Commuting is part of everyday life for millions of employees in Germany. According to the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), the average distance between home and work is currently 17.2 kilometres. Almost 60 % of employees commute to work regularly. This makes mobility a key factor in the functioning of the German labour market.
Regional disparities: from Emden to Märkisch-Oderland
Commuting distances vary greatly from region to region, as shown by David Kokkelink’s (Datawrapper) graphical analysis. The longest distances are typically found in rural, structurally weak or suburban regions. The record is currently held by the Brandenburg district of Märkisch-Oderland (east of Berlin) with an average of 27.4 kilometres. In contrast, Emden (Lower Saxony) has the lowest average distance in Germany at only 9.9 kilometres.
Large cities play a central role in commuter traffic: almost 7 million employees commuted from outside to one of the 80 large cities, which is around 80,000 more than in the previous year. Munich remains the most important destination for commuters (BBSR.de). The increase in commuters can be attributed to rising rents in city centers, which makes living in the surrounding areas more attractive (tagesschau.de).
Commuting under time pressure
Currently, around 20.5 million people commute to work, with around 7.23 million travelling more than 30 kilometres each way. The daily time commitment varies greatly: in 2024, 69.8 % of working people needed less than 30 minutes to get to work. While a good fifth (22.7 %) spent between 30 and 60 minutes travelling, only 5.7 % needed more than an hour to get to work. It is also interesting to note that while 25.2 % of women estimate that their commute takes at least 30 minutes, the figure for men is 31.3 %. This is attributed to the fact that women are more likely to work part-time with shorter commutes (destatis.de).
New dynamics: working from home and the transport revolution
The ongoing trend towards flexible working has noticeably changed everyday commuting. Around a quarter of the working population now works at least part of the time from home (ifo.de), which reduces commuting volumes and traffic congestion. At the same time, the social debate on sustainable mobility and the role of the car is intensifying. This is because the car remains by far the most popular means of transport, with most commuters travelling alone in their cars (agora-verkehrswende.de). There are increasing calls for attractive alternatives, such as the expansion of cycling and public transport, particularly against the backdrop of climate protection and the desired mobility transition.
Prospects and challenges
The data clearly shows that commuting is and will remain a key social issue. In future, more flexible working time models, expansion of public transport infrastructure in rural areas and targeted urban and spatial planning will be needed to make mobility more efficient and less burdensome. The future of commuting will depend largely on the implementation of transport policy and the ongoing digitalisation of the world of work. The desire for shorter journeys and greater flexibility will continue to gain momentum in light of environmental and social trends.
