‘I can do perfectly well without a car!’

This article presents the results of a study exploring travellers’ preferences for middle‐distance travel using Q‐methodology. Respondents rank‐ordered 42 opinion statements regarding travel choice and motivations for travel in general and for car and public transport as alternative travel modes. By‐person factor analysis revealed four distinct preference segments for middle‐distance travel: (1) choice travellers with a preference for public transport, (2) deliberate‐choice travellers, (3) choice travellers with car as dominant alternative, and (4) car‐dependent travellers. These preference segments differ in terms of the levels of involvement and cognitive effort in travel decision making, the travel consideration‐set and underlying motivations. The study showed that for most people there is more to travel than getting from point A to point B, and that there is considerable heterogeneity in middle‐distance travel preferences. Policy implications for reducing the need for travel and promoting a modal shift from car to other travel modes are discussed.