Romanians travel the shortest distance to work, but spend 53 minutes on the road, according to a European study.

Romanians travel an average of 17 kilometers round trip to work, the shortest distance recorded in a study conducted across 16 European countries, but spend 53 minutes on the road every day. According to an analysis by SD Worx, Romania ranks sixth in the commute-duration ranking, while the actual travel time exceeds the 51-minute limit that employees say they would accept daily.

The gap between the short distance and the long travel time points to mobility and traffic problems. Only 47% of Romanian employees reach work in less than 45 minutes. At the same time, 16% spend at least 90 minutes on the road, while 11% spend two hours commuting each day.

The situation is more difficult in Bucharest-Ilfov, where the average commute lasts 73 minutes, even though the distance is only 16 kilometers. More than half of respondents in the region spend at least an hour on the road, while 23% spend a minimum of two hours.

The study was conducted between January 27 and February 20, 2026.