A new UK study finds that the once-distinct line between business travel and commuting to the office is becoming increasingly blurred.
A survey of more than 1,000 rail “super commuters” — those whose commute takes more than 90 minutes — conducted in April found that they are increasingly tying their commute to a specific work objective, with 80% of respondents reporting doing so.
Two-thirds of respondents said they consider commuting to be similar to a “business trip,” and more than half (59%) said their company covers the costs of their travel.
The majority of rail super commuters (78%) usually travel in one day, but 57% report that if they need overnight stays, their company covers the cost.
The research, commissioned by B2B rail booking platform Trainline Partner Solutions, also revealed that the number of UK super commuters has doubled since the pandemic, with the majority (84%) reporting that hybrid working has enabled them to change their commuting habits.
The research found that these super commuters spend an average of three days a week in the office, with most of them concentrated in cities such as London (27%), Manchester (6%), Nottingham (5%) and Birmingham (5%).
Trainline also found that 51% of ‘regular commuters’ would consider super-commuting in the future to achieve a better work-life balance.
“Rail is driving the growth of super-commuting, redefining the traditional commute, especially when it comes to business travel,” said Alice Coverlizza, vice president of Trainline Partner Solutions.
“Commuting is a key part of the UK’s constantly evolving working patterns and these findings highlight the need for both the workplace and the wider mobility ecosystem to keep up with these trends,” she said.
