Changes in commute satisfaction among recently relocated residents in a car-reduced neighbourhood

• Relocation to a car-reduced neighbourhood improves commute satisfaction. • Relocation shifts commuting to public transport and cycling, away from the car. • Commute satisfaction increases compared to previous place of residence. • Commute satisfaction is equally high for car, public transport and cycling. • Commute distance explains satisfaction better than the commute mode. In the pursuit of sustainable urban mobility, car-reduced neighbourhoods have been developed to discourage private car ownership and use. They limit parking spaces while providing their residents with car alternatives, e.g., public transport and shared modes. While mode use has been analysed in such settlements, little is known about whether the car-reduced design influences the residents’ commute well-being. Drawing on a quasi-longitudinal survey of 264 recently relocated residents of the car-reduced Lincoln neighbourhood in Darmstadt, Germany, this paper examines commute mode use and commute satisfaction. Bivariate difference tests and OLS regressions indicate that, upon relocating, commuting by car and walking decrease, while public transport use and cycling increase. Commute satisfaction improves across all modes except walking, with changes largely explained by commute distances. This study contributes new evidence that car-reduced neighbourhoods can simultaneously foster sustainable mobility and enhance travel well-being, given that workplaces remain accessible, e.g., via compact urban development.