According to research from NordVPN Swedes are the least likely to commute in Europe – only 44% do so daily. This can be partly explained by a well-developed infrastructure, good public transport solutions and the possibility of remote working. In contrast, significantly more people commute in Southern Europe, where 7 out of 10 Spaniards and Italians travel to work or study every day, probably due to high urban population density and an extensive public transport network.

When it comes to means of transport, the car is the most common way to commute globally – 641% of respondents said they use a car on a daily basis. In Sweden and Germany However, cycling is more popular than in many other countries (20% and 24% respectively). In Spain, commuting on foot is almost as common as driving – 50% often walk to their destination, while 59% often drive. In France, 46% choose to walk, which is also significantly higher than the global average of 32%.

In South Korea, buses are the second most used mode of transport after cars – 421% of the population takes the bus. Interestingly, people in English-speaking countries and South Korea tend to use taxi and ride-sharing apps more often than the global average.

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Eight out of ten commuters use some kind of device

The majority of commuters – 8 out of 10 – use a device during their commute. South Korea tops the list with 9 out of 10 commuters using devices, while Sweden is at the bottom. Here, only 6 to 7 out of 10 use devices during their commute, making Sweden the country in the survey with the lowest proportion of device users.

Smartphones are undoubtedly the most popular choice. In the US, 751% of commuters use a smartphone, closely followed by Canada at 731%. In South Korea, mobile phones are almost indispensable – 9 out of 10 commuters use them. However, smartphones are the least popular in Sweden, where only 621% of commuters use one, the lowest proportion of all countries in the study. Australia (681%) and the UK (701%) are also at the lower end of the scale.

The survey also shows that commuters in Sweden are slightly more likely to use tablets than in many other countries. Laptop use, however, is more widespread in English-speaking countries and in France, suggesting that commuters there are more likely to work or need a larger screen for multitasking while traveling.

Six out of ten commuters use the internet

NordVPN:'s survey shows that 60% of commuters connect to the internet during their commute. South Korea tops the list, with 80% of commuters online, while Sweden is at the bottom – here only 50% use the internet during their commute, making Sweden the country with the lowest connection rate in the study.

Among Swedes who go online, 291% spend up to 30 minutes online, while 141% stay online for between 30 minutes and an hour. Only a small proportion – 51% – use the internet for one to two hours during their commute, and even fewer stay online for longer than that.

Interestingly, the study shows that 50% of Swedes don't use the internet at all during their commute. This may indicate that many people choose other ways to pass the time, such as reading, listening to music or simply relaxing during the journey.

Public Wi-Fi is a risky but common choice

Six out of ten commuters who connect to the internet use public Wi-Fi at least sometimes. Commuters in South Korea, Germany and the UK use public Wi-Fi the most, with 791%, 781% and 681% of commuters connecting to the network during their commute, respectively. In contrast, Swedes use public Wi-Fi the least – only 351% of Swedish commuters choose it.

The widespread use of public Wi-Fi poses a potential security risk, as these networks often lack encryption, leaving commuters vulnerable to cyberattacks. This behavior suggests that commuters in some regions are more likely to take the risk of using public Wi-Fi, while others are more cautious.

The risks of shoulder surfing and being distracted by devices

Shoulder surfing is when someone sneaks a peek at another person’s screen, usually by discreetly peeking over their shoulder while they are using a device. This usually happens in public settings, such as public transportation, where it is easy for others to see what is displayed on the screen. This can pose a security risk, as the snooper can access sensitive information such as passwords, private messages, or banking details – without the device owner noticing.

Around 23% of commuters have at some point noticed someone shoulder surfing their screen. Spain has the highest proportion, with 34% of commuters observing this behaviour. In Sweden it is the least common, with only 7% noticing it. The large difference between countries suggests that environments with high foot traffic, such as those in Spain, create more opportunities for this type of security breach.

In addition to shoulder surfing, distractions from devices also pose a risk. On average, 2 in 10 commuters have missed their stop because they were busy with a device. The problem is greatest in South Korea (32%), where many rely on buses, trains and subways for their daily commute. In Sweden, this is significantly less common – only 10% of commuters say they have ever missed their stop because of a screen.

