Is a 1-hour commute too long? Here's what the research says

You’re staring at the bumper in front of you. A granny shuffles past your window and reaches the traffic lights before you. The steering wheel creaks under your grip. You've already made it through 3 podcasts, 2 traffic reports, and 1 existential crisis.

Commuting can be the worst.

But in cities like London, Lagos, or Bucharest, spending an hour (or more) getting to work has become the norm. It’s so common that most people don’t question it.

But maybe we should.

Is a 1-hour commute good for us? Is it healthy? Sustainable? Worth the toll it takes — not just on our time, but on our stress levels, relationships, and overall well-being?

At Bolt, we wanted to find out. So we dug into the data, examined the science, and asked people how they really feel about long commutes.

Here’s what we found.

What counts as a normal commute?

If you’re hoofing it back and forth between home and the office, there’s a good chance you’re spending more time commuting than you think is reasonable — and you’re not alone. 

In cities like Lagos and Bucharest, over 50% of people reported daily commutes of over an hour. Around 1 in 10 said they spend over 2 hours commuting each day.

Even in highly connected cities like Paris and Berlin, more than 40% of commuters say their daily trips regularly exceed an hour.

And since 75–83% of people across all cities do this 4 to 6 days a week, those hours pile up fast, turning commutes into a second job in terms of time and energy.

So what’s normal? For millions, an hour or more on the road is just part of life. But whether that’s healthy, sustainable, or worth it is another question.

The commute quality matters more than the clock

A 60-minute walk through a park isn’t the same as a 60-minute traffic jam. And a 60-minute bike ride in fresh air may feel easier than 35 minutes standing on a packed bus.

According to Bolt’s research, commute satisfaction doesn’t always match the time on the clock — it varies dramatically by mode of transport.

Satisfaction levels are consistently higher among those who walk, cycle, or use shared scooters, and lowest among those who rely on cars or public transport.

Walking and cycling scored 53% satisfaction, scooters 45% — all with very low reported stress.

In contrast, public transport riders had polarised experiences (33% highly satisfied, 24% highly dissatisfied), with many citing delays, crowding, and co-commuter issues. 

Private car users also had mixed feelings, with moderate satisfaction (41%), but also high dissatisfaction (24%), leading us to the emotional side of the story.

The emotional trade-offs: stress vs. control

Driving can feel like a trap you’ve grown weirdly attached to.

Many drivers report both stress and a strange sense of relief from their commute. You hate the traffic, the wasted hours — but somewhere along the way, the routine starts to feel... comforting. It’s less like freedom and more like car-shaped Stockholm syndrome.

• In France, 72% of drivers say it reduces their stress, but over 50% also say it causes them stress.
• In Germany, 63% of drivers feel more relaxed, yet 37% admit the opposite.
• In Romania, 55% feel calmer in a car, while 42% say it adds stress.

This paradox reveals the emotional complexity of commuting by car: having control over your mode of transport helps, but the daily chaos (traffic, reckless drivers, parking stress) still takes its toll.

To explain this contradiction, we turn to Dr. Jaime Soza-Parra, an expert in transport and mobility psychology:

Autonomy is also a key reason why walking, cycling, and scooters consistently score high in satisfaction — they offer freedom of movement without the stress that so often comes with driving.

How long commutes really cost you

Let’s say your commute takes just 30 minutes each way. That’s 1 hour a day — seems manageable, right?

Now do the maths: 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. That’s over 250 hours annually — more than 10 full days — spent just getting to and from work. Days you could have spent with your family, learning something new, hitting the gym, or just resting.

And the cost doesn’t stop at time.

Every commute hits your wallet, too. Fuel, insurance, maintenance, tolls, parking — it all adds up. Most European commuters say they spend less than €100 a month, but in cities like Stockholm, the number is much higher.

Then there’s the toll on your health.

Around 1 in 4 people say commuting regularly affects their mental well-being. The longer the drive, the more common the stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Physically, it’s not much better — long hours in a car mean less movement, more back pain, worse sleep, and almost no time to exercise.

So while an hour might feel normal, it’s time, money, and energy quietly slipping away, day after day, year after year — in ways we often don’t realise until it’s already taken a toll.

Silver linings: when long commutes work

Long commutes aren’t always a bad thing. Some people find value in the solitude:

• It’s time to listen to audiobooks or podcasts without interruption.
• It provides a mental reset between work and home.
• For those in busy or chaotic households, the commute becomes a rare moment of peace.

And for those walking or cycling, the journey itself boosts mental and physical health, thanks to movement and outdoor exposure.

So, how long is too long a commute?

There’s no single right answer. For some, a 1-hour daily commute might feel totally manageable — a peaceful buffer between home and work. For others, that same hour can feel like a slow daily drain on energy, time, and mental well-being.

So instead of focusing on the length of the commute, a better question might be:

How does my commute make me feel?

To figure that out, try reflecting on a few key questions:

If you arrive home too mentally drained to enjoy your evening or start your day frustrated from traffic or delays, that’s a red flag. A long commute shouldn't come at the cost of your emotional energy.

Do you find yourself skipping workouts, rushing dinner, or losing sleep because of your commute? If your travel time is crowding out things that matter — family, friends, self-care — it may be costing you more than you think.

Sometimes it’s not the duration, but the experience that matters. Could walking part of the way, switching to a bike, or using a more comfortable or predictable ride option make the time more enjoyable — or at least less draining?

Long doesn’t always mean bad. But when a commute consistently steals time, raises stress, or holds you back from the life you want, it’s worth asking: Is there a better way?

Cities aren’t perfect — but we can still commute better

A 1-hour commute might be normal, but that doesn’t mean it’s working for you. The real question isn’t how long it is — it’s what it’s costing you.

At Bolt, we believe cities should be made for people, not cars. Commutes shouldn’t quietly erode your time, health, or peace of mind — yet too often, they do. That’s why we support smarter, more sustainable ways to move.

Until city design catches up, stay aware and try to make better choices where you can. Because your commute shouldn’t just get you there — it should support the life you want to live.

Methodology 

Bolt’s 2024 survey was conducted in 10 countries — France, Germany, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Portugal, Nigeria, Estonia, and Lithuania — with 3,335 respondents from major cities where Bolt operates.