How Belgians commuted in 2025

In 2025, Belgian mobility stood at a crossroads. After surveying more than 14,000 adults, the latest SPF Mobilité figures reveal a country where habits are shifting, but attachments run deep. From a distance, Belgium looks stable. Look closer, and you see cracks, opportunities, and a nation quietly redefining how it moves.

We move often, and mostly by car.

Belgians make 3.41 journeys per person per day on average. And despite all the talk of modal shift, the car still dominates: around 60% of all trips, and a massive 75–78% of the distance travelled, a share that has barely changed for 25 years.

But that stability hides something important: context matters — politics, geography, culture, and infrastructure shape how Belgians travel.

Motorisation is still a favourite.

Households without a car make 2.97 trips/day, while those with two or more cars climb to 3.72. Mobility follows availability — and Belgium still owns a lot of cars.

This is where corporate mobility comes in: company cars, mobility budgets, and electrification policies have a real influence on how people choose to get around. Many employees don’t just pick a mode — they inherit one.

Motorisation now also include electric bikes, which is rewriting the rules over the whole country: 64% of all cycling kilometres are now done on e-bikes. What used to be “too far for a bike” is now simply a matter of battery life.

A country split by mobility cultures

If Belgium were judged by mobility alone, it would look like a country with three distinct personalities.

Flanders: the cycling region

No surprise here: like our Dutch neighbours, Flemish people are still very much bike users (and lovers).

• 16% of trips (loops) are by bike (against 3,2% for Brussels and 1,5% for Wallonia).
• 8% of all distance travelled is cycled.

In the rural parts of the region, the car is still the most used mode with 61% of trip loops, but walking (19,5%) and cycling (14,8%) remain high there too

Brussels: the public-transport city

In Brussels, the car now only accounts for 43% of trip loops, one of the lowest rates in the country (41% in Flanders and 63% in Wallonia, in urban areas).

Walking and public transport dominate, helped by high density, limited parking, and an assertive push towards low-emission zones.

Wallonia: the last stronghold of the car

In Wallonia, the car remains king at 63% of urban trip loops (compared with 77% in rural areas).

Why? Distance, topography, and public-transport accessibility all play their part. You can’t realistically bike your way through a region of spread-out towns and hills without major infrastructure investment.

The impact of seasonality on mobility choices

Belgian commuters behave differently depending on the season:

• Winter: 62% car, 21% walk, 8% bike, 9% public transport
• Spring: 58% car, 23% walk, 12% bike, 6% public transport

That spring boost in cycling and walking shows the importance of flexibility. People choose travel modes based on their comfort and experience. And of course, weather still trumps policy.

Distance decides everything

One of the clearest patterns in the data is how sharply mode choice depends on distance.

• Under 5 km, walking and cycling compete strongly.
• From 5 to 15 km, bikes (especially e-bikes) are a favourite.
• From 15 to 30 km, the car reigns almost uncontested. Too far to walk, too long for buses, not yet efficient for trains.
• Beyond 30 km, the train finally becomes a viable option.

This is Belgium’s “mobility dead zone”: the 15–30 km range where alternatives are weakest. And it’s where companies and policymakers have the biggest opportunity to intervene.

Opportunities for 2026

For employers, these numbers are a strategic blueprint for next year.

• Fleet electrification fits perfectly with Belgium’s mid-distance car dependency.
• Mobility budgets can break the “company car = default” mindset, offering flexibility where public transport isn’t enough. The upcoming 2026 regulations will also require most companies to offer a mobility budget to their employees (conditions apply)
• Commuting policies now influence recruitment and retention. As discussed by Freya Vandaele at Crossroads (read the article here), mobility has become a competitive advantage and a talent magnet.
• And as the shift to electric accelerates, safety considerations evolve too, as highlighted in this article on how EV adoption is reshaping road safety.

Mobility is becoming a core HR lever to prioritise.

Belgium is a mobility mosaic: each region is moving at its own rhythm, shaped by its streets, politics, topography, and culture.

2026 is around the corner. Now is your turn to play