Employment
Travel To Work
Method of travel to work shows how employed residents usually got to work on Census day, including private vehicle, public transport, active travel, and working from home. It provides a snapshot of commuting behaviour rather than the full transport system.
About this topic
Method of travel to work shows how employed residents usually got to work on Census day, including private vehicle, public transport, active travel, and working from home. It provides a snapshot of commuting behaviour rather than the full transport system.
This topic supports transport and infrastructure planning and helps show how residents access employment. The 2021 results need caution because many parts of Australia were affected by COVID-19 lockdowns, which increased working from home and reduced some other travel modes.
Interpretation notes
- Method of travel to work captures the journey to work on Census day, not a person's usual weekly travel pattern.
- It applies only to employed people and is most useful with place of work or car ownership when considering transport access.
- The 2021 Census occurred during COVID-19 restrictions in many places, so work-from-home and some travel modes need caution in trend comparisons.
Key insight
In 2021, working from home was the most common travel method among employed residents in Melbourne (C), accounting for 38.6% (34,843 people). This share was higher than Greater Melbourne (28.8%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in working from home, which increased by 32,192 people and 34.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Method of travel to work
Melbourne (C) - Employed persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises travel to work for Melbourne (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Melbourne and change since 2016.
Chart view
Method of travel to work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Melbourne (C), with comparison markers for Greater Melbourne.
Train
Bus
Tram
Ferry
Taxi/ride-share
Car - as driver
Car - as passenger
Truck
Motorbike
Bicycle
Walked only
Other
Worked at home
Did not go to work
Not stated
Method of travel to work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Train
-1,199
-4.5pp
Bus
-164
-0.6pp
Tram
-4,063
-9.5pp
Ferry
-5
0.0pp
Taxi/ride-share
+88
0.0pp
Car - as driver
-417
-6.2pp
Car - as passenger
-54
-0.6pp
Truck
+8
0.0pp
Motorbike
+274
+0.2pp
Bicycle
-504
-1.7pp
Walked only
-6,139
-14.1pp
Other
+250
-0.2pp
Worked at home
+32,192
+34.5pp
Did not go to work
+5,108
+3.2pp
Not stated
-181
-0.4pp
Data table
Travel To Work for Melbourne (C). Method of travel to work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | pp | |
| Train | 6,293 | 7.0% | 3.6% | 7,492 | 11.5% | 11.5% | -1,199 | -4.5pp |
| Bus | 969 | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1,133 | 1.7% | 1.5% | -164 | -0.6pp |
| Tram | 7,637 | 8.5% | 0.8% | 11,700 | 18.0% | 2.4% | -4,063 | -9.5pp |
| Ferry | 11 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 16 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -5 | 0.0pp |
| Taxi/ride-share | 342 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 254 | 0.4% | 0.2% | +88 | 0.0pp |
| Car - as driver | 13,059 | 14.5% | 46.5% | 13,476 | 20.7% | 60.2% | -417 | -6.2pp |
| Car - as passenger | 1,111 | 1.2% | 3.2% | 1,165 | 1.8% | 3.9% | -54 | -0.6pp |
| Truck | 48 | 0.1% | 0.5% | 40 | 0.1% | 0.6% | +8 | 0.0pp |
| Motorbike | 589 | 0.7% | 0.2% | 315 | 0.5% | 0.4% | +274 | +0.2pp |
| Bicycle | 2,010 | 2.2% | 0.7% | 2,514 | 3.9% | 1.4% | -504 | -1.7pp |
| Walked only | 10,935 | 12.1% | 2.0% | 17,074 | 26.2% | 3.0% | -6,139 | -14.1pp |
| Other | 1,376 | 1.5% | 1.0% | 1,126 | 1.7% | 1.2% | +250 | -0.2pp |
| Worked at home | 34,843 | 38.6% | 28.8% | 2,651 | 4.1% | 4.2% | +32,192 | +34.5pp |
| Did not go to work | 10,764 | 11.9% | 11.2% | 5,656 | 8.7% | 8.7% | +5,108 | +3.2pp |
| Not stated | 355 | 0.4% | 0.4% | 536 | 0.8% | 0.9% | -181 | -0.4pp |
| Total employed persons aged 15+ | 90,342 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 65,148 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +25,194 | 0.0pp |