National Household Travel Survey

On October 5, 2026, the NSO released the key findings of the first National Household Travel Survey conducted between July 2025 and June 2026. It is the first dedicated all-India survey conducted on domestic travel patterns in India.

Key Highlights

Survey Coverage: Data was collected from 2,034,371 individuals across 14,274 villages, 10,377 urban blocks, and 492,023 households.
Survey Objective: The findings can be used in regional transport planning, transport infrastructure development, route optimization, and evidence-based policy formulation.

Major Findings

Workforce Commuting: Two-wheelers were the primary mode of transport to reach the workplace for 42.6% of workers.
Gender Gap: The proportion of male workers commuting daily over 1 km for work was 61.9%, compared to 41.9% for female workers.
Student Commuting: The primary modes of travel for students were walking (37%), bus (29.5%), and bicycle (15.8%), with an average monthly commuting expense of Rs. 443 per student.
Travel Duration: 87.6% of students reach their educational institutions within 30 minutes, while 83.4% of employees reach their workplaces within 30 minutes.
Overnight Travel: Buses accounted for 55.8% of overnight domestic trips, while inter-city trains accounted for 17.7%.
Commuting Expenses: The average monthly expenditure for commuting to a fixed workplace is Rs. 785 per worker. Urban workers spend Rs. 1,044 while rural workers spend Rs. 612.