Two years ago, my 50-minute round-trip subway commute was my least favorite part of the day. I'd spend the ride hunched over my phone, scrolling mindless TikTok reels, panicking about the meeting I had that morning, or replaying an awkward conversation from the night before in my head. By the time I got home, I was too drained to pick up the physical novel I'd been meaning to finish for three months, so I'd collapse on the couch and scroll until bed, feeling like I'd wasted the entire day with nothing to show for it.
I tried every trick to fit reading into my schedule: waking up 30 minutes earlier (I hit snooze every time), scheduling "reading time" on my calendar (I always moved it to "later" that never came), even bringing my book to work lunches (I was too embarrassed to read in front of coworkers). I'd all but given up on reading more than three books a year, until a friend lent me an audiobook for a long weekend trip, and I realized I'd been sitting on a secret reading hack the entire time: my daily commute.
Turns out, the average person spends about 100 hours a year commuting---time most of us write off as "dead time" spent scrolling, stressing, or zoning out. Audiobooks turn that wasted time into consistent, low-effort reading time, no extra hours required to carve out of your already packed schedule. Over the past two years, I've finished 47 books almost exclusively during my commute, and built a reading habit that felt impossible before---no guilt, no forced schedule, just small, consistent progress. If you've been struggling to read more, here's how to turn your own commute into your favorite reading ritual.
First, ditch the "audiobooks don't count" guilt
The most common pushback I get when I talk about audiobooks is that they're "cheating" at reading. Let's put that myth to bed right now: multiple studies from the University of California and the University of Pittsburgh have found that comprehension and retention for audiobooks is nearly identical to physical reading for most genres, especially narrative fiction, memoir, and long-form nonfiction. The goal of a reading habit isn't to check a box of how many physical pages you turn---it's to absorb stories, learn new ideas, and engage with work that challenges or entertains you. Audiobooks deliver all of that, with the added bonus of fitting into the parts of your day you're already using for something unproductive.
If you're still hung up on the "not real reading" thing, think of it this way: most of us grew up listening to adults read aloud to us, and fell in love with stories through sound first. Audiobooks are just that, for grown-ups: a way to engage with stories in the format that fits your life, no rules required.
Pick an audiobook that matches your commute length
The fastest way to quit an audiobook habit is to pick a book that doesn't fit the time you have. If your daily commute is 15 minutes, don't download a 20-hour dense biography of a historical figure---you'll never finish a single chapter, and you'll feel discouraged every time you have to pause mid-section. For short, 10-20 minute commutes, opt for short story collections, essay anthologies, or serialized fiction apps that release 15-minute chapters (apps like Serialized or Radish are perfect for this). If you have a 45+ minute commute, dense narrative nonfiction, fantasy epics, or even long-form journalism collections work great, since you can sink into the story without getting interrupted.
If you drive for your commute, prioritize books with clear, engaging narrators and minimal distracting sound effects, so you can stay focused on the road. If you take public transit or walk, you can go for more immersive, atmospheric picks---think fantasy with full cast narration, or historical fiction with subtle background sound design that makes the story feel even more vivid. If you walk or bike for your commute, prioritize clear, easy-to-follow narration so you can stay aware of your surroundings, and you can still fit in 20+ minutes of listening a day even on short routes. And don't be afraid to use speed controls: 1.25x or 1.5x speed feels natural for most people after a few listens, and lets you get through more books without sacrificing comprehension.
Tie listening to a specific commute ritual (no willpower required)
Habit stacking is the secret to making any new routine stick, and audiobooks are no exception. Pick one specific trigger that happens every time you start your commute, and tie listening to that trigger, so you don't have to rely on willpower to remember to press play. For me, the trigger is tapping my transit card at the subway turnstile: as soon as I hear the beep, I put in my earbuds and press play on my audiobook, before I even open my work email or scroll through my messages. For my friend who drives to work, her trigger is buckling her seatbelt: as soon as it clicks, the audiobook starts playing, no radio, no podcasts, just the book.
Another hack that works wonders: keep a separate "commute-only" audiobook that you only listen to during your commute. That way, you'll actually look forward to your commute, because it's the only time you get to listen to that book. No spoilers from friends, no pressure to finish it fast---just a little reward you get for sitting through traffic or waiting for the delayed bus.
Curate a library you actually want to listen to
So many people treat their commute audiobooks like a chore, picking dry self-help books or "classics" they think they should read, instead of books they'd actually enjoy. That's the fastest way to burn out. Your commute reading habit should feel like a treat, not a homework assignment. If you love cozy mysteries, pick a cozy mystery series for your commute. If you're obsessed with celebrity memoirs, queue up a stack of them. If you want to learn a new skill, pick a narrative nonfiction book about that topic that reads like a story, not a dry textbook.
You don't have to spend a fortune on audiobooks, either. Most public libraries have free audiobook lending through apps like Libby or OverDrive, so you can borrow new releases for free with just your library card. And don't be afraid to ditch a book you don't like after an hour or two---life's too short to listen to a boring book during your limited free time.
Turn small, "wasted" commute moments into reading wins
Not every commute is a full 45 minutes. If you have a day where you run errands and only have 10 minutes on the bus, or you're stuck in traffic for 20 minutes, that still counts. Even 5 minutes of listening a day adds up to a full book every two months, no extra time required. On days where you're too stressed to focus on a new book, re-listen to an old favorite---Harry Potter, a childhood story, or even a favorite podcast that's structured like a story---so you don't have to work hard to follow along.
I used to stress if I missed a day of listening, until I realized that the point of a reading habit isn't perfection, it's consistency. Even if I only listen for 10 minutes on a chaotic day, that's still 10 minutes of reading I wouldn't have had otherwise.
Last month, I finished my 12th audiobook of the year, all during my 50-minute daily commute. I used to think that time was wasted, but now it's the part of my day I look forward to most: I get to escape into a new world, learn new things, and finish books I never would have had time to sit down and read otherwise. The best part? When I get home, I don't feel drained from mindless scrolling---I feel energized, like I've already done something for myself before the workday even starts.
You don't need to carve out extra hours in your day to read more. You just need to use the time you're already wasting. Turn on an audiobook tomorrow on your commute, and see how much further you get.