Abstract
The decentralization of the urban population and to a lesser degree of urban employment caused substantial changes in urban travel patterns. In particular, the number of external journeys has increased substantially the need for coordinated transportation planning at the municipal and regional level is therefore growing. This report presents the results of an empirical investigation of the travel patterns of four Dutch urban areas: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. The main emphasis is on the characteristics and significance of the external journeys in these areas.