km, was accounted for by air travel.

Soon one in ten households will own an e-bike

More than three-quarters (78%) of households owned at least one car in 2015, and 65 percent owned a bicycle. Compared with 2010, household car ownership has fallen by 1 percentage point, and bicycle ownership by 3 percentage points. At the same time, the share of households with e-bikes tripled at a low level: from just over 2 percent to 7 percent. Compared with bicycles, e-bikes are used more for commuting to work and less for leisure. On average, they travel a quarter faster than bicycles (17 km/h versus 13 km/h) and are used for longer single trips (4.4 km versus 3.3 km).

Fundamentals for spatial and transport policy

The data collected as part of the "Microcensus Mobility and Transport" serve as a statistical basis for the preparation and validation of political measures as well as for in-depth analyses of traffic behavior and traffic development.

Source: Federal Statistical Office