🗞️ Why in News The National Statistics Office (NSO) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on 5 October 2026 released the key findings of the first-ever National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), conducted from July 2025 to June 2026. It covered 14,274 villages and 10,377 urban blocks, 4,92,023 households and 20,34,371 persons. Two-wheelers are the main mode for 42.6% of workers who commute to a fixed workplace, while students mostly walk.
The Survey at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | NSO, MoSPI |
| Period | July 2025 to June 2026 |
| Sample | 14,274 villages, 10,377 urban blocks; 4,92,023 households; 20,34,371 persons |
| What counts as a trip | Travel of more than 1 km; shorter trips were not recorded |
| Travel-day | 3:00 AM of one day to 2:59 AM of the next |
| Overnight trip | Away from home for more than 24 hours and at least 50 km |
| Primary mode | The mode used for the longest distance in a trip |
| Why it was done | Evidence for regional transport planning, and specific data needs of the Ministry of Railways |
What the Survey Found
Workers
| Indicator | All-India | Rural | Urban |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workers (15+) who make daily work trips of more than 1 km | 57.6% | 54.5% | 64.1% |
| Main mode: two-wheeler | 42.6% | 37.1% | 52.3% |
| Average time to a fixed workplace | 25 min | 23 min | 27 min |
| Reach a fixed workplace within 30 minutes | 83.4% | 86.1% | 79.3% |
| Monthly commuting cost | Rs 785 | Rs 612 | Rs 1,044 |
- Gender gap. 61.9% of male workers make daily work trips against 41.9% of female workers; men spend Rs 835 a month on commuting, women Rs 533.
- Mass transit is thin. Metro, monorail, suburban rail and trams carry only 5.0% of urban worker commutes nationally, but 20.7% in Maharashtra, 16.5% in West Bengal and 14.4% in Delhi.
- Early starts. 94.9% of workers leave before 10:00 AM.
Students
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Students (6+) who travel more than 1 km to their institution | 66.4% (rural 65.6%, urban 68.1%) |
| Top modes | Walking 37.0%, bus 29.5%, bicycle 15.8%; auto-rickshaw 10.5%; two-wheeler 6.7% |
| Average time | 23 min |
| Reach within 30 minutes | 87.6% |
| Monthly cost | Rs 443 (urban Rs 617, rural Rs 361) |
| Peak departure | 8:00 to 9:00 AM (35.7%) |
Overnight and other travel
- Overnight trips go mainly by bus (55.8%) and rail (17.7%), then car (15.1%) and two-wheeler (8.8%). Rail’s share is 22.7% for urban households and 14.0% for rural ones.
- Purpose: 70.2% of overnight trips are for social and religious reasons; culture, leisure and tourism account for 7.4%.
- Other daily trips (not work or education): two-wheelers 32.2%, walking 24.9%, auto-rickshaws 18.9%, bicycles 12.6%, buses 8.5%.
Reading the Numbers
1. India rides on two wheels. In cities more than half of commuting workers use a two-wheeler. Where buses are scarce or slow, households buy scooters and motorcycles, which means more congestion, more crashes and more fuel use per passenger than a full bus.
2. Public transport is regional. Metro and suburban rail matter in Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, the three regions with old suburban networks or large metro systems. Elsewhere they barely register. New metro lines alone will not change modal share without feeder buses and walkable streets.
3. Students walk and cycle. A third of students walk and one in six cycles. Safe footpaths and crossings near schools, and bicycles for girls in secondary school, are transport policy as much as education policy.
4. Women travel less and spend less. Fewer women make work trips, and those who do spend less on travel, which can reflect jobs closer to home, cheaper modes, or work forgone because travel is unsafe or costly. The survey records the gap; it does not explain it.
5. The bus carries the long journey. For overnight trips the bus outweighs the train three to one, a reminder that State transport undertakings and private buses carry most intercity travel.
Why a Travel Survey Matters
| Use | How NHTS data helps |
|---|---|
| Transport planning | Origin, mode and time data for city mobility plans and regional networks |
| Railways | Demand for overnight and intercity travel; rural-urban differences in rail use |
| Gender and inclusion | Measures of women’s mobility, an input for safety and employment policy |
| Climate | Baseline for shifting trips from private vehicles to public transport and walking |
| Household budgets | Commuting cost as a share of income for urban and rural workers |
The National Urban Transport Policy, 2006 asks cities to plan for the movement of people, not vehicles. A national survey of who travels, how and why gives that principle a data base for the first time.
UPSC Relevance
GS Paper 3. Infrastructure: roads, railways, urban transport; inclusive growth. GS Paper 1. Urbanisation, its problems and remedies; role of women. GS Paper 2. Government policies and interventions; issues relating to women.
A question worth preparing. “The first National Household Travel Survey shows that India’s commuters have chosen the two-wheeler because the bus failed them.” Critically examine, and suggest measures for a shift to public and non-motorised transport. (250 words)
The Mains framing. Use the survey’s figures (42.6% of workers on two-wheelers, 5.0% on metro and suburban rail, a third of students walking), explain the causes (sparse bus fleets, poor last-mile links, unsafe streets), and close with measures: bus fleet expansion, integrated ticketing, feeder services to metro, walking and cycling infrastructure, safety for women, and Unified Metropolitan Transport Authorities.
📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia
Prelims, statement-ready facts:
- NHTS: first-ever, by the NSO (MoSPI), July 2025 to June 2026; findings released 5 October 2026.
- A trip in NHTS is travel of more than 1 km; an overnight trip is more than 24 hours away and at least 50 km.
- Workers’ main mode: two-wheeler, 42.6%; students: walking, 37.0%; overnight trips: bus, 55.8%.
- Metro, monorail, suburban rail and trams: 5.0% of urban worker commutes; highest in Maharashtra (20.7%).
- Monthly commuting cost: Rs 785 per worker, Rs 443 per student.
- 70.2% of overnight trips are for social and religious purposes.
Prelims, the traps:
- The survey ignores trips of 1 km or less, so walking is undercounted for very short journeys.
- It is an NSO survey, not a census and not a Ministry of Road Transport survey.
- “Primary mode” is the mode used for the longest distance, not the first or the most expensive.
Mains, arguments and keywords:
- Modal share; last-mile connectivity; transit-oriented development; non-motorised transport; gendered mobility; evidence-based planning.
Interview, be ready for:
- “Should cities restrict two-wheelers?” Not before offering a better option: reliable buses, safe walking and cycling, and feeder links to metro stations. Restriction without alternatives only raises the cost of getting to work.
Sources: PIB, MoSPI, National Household Travel Survey July 2025 to June 2026, 5 October 2026
Source: National Household Travel Survey 2025-26: How India Commutes — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs
