A journey counts as travel when…
Travelling has