Who travels more and longer in Switzerland? Insights into mode choice, daily travel time, and trip frequency from GPS-based data

Abstract Understanding the relationship between socio-economic factors and travel behavior is crucial for developing sustainable and inclusive transportation policies. This study analyzes mode choice, daily trip frequency, and daily travel time in Switzerland using high-resolution GPS data from the TimeUse+ project, which provides detailed mobility records from over 1,000 individuals. Unlike traditional survey-based studies, GPS tracking offers more precise insights into daily mobility patterns by reducing recall bias and capturing short trips often omitted in self-reported data. Our analysis reveals clear differences between weekday and weekend travel: On weekdays, socio-demographic variables (such as gender and age) together with transport supply variables (such as car ownership and public transport subscriptions) significantly shape mobility while on weekends, these effects largely weaken, and lifestyle-driven choices dominate. Notably, adults aged 66 + are the most mobile group on weekdays in terms of trip frequency, while individuals aged 56–65 take fewer but longer trips. Women make fewer trips overall, likely due to higher load of household-related responsibilities. Households with children reduce travel time but not trip frequency highlighting the complex effects of caregiving roles. Car access remains the strongest determinant of mode choice, with lower-income car owners showing higher car dependency than higher-income ones. Public transport subscriptions—especially monthly passes—strongly increase weekday transit use. On weekends, older adults and women show greater openness to sustainable modes like walking and cycling, indicating untapped potential for non-car mobility.