- Approximately 400,000 individuals undertake their daily commute to Hamburg each day.
Hamburg, being Germany's leading magnet for daily commuters, follows closely behind Munich and Frankfurt in this regard, as per data from the Federal Institute for Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Research (BBSR) in Bonn for the year 2022. This institution reported that a whopping 391,900 individuals who fall under social security commuted to work in this city. Berlin took the second spot with slightly fewer commuters, at 391,200.
In the year 2023, following the Corona period and the increase in employment, the overall number of commuters around the nation expanded by a substantial 140,000 people. It was Hamburg that experienced the most significant surge in commuters, adding 13,200 individuals to its workforce commuter population. Munich, Berlin, and Düsseldorf saw smaller incrementals in their commuting numbers, with 10,900, 8,800, and 8,300 additional commuters, respectively. Nationally, approximately 20.5 million people contribute to the daily commute between their residence and workplace. Around 7.1 million of these individuals face journeys exceeding 30 kilometers, but it's unclear if they traverse this distance daily or predominantly work from home.
The average commuting distances from Hamburg homeowners to their places of work are generally shorter compared to workers living in the surrounding areas. In 2023, Hamburg residents averaged a 11.7-kilometer commute to their workplace. The commuting lengths in neighborhood districts like Pinneberg, Segeberg, and Stormarn were significantly more, ranging between 20 and 22 kilometers. Employees in the Duchy of Lauenburg faced the most extensive commutes, with an average of 25.7 kilometers, followed by Harburg, with 25.3 kilometers, and Stade, Lower Saxony, with a 23.3-kilometer average commute.
The European Union expressed its concern over the increasing commuting distances in Germany, impacting work-life balance and environmental sustainability. Despite Hamburg having the shortest average commuting distance among major cities, its residents in districts like Pinneberg, Segeberg, and Stormarn still face longer journeys, similar to those in other EU countries.
