In the Netherlands, air passenger numbers, road traffic, and the use of electric bicycles increased in 2024. And, according to research by the Dutch Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM), this trend is expected to continue.
In aviation, the number of passengers travelling to, via, or from Dutch airports increased by 7% (from 71.3 million in 2023 to 76.2 million in 2024), and the KiM expects that the Netherlands will have even more air passengers by 2030 (91 million).
Motorized road traffic in the Netherlands covered 137.5 billion kilometers last year, which is 2.5% more than in 2023. Passenger cars covered the most kilometers (70%). The KiM expects the total distance to increase by at least 7% and up to 11 % by 2030.
The distance traveled by public transport – bus, tram, and metro – increased by 8 percent in 2024. More kilometers were also traveled by train that year than in 2023.
E-bike
Exact figures on bicycle use in 2024 are lacking, reports the KiM. However, the institute sees a “clear increase” in the use of electric bicycles and expects it to increase by 40% in the period up to and including 2030. According to the KiM, the use of regular bicycles will decrease by 11 percent.
Even though freight transport volume (including road, inland waterway, rail, and pipeline transport) increased, Kim expects a 5% contraction by 2030 due to a decrease in the transport of, among other things, coal, ores, and petroleum.
187 billion km in 2023
The KiM mobility report is published every two years. The 2024 edition gives special attention to the rapid growth in e-bike use: e-bikes are now separately identified among bicycle usage.
The total distance travelled within the Netherlands (by people aged 6+) was about 187 billion kilometers in 2023. On average, that corresponds to roughly 30 km per person per day, or about 1 hour and 10 minutes of travel time per person.
The motive for traveling is for about 40% for leisure, 25% for commuting, and the remaining 35% for education, shopping, or other purposes. About 70% of all travel distance in 2023 was by car; the remainder is distributed among public transport, bicycle, walking, etc.
Social context
For the near future, KiM expects a substantial growth in road traffic and e-bike use. For public transport and other modes, much depends on policy, investment, and social behaviour.
The report also places mobility in a broader societal and policy context. It looks at accessibility, sustainability, safety, and the environment, and how mobility affects quality of life. The KiM aims to inform government decisions about future mobility infrastructure, sustainability, and transport policy, considering constraints such as space, resources, and social equity.
Belgium
When we compare the situation with Belgium, we notice that Belgian residents are even more car-dependent than the Dutch: around 78% of all kilometres are travelled by car. Cars remain clearly dominant nationwide.
The cycling share is far lower than in the Netherlands, although e-bike use is also rising – growth is strongest in Flanders, but still far behind Dutch levels.
What’s striking is that shared mobility is highly developed in Belgium, with over 49,000 shared vehicles nationwide.
Aviation in Belgium has a much smaller market. Brussels Airport handled ‘only’ around 22 million passengers in 2024 – compared to 76.2 million in the Netherlands. Public transport in Belgium is also far less dominant than in the Netherlands and varies strongly by region. However, both countries face uncertainty about long-term growth.
The Netherlands is still far ahead in cycling and sustainable mobility. Belgium relies more on cars but is catching up with e-bikes and shared mobility.
