KINTO Join – a provider of sustainable mobility applications – today reveals the findings of its survey which found that 45% of commuters in Ireland find their journey to work or university stressful.
The research – conducted by Censuswide and involving 1,000 people who commute to work or university in the Republic of Ireland – found that more than half (51%) have considered changing their commute method. However, 48% have never tried a different mode of transport for their commute.
Traffic delays and congestion were cited by 44% of commuters as one of their biggest frustrations. The other leading frustrations were fuel costs (30%), the time lost having to commute (30%), the weather (29%), and delays with services (15%).
Driving by car is the most popular primary mode of transport (51%) among commuters. However, only 16% prefer to travel this way. If available, the bus was the most preferred means of commuting (25%), followed by the train (24%) and walking (23%). One in ten (10%) respondents said they would prefer a company or university shuttle.
In urban areas, driving by car and getting the bus were tied for the top spot as the most popular primary mode of transport (at 32% respectively). In terms of generations, almost twice as many Generation X commuters drive by car (63%) than Generation Z commuters (32%).
Of those who commute by car, 91% always or mostly do so alone. Their top reasons for travelling to work or university by car are that it is more time-efficient (48%), it is the only option (43%), and inadequate public transport accessibility (34%).
The study found that the average daily commute time is around 1 hour and 10 minutes, whilst the average daily cost is €10. Train commuters have the most expensive journey to work or university (€13.14). At the other end of the scale, (excluding walkers) eBike commuters have the least expensive commute (€4.71).
As for the average distance of a one-way commute, this is just shy of 17km, with those in Roscommon (30.56km), Wicklow (24.97km), and Westmeath (23.76km) travelling furthest. Meanwhile, respondents in Longford (6.13km), Waterford (9.58km), and Donegal (11km) have the shortest distances to travel.
Patrizia Niehaus, CEO, KINTO Join Ltd, said: “It’s ironic that while so many commuters in Ireland drive alone out of necessity, a significant number would actually prefer not to. They’re frustrated – by traffic, rising fuel costs, and the stress of it all – but don’t feel they have another choice. Of course, large-scale infrastructure upgrades are vital, but they take time. In the meantime, the congestion worsens, and emissions reduction targets slip further out of reach. That’s why action at the micro-level is so critical.
“A large share of short-distance travel happens for work and education. Employers and institutions are uniquely positioned to support more sustainable commuting through initiatives like shared transport schemes, carpooling platforms, or incentives for walking and cycling. When organisations take the lead, they not only support their own sustainability goals, but also drive behavioural change that benefits entire communities — cutting emissions, easing traffic, and giving people what they clearly want: the freedom not to drive alone.”