9% of trips in the Greater Region are made via public transport, according to a global study aggregating data from 2010 to 2019. (Photo: Frédéric Antzorn/Maison Moderne)

9% of trips in the Greater Region are made via public transport, according to a global study aggregating data from 2010 to 2019.  (Photo: Frédéric Antzorn/Maison Moderne)

Two thirds (66%) of all trips in the greater region are done by car, according to a study published by Liser which takes into account variables such as travel time, reasons for travel and destination.

Only 9% of journeys in the greater region are made by public transport. To reach this conclusion, the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (Liser) aggregated the results of eight major surveys conducted between 2010 and 2019 on a territory ranging from the province of Luxembourg in Belgium to Meurthe-et-Moselle in France. 57,154 people representing 1.7 million inhabitants who make an average of 4.6 million journeys per day were questioned about their mobility habits.

The car continues to be the preferred mode of transportation. It accounts for 66% of journeys, followed by walking (22%). The figure rises to 84% for journeys of more than five kilometres, compared to 10% for public transport.

There are some differences between countries: 77% of all trips are made by car in Belgium, 64% in France and 65% in Luxembourg. For trips of more than five kilometres, the grand duchy is the champion of public transport, with an uptake of 15% compared to 7% for its two neighbours.

Soft mobility is expected to grow in the years to come, as it is the youngest age group that favours it. For example, 33% of 11 to 17-year-olds choose the bus--explained by the absence of a driver's licence. With 18 to 24-year-olds that portion is 16%, while this share drops to between 3% and 5% thereafter.

The car to go to work in 80% of cases

Out of all journeys, 29% were related to work, 8% due to studies and 14% to accompany someone else, such as a dependent relative. In 16% of cases, respondents travel for shopping. 22% of trips were for leisure and visits and 11% for administrative or health-related purposes.

The car is used most often to get to work: in 80% of cases, whereas it represents only 54% of the modes of transport chosen for leisure and visits. The average journey to work takes 30 minutes.

In total, respondents spend 76 minutes a day, travelling 42 kilometres. 17% of the trips take place between 7am and 8.45am and 23% between 4pm and 6.30pm. The majority of trips are made within the country of residence.

271,000 trips, or 135,000 daily return trips, are still made between the Belgian, French and Luxembourg borders. 11% between the Luxembourg urban area and the Thionville sector, 9% between the Luxembourg urban area and the Arlon sector. Next come exchanges between the south of the grand duchy and Thionville (7%), between the urban area of Luxembourg and the Metz sector (6%), between the south of Luxembourg and the Villerupt sector (6%), and between the south of the country and the Longwy sector (5%).

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.