National Household Travel Survey 2025-26 Key Findings
The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation conducted the first-ever National Household Travel Survey from July 2025 to June 2026, covering 14,274 villages and 10,377 urban blocks across India. The survey collected data from 4,92,023 households comprising 20,34,371 persons, focusing on trips covering distances greater than 1 km.
Student Mobility Patterns
Nearly two-thirds (66.4%) of students aged 6 years and above undertake daily trips exceeding 1 km to attend educational institutions, with slightly higher participation in urban areas (68.1%) compared to rural areas (65.6%). Students aged 15-29 years show the highest regular trip participation at 77.0% nationwide. The primary modes of transport for students are walking (37.0%), buses (29.5%), and bicycles (15.8%), with auto-rickshaws serving 10.5% of commuting students overall (14.4% in urban areas) and two-wheelers accounting for 6.7% (11.5% in urban areas).
Workforce Commuting Trends
Over half of all workers (57.6%) aged 15 years and above perform daily trips to fixed or non-fixed workplaces, with a significant urban-rural divide (64.1% urban vs. 54.5% rural). A notable gender gap exists, with 61.9% of male workers undertaking daily work trips compared to 41.9% of female workers nationwide. Two-wheelers dominate as the primary mode of transport for 42.6% of workers across India (52.3% urban vs. 37.1% rural). Urban mass transit systems including monorail, metro, suburban rail, and trams account for 5.0% of urban worker commutes nationally, with significantly higher usage in Maharashtra (20.7%), West Bengal (16.5%), and Delhi (14.4%).
Commute Duration and Timing
Students average 23 minutes travel time to educational institutions (23 minutes rural, 22 minutes urban), with 87.6% completing their journey within 30 minutes. Workers traveling to fixed workplaces average 25 minutes commute time (23 minutes rural, 27 minutes urban), and 83.4% reach within 30 minutes. Peak school departure occurs between 7:00-10:00 AM (82.0% of students), with the highest concentration between 8:00-9:00 AM (35.7%). For workers, 94.9% leave before 10:00 AM, peaking between 8:00-10:00 AM (56.5%) and 6:00-8:00 AM (33.7%).
Commuting Expenditure
The average monthly expenditure for student commutes is ₹443, with urban students spending ₹617 compared to ₹361 in rural areas. Workers commuting to fixed workplaces spend an average of ₹785 monthly, with urban workers incurring substantially higher costs (₹1,044) than rural workers (₹612). A gender disparity exists in worker travel spending, with male workers spending ₹835 monthly compared to ₹533 for female workers.
Overnight and Non-Work Travel
Buses (55.8%) and inter-city railways (17.7%) are the primary modes for household overnight travel, accounting for 73.5% of all overnight trips. Railway usage is higher among urban households (22.7%) compared to rural households (14.0%). Socializing, communication, and religious activities drive 70.2% of overnight household trips, while culture, leisure, sports, and tourism account for 7.4% and self-care/maintenance for 6.5%. For within-day trips excluding education and employment, citizens primarily use two-wheelers (32.2%), walking (24.9%), auto-rickshaws (18.9%), bicycles (12.6%), and buses (8.5%).
The survey introduces new concepts including 'travel' defined as trips covering 1 km or more, 'primary mode of travel' as the mode used for the longest distance, and distinct categories for within travel-day trips and overnight trips (excluding those under 50 km even if exceeding 24 hours).