Using devices while driving

Although our research did not specifically focus on the dangers of using devices while driving, it is important to understand how risky this behavior can be. According to a report from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published in 2024, distractions were a factor in 81% of fatal crashes, 121% of personal injury crashes, and 111% of all police-reported crashes in 2022.

Texting or using a phone or GPS while driving can be very dangerous and distract you from the road. However, it is important to note that distractions behind the wheel are not limited to devices. Eating, adjusting the radio, or talking to passengers can also take your focus away from driving. To stay safe, avoid using devices while driving and always keep your attention on the road.

What do commuters do on their smartphones?

On average, they listen most commuters using their mobile phones (54%) listen to music or podcasts while commuting. This habit is even more prevalent in some countries, especially the US (63%), Canada (60%) and Australia (59%). In Sweden, this is even more common – here a full 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%). Among the countries surveyed, mobile gaming was most popular in France, although it was not the top commuter activity overall.

However, Spain and Italy break the pattern – there it is more common to make calls and send messages than to listen to music or podcasts. In Japan, commuters prefer to read or listen to the news, making it the most common commuter activity there.

When it comes to work-related tasks, such as reading emails or documents, it is in Australia and Sweden that most commuters engage in this (27%).

How commuters protect their devices – if they even do

Most people protect their smartphones by using strong passwords or PINs (47%) and keeping their software up to date (46%). Fewer people use an on-screen privacy filter (20%) or a virtual private network (VPN) (17%) to protect their data.

Privacy filters are most popular in Australia (23%), the UK (23%) and Italy (23%), while VPN use is most common in the US (24%), Germany (23%) and Canada (21%).

In Sweden, security habits are somewhat different. VPN usage is lower here than in many other countries, but Swedes are also the least likely to connect to public Wi-Fi without protection. Sweden has the lowest percentage of unprotected users in the survey, suggesting that Swedes are generally more aware of the risks of public networks.

At the same time, the data shows that Swedes are among the most security-conscious when it comes to smartphones – a full 871% of Swedish commuters take at least one security measure, and only 131% say they do not protect their devices at all.

Cybersecurity: How commuters view their data

Commuters using smartphones in English-speaking countries, France and Spain are overall very concerned about cybersecurity threats. In contrast, commuters in Italy and Japan show more moderate concerns.

In Korea and Germany, opinions are evenly split – with just as many commuters being moderately concerned as not at all concerned. Swedes stand out as the least concerned in the survey, with a full 7 in 10 either not at all concerned or only a little concerned about cybersecurity threats during their commute.

These differences demonstrate how cybersecurity awareness varies across regions. The reasons could range from differences in digital security policies and exposure to cybercrime to public awareness campaigns. Further research could provide a deeper understanding of what drives these regional differences and how they affect commuter behavior.

Cybersecurity tips to follow while commuting

Commuting can expose you to various 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 opening sensitive information on public wifi. Don't use unsecured networks to log into sensitive accounts, such as banking or work-related systems. Hackers can exploit these networks to intercept your data and gain unauthorized access.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA adds an extra layer of security to your accounts and makes it harder for hackers to gain unauthorized access.
• Keep your devices up to date. Make sure your smartphone, laptop, or tablet has the latest software updates to protect against known vulnerabilities.
• Turn off automatic wifi connections. Disable the auto-connect feature so that your device doesn't connect to unsecured networks without your knowledge.
• Use strong and unique passwords. Create complex and unique passwords for your accounts and consider using a password manager to keep them secure.
• Lock your device. Use a password, fingerprint, or facial recognition to lock your device and prevent unauthorized access if it is lost or stolen.
• Use a VPN. Always connect via a VPN to encrypt your internet connection and protect your data when using public Wi-Fi.

Methodology

The survey was commissioned by NordVPN and conducted by external companies Cint and Norstat between February 20 and March 2, 2025. The target group for the survey was residents of Sweden, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, South Korea and Japan aged 18–74 years (nationally representative), with the exception of South Korea where the age range was 18–64 years.

The sample consisted of national internet users. Quotas were set based on age, gender and place of residence. A total of 10,800 people participated in the survey – 800 people from Spain and 1,000 people from each other country.