Automobile is the most used means of transportation in Portugal
The personal car is the most used means of transportation in Portugal, with a usage above the average of six countries analyzed in a survey by the company Ipsos, which includes Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, and Germany.
According to the survey commissioned by the insurance company Europ Assistance, during the week the self-owned car is the most used means of transport in Portugal (37% use it more than an hour a day), which increases at the weekend (40%), while the average of the six countries is 29 and 31%, respectively.
Not even the changes triggered by the covid-19 pandemic, the cost of transportation or environmental concerns have changed the prominent position occupied by the car in commuting in Portugal.
Walking comes second in the country, both during the week (32%) and at the weekend (30%), and is the main form of travel for the average of these countries (33 and 35%).
The use of public transportation comes in third place, both in Portugal (15% and 8%) and in the average of the six European countries (14 and 9%).
Regarding the distance between home and work, more than half (58%) of the commutes in Portugal are less than 10 kilometers, the average being somewhat lower (52%).
The survey also reveals that “almost half of Europeans also use the bicycle as a transportation alternative, with electric bicycles being adopted by one in five people.”
Ipsos polled ‘online’ 6,000 people, with “national samples representative of 1,000 people per country”, concluding that Portugal is the country that spends the most monthly on mobility (fuel, tolls, parking, public transport, bike or scooter rental, tvde – individual passenger transport in uncharacterized vehicles managed by an electronic platform).
The monthly budget in Portugal reaches 150 euros, above France (145), Italy (135), Germany (134), Belgium (128) and Spain (109). The average of the six is 133 euros.
The study was conducted between November 29 and December 9, 2022 and indicates that the covid-19 pandemic has led to some changes in mobility habits, with walking, cycling and scootering becoming more frequent.
Electric bicycles are more widely used in Belgium and Germany than in other countries, while bicycles and scooters are more popular in Germany and Italy.
On the contrary, it has decreased the use of the means in which there is greater proximity, such as public transport and even car sharing.
Also mainly due to the pandemic, telecommuting has increased and has effects on mobility habits.
The Ipsos analysis concludes that “the vast majority of Europeans work at home at least one day a week”, with Portugal occupying the second place in this ‘ranking’ with an average of 2.2 days.
According to the release of the study, “Germany, with an average of 2.4 days per week, is the country where teleworking has the greatest weight. France and Belgium have 1.6 days of work at home, below the European average of two days.
In the future, the Europeans surveyed, in addition to walking, “intend to use public transport and cycling more, especially in Italy and Portugal.
But “change may still take some time” because “even if Europeans are aware that environmental issues have to be a priority and that efforts should be made to change mobility habits, only a small percentage is really bothered by the use of cars,” says the note.