Belgian employees now spend an average of 57 minutes a day travelling to and from work, according to new figures from HR services provider SD Worx. That puts Belgium firmly at the top of the European commuting league, ahead of all neighbouring countries. The heaviest commuters spend more than ninety minutes a day on the road.
Belgians tend not to move house for work, but rather for their social network. Young people often remain in the city after their studies, which keeps commuting times short.
Once they have children, however, many relocate to rural areas closer to family and friends. With jobs concentrated in cities such as Brussels and congestion steadily increasing, travel times continue to grow.
How Belgians commute
Federal mobility surveys show that two-thirds of Flemings travel to work by car, while fewer than eight per cent rely on public transport. Bicycles account for just over one in five journeys, and only a small minority commute on foot.
The company car remains a major perk, since employers cover purchase, insurance, maintenance and inspection costs. From 2026 onwards, employers will be required to offer staff entitled to a company car the choice of a mobility budget instead. This can be spent on a leased bicycle, public transport, or even a contribution to housing costs.
Employees using their own car are not automatically reimbursed. In Joint Committee 200, the largest sector for white-collar workers, a contribution is granted from three kilometres onwards, calculated at 50 per cent of the price of a second-class train ticket for the same distance. For a 20-kilometre commute, this works out at around €53.50 per month.
Cyclists benefit from a tax-free allowance of up to €0.36 per kilometre. Someone cycling 20 kilometres per day, five days a week, earns about €36 net each week. Lease bikes are also increasingly popular, often as part of a cafeteria plan.
For public transport, employer contributions are mandatory. The standard rule is that the employer pays 70% of the subscription, though some sectors cover the full cost. Under the NMBS /SNCB third-party payer scheme, 80% is covered by the employer and the remaining 20% by the government, leaving employees with a free season ticket.
Flexible working cushions the impact
Although commuting times are rising – from 53 minutes in 2024 to 57 minutes this year – many Belgians try to make long journeys more manageable. Flexible arrangements, such as working from home one or two days a week, ease the burden.
Predictability also plays a role. Cycling is valued not only for its health and financial benefits, but also because journey times are reliable. By contrast, reliance on public transport has declined in recent years due to punctuality issues and frequent strikes.
Despite these adaptations, Belgium retains its unenviable title as Europe’s longest-commuting country. For many employees, the daily journey to and from work is still getting longer.