Research commissioned by NordVPN shows that Swedes commute the least in Europe—only 44% travel to work or study every day. This is likely influenced by well-developed infrastructure, efficient public transportation options and widespread possibilities for remote work. By contrast, daily commuting is far more common in Southern Europe: about seven in ten Spaniards and Italians travel to work or school each day, likely driven by higher urban population density and extensive transit networks.
Globally, the car is the most common commuting mode—64% of respondents said they drive on a regular basis. In Sweden and Germany cycling is more popular than in many other countries (20% and 24% respectively). In Spain walking is nearly as common as driving—50% often walk to their destination, while 59% often travel by car. In France, 46% walk, which is also well above the global average of 32%.
In South Korea, the bus is the second most used transport after the car—42% of people use buses. Interestingly, English-speaking countries and South Korea show higher-than-average use of taxis and ride-hailing apps.
Eight in Ten Commuters Use a Device
A large majority of commuters—eight out of ten—use a device while traveling. South Korea leads with nine out of ten commuters using devices, while Sweden is at the lower end: only six to seven out of ten Swedes use a device during their commute, the lowest rate among the countries surveyed.
Smartphones are by far the most popular device. In the USA 75% of commuters use a smartphone, closely followed by Canada at 73%. In South Korea the mobile phone is nearly indispensable—nine out of ten commuters use it. Smartphones are least common in Sweden, where only 62% of commuters use one, the lowest share across the study. Australia (68%) and the UK (70%) also fall toward the lower end of the scale.
The survey also shows that Swedes are somewhat more likely to use tablets than many other countries. Laptop use is more widespread in English-speaking countries and in France, suggesting commuters there more often work or need larger screens for multitasking during travel.
Six in Ten Commuters Use the Internet
NordVPN’s study finds that 60% of commuters connect to the internet while traveling. South Korea tops the list with 80% online during commutes, while Sweden is at the bottom with just 50% connecting—making it the country with the lowest online rate in the survey.
Among Swedes who do go online, 29% spend up to 30 minutes connected, while 14% stay online between 30 minutes and an hour. Only a small share—5%—use the internet for one to two hours during their commute, and fewer remain connected for longer durations.
Interestingly, the study shows that 50% of Swedes do not use the internet at all while commuting. This suggests many prefer other ways to pass the time, such as reading, listening to music or simply relaxing during the trip.
Public Wi‑Fi Is Common but Risky
Six in ten commuters who go online use public Wi‑Fi at least occasionally. Commuters in South Korea, Germany and the UK connect to public Wi‑Fi most frequently—79%, 78% and 68% respectively. In contrast, Swedes use public Wi‑Fi the least; only 35% of Swedish commuters choose it.
Widespread use of public Wi‑Fi creates potential security risks because these networks often lack encryption, leaving users vulnerable to cyberattacks. Patterns in usage suggest that commuters in some regions are more willing to take that risk, while others are more cautious.
Risks from Shoulder Surfing and Distraction
Shoulder surfing occurs when someone discretely looks at another person’s screen in public settings like public transport. It can expose sensitive information such as passwords, private messages or banking details without the device owner noticing.
Around 23% of commuters have noticed someone shoulder surfing their screen. Spain reports the highest share at 34%, while Sweden reports the lowest at just 7%. The large variation between countries suggests high-footfall environments, such as those in Spain, create more opportunities for this type of privacy invasion.
Beyond shoulder surfing, device-related distractions are another issue. On average, two in ten commuters have missed their stop because they were focused on a device. This problem is most pronounced in South Korea (32%), where many people rely on buses, trains and subways. In Sweden it is notably less common—only 10% of commuters report ever missing a stop due to screen distraction.
Device Use While Driving
Although this survey did not focus specifically on the dangers of using devices while driving, it’s important to recognize the risks. A 2024 report from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that distractions were a factor in 8% of fatal crashes, 12% of injury crashes and 11% of all police-reported crashes in 2022.
Texting or using a phone or GPS while driving can be extremely hazardous and diverts attention from the road. Distractions while driving are not limited to devices—eating, adjusting the radio or talking to passengers also reduce focus. To stay safe, avoid device use while driving and keep attention on the road at all times.
What Commuters Do on Their Smartphones
On average, most smartphone-using commuters (54%) listen to music or podcasts during their trip. This habit is particularly common in the USA (63%), Canada (60%) and Australia (59%). In Sweden it is even more widespread—68% listen to music or podcasts while commuting, making it the most popular activity among Swedish commuters.
Many commuters also use their travel time to make calls or send messages (50%) or scroll through social media (45%). Mobile gaming was relatively most popular in France among the countries surveyed, though it was not the top commuter activity overall.
Spain and Italy differ from the general pattern: calling and messaging are more common than listening to audio content in those countries. In Japan commuters prefer reading or listening to news, which is their most frequent commuting activity.
When it comes to work-related tasks like reading emails or documents, Australia and Sweden lead with the highest share of commuters doing so (27%).
How Commuters Protect Their Devices—If They Do
Most people protect their smartphones by using strong passwords or PINs (47%) and keeping software up to date (46%). Fewer use a privacy screen filter (20%) or a virtual private network (VPN) (17%) to secure their data.
Privacy filters are most popular in Australia (23%), the UK (23%) and Italy (23%), while VPN usage is highest in the USA (24%), Germany (23%) and Canada (21%).
In Sweden security habits differ somewhat. VPN use is lower than in many other countries, but Swedes are the least likely to connect to public Wi‑Fi without protection. Sweden has the smallest share of unprotected users in the survey, indicating higher general awareness of public network risks.
Data also show Swedes are among the most security-conscious regarding smartphones—87% of Swedish commuters take at least one security measure, and only 13% say they do not protect their devices at all.
Cybersecurity: How Commuters View Their Data
Commuters in English-speaking countries, France and Spain generally express strong concern about cybersecurity threats. By contrast, commuters in Italy and Japan show more moderate levels of concern.
In Korea and Germany opinions are evenly divided—similar shares of commuters are moderately concerned as are not concerned at all. Swedes stand out as the least worried in the survey: seven in ten are either not concerned or only slightly concerned about cybersecurity threats while commuting.
These differences illustrate how awareness of cybersecurity varies across regions. Causes may include differences in digital security policies, exposure to cybercrime, and public information campaigns. Further research could clarify the drivers behind these regional differences and how they shape commuter behavior.
Cybersecurity Tips to Follow While Commuting
Commuting can expose you to several security risks, especially when using public Wi‑Fi or personal devices on the go. To protect your data and privacy, keep these cybersecurity tips in mind:
- Avoid accessing sensitive information on public Wi‑Fi. Do not use insecure networks to log in to critical accounts like banking or work systems. Attackers can exploit these networks to intercept data and gain unauthorized access.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA adds an extra security layer to your accounts and makes it harder for attackers to gain access.
- Keep your devices updated. Ensure your smartphone, laptop or tablet has the latest software updates to protect against known vulnerabilities.
- Turn off automatic Wi‑Fi connections. Disable auto-connect so your device won’t join insecure networks without your knowledge.
- Use strong, unique passwords. Create complex, unique passwords for your accounts and consider a password manager to keep them safe.
- Lock your device. Use a password, fingerprint or face recognition to lock your device and prevent unauthorized access if it is lost or stolen.
- Use a VPN. Always connect through a VPN to encrypt your internet connection and protect your data when using public Wi‑Fi.
Methodology
The survey was commissioned by NordVPN and carried out by external research firms Cint and Norstat between 20 February and 2 March 2025. The target audience included residents of Sweden, the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, South Korea and Japan aged 18–74 (nationally representative), except in South Korea where the age range was 18–64.
The sample consisted of national internet users with quotas set for age, gender and geographic location. In total 10,800 people participated—800 respondents from Spain and 1,000 respondents from each of the other countries.