Archive · 7 Oct 2026
Two-Wheelers Lead Indian Commutes, but Time and Costs Vary
Many people in India ride two-wheelers to get to work.
About 43 out of every 100 workers use them.
Walking and bicycles are also common, while fewer workers use buses or trains.
How long a trip takes depends on where people live.
Workers in West Bengal have the longest average trip, while those in Lakshadweep have the shortest.
The amount people spend on travel also differs from place to place.
Workers in Arunachal Pradesh spend the most on average, and workers in Madhya Pradesh spend the least.
The figures also show that male workers spend more on travel than female workers.
Two-wheelers are the main way workers travel to work, used by 42.6% of workers.
Walking accounts for 28.3% of commutes, bicycles 10.7%, buses 6.7%, and trains, trams or monorails 2.1%.
Workers in West Bengal have the longest reported average commute at 36 minutes; Lakshadweep has the shortest at 11 minutes.
Average monthly commuting expenditure is highest in Arunachal Pradesh at Rs 2,409 and lowest in Madhya Pradesh at Rs 465.
Male workers spend an average of Rs 835 monthly on travel, compared with Rs 533 for female workers.
- Who
- Workers and students in India, as covered by the Household Travel in India 2025-26 data.
- What
- The data reports commuting modes, travel times and travel expenditures.
- When
- The report is titled Household Travel in India 2025-26; no specific publication date is given.
- Where
- India, with figures reported for states and Union Territories.
- Why
- The figures describe how people travel to work and how commute times and costs vary by location and commuter group.
- Most-used worker commute mode
- Two-wheelers: 42.6%
- Walking share
- 28.3%
- Longest average commute
- West Bengal: 36 minutes
- Shortest average commute
- Lakshadweep: 11 minutes
- Highest average monthly worker travel expenditure
- Arunachal Pradesh: Rs 2,409
- Lowest average monthly worker travel expenditure
- Madhya Pradesh: Rs 465
- Average monthly travel expenditure by worker gender
- Male workers: Rs 835; female workers: Rs 533