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Average Car Journeys in the UK

Ever wonder how long the typical car journey is in the UK? Or how many times a day Brits drive their cars? We've analysed data from the Department for Transport to find out. Here's what we found.

Average Car Journey Distance UK

Using ata from 2022 (the latest-available when we updated this article in April 2024), the average car journey distance in the UK is 8.1 miles. Trips where there are passengers in the car tend to be longer (8.9 miles) than trips where the driver is travelling alone (7.3 miles).

Chart showing the average car journey length in the UK

These results are not surprising. Quick trips to the shops are more likely to involve a driver only, reducing the trip lengths for drivers travelling alone. Similarly, those going on a long journey (say a UK-based holiday, long weekend away or day trip) are more likely to travel with friends or family than alone.

Note, those figures reflect 2022 data. Below we also display data for 2020. What's interesting here is that driving patterns are not that different now than they were during the pandemic.

Average Car Journey Distance in the UK20202022
Driver travelling alone7.0 miles7.3 miles
Car ride with a driver and passengers8.9 miles8.9 miles
Average car trip length7.9 miles8.1 miles

Car Trip Lengths By Region

The region of the UK where people travel the longest distances on each car ride is the South East, where the average car ride was 8.8 miles long in 2022. At the other end of the spectrum, car rides were shortest in the North West, where the average car journey was 7.2 miles long in 2012 (shorter even than London!).

Chart showing the average car journey length in the UK

Interestingly, for years London has had the shortest car trip lengths. We wonder if perhaps people got used to driving for longer trips instead of using public transport during the pandemic, and they're still opting for car for longer trips?

Car Trip Distances by Region2022
North West7.2
North East7.4
East Midlands7.4
London7.5
Yorkshire and The Humber7.5
West Midlands8.6
South West8.6
East of England8.7
South East8.8
England excluding London8.1
England8.7

Number of Car Trips Per Person, Per Year in the UK

Drivers in the South West take the car rides per year—in 2022, South West drivers got behind the wheel 405 times per year (1.1 times per day on average). In contrast, Londoners only drove 155 times per year (0.4 times per day, or around once every other day).

Number of Car Trips by Region2022
London155.0
West Midlands337.7
Yorkshire and The Humber348.5
North West362.3
East of England363.9
East Midlands376.0
South East382.6
North East402.5
South West404.6
England excluding London370.5
England336.7

Average Car Trip Journey Time in the UK

The average car journey time in the UK is 22.3 minutes. Trips using public transportation are around 1.6X to 2.4X as long, depending on your mode of transport. For example, trips using a local bus take around 37.3 minutes (32.6 minutes in London), while the average London Underground trip takes 51.9 minutes. This data reflects a person's main mode of transportation and uses 2022 figures.

Chart showing the average car journey time in the UK

People spend 18 minutes walking on average when they complete a trip mostly on foot. Those heading on longer walks tend to stay out for 31.6 minutes.

Average Trip Journey Time in the UK (minutes)2022
Walk18.0
Taxi / minicab20.8
Car22.3
Bicycle23.6
Motorcycle24.4
Long walks (over a mile)31.6
Other local bus32.6
London bus37.3
London Underground51.9
Rail81.8
All modes of transport22.6

Average Number of Car Journeys

In a year, the average person drives solo 172 times and travels in a car where there are multiple people (as either driver or passenger) 337 times. This means that the typical Brit takes a car ride alone where they're the driver every other day, and a car ride with other people slightly less frequently.

Number of Car Journeys per Person in the UKper yearper day
Driver travelling alone172.20.5
Car ride with a driver and passengers164.60.5
Number of car journeys per person3371.0

On average then, each person takes 1 car ride a day (roughly split evenly between them being a solo driver and driving with other people).

Chart showing the average car journey length in the UK

Comments

The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.

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