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UK Revealed As The Worst European Country For Commuting

Rachael Caffrey , 

With employers across Europe pushing for a return to the office post-pandemic, the cost and strain of commuting are once again in sharp focus. From eye-watering train fares to overpriced takeaway coffees, the daily trek to work can often feel more draining than the job itself.

commuting

Now, a new study by cross-border e-commerce platform Ubuy has ranked 34 European countries to uncover where commuters fare best – and worst.

How the Ranking Was Calculated

The study considered a range of factors affecting commuters’ daily experience, including:

  • Monthly commuting costs

  • Parking fees

  • Coffee and lunch prices

  • Average commute times

  • Length of lunch breaks

  • Annual leave entitlement

  • Weekly working hours

  • National happiness scores

Countries were given an overall score, with lower scores indicating a better ranking.

The UK and Greece: Joint Bottom of the Leaderboard

The findings will make grim reading for UK workers: Britain came joint last alongside Greece, both scoring 107 points.

  • Monthly commute cost: £67.21 – the third highest across all countries ranked

  • Average commute time: 40 minutes, well above many countries where the average is half an hour or less

  • Annual leave: Just 20 days of guaranteed paid time off (excluding bank holidays) – joint lowest in the ranking

  • Happiness Index: 6.75, below many other European nations

Greece’s poor showing is linked to long working weeks (39.8 hours on average) and a Happiness Index score of just 5.93.

Other Poor Performers for Commuting

  • Cyprus (Score: 99) – Monthly commute costs average £31.68 despite the sunny climate.

  • Italy (Score: 98) – All-day parking averages £20.91, with monthly commuting costs at £52.27.

  • France (Score: 97) – Ninth-highest commuting costs at £56 per month.

The Best Countries for Commuters in Europe

At the other end of the scale, Estonia took the top spot with a score of 64, thanks to low commuting, coffee, and lunch costs.

Joint second place went to Finland and Lithuania (68 points each):

  • Finland – Highest happiness score and 25 days of annual leave (excluding bank holidays)

  • Lithuania – Exceptional value, with commuting costing just £22.40 per month and coffee averaging £1.14

Third place went to Sweden and Romania (74 points each):

  • Sweden – Strong work-life balance

  • Romania – Extremely low costs for transport, coffee, and lunch

Other high scorers include:

  • Poland (75 points) – £26.14 monthly commute and 26 days of annual leave

  • Czech Republic & Serbia (77 points each) – Affordable costs and good quality of life

  • Netherlands, Austria & Slovenia (79 points)

  • Denmark, Luxembourg & Latvia (80 points)

  • Norway & Hungary (82 points)

  • Belgium (85 points)

  • Malta, Slovakia & Bosnia and Herzegovina (86 points)

Why Commuting Experiences Differ Across Europe

Commuting isn’t just about the cost of getting from A to B – it’s shaped by working conditions too. Factors like:

  • Parking and public transport costs

  • Commute duration and comfort

  • Paid time off and work-life balance

  • Length of lunch breaks

  • General happiness and wellbeing

All play a part in whether the daily trip to work feels manageable or miserable.

As Faizan Khan, spokesperson for Ubuy, explains:

“Estonia’s top ranking shows that affordable transport and a healthy work culture really do make a difference – while the UK’s position at the bottom highlights just how costly and stressful work commuting can be in some regions.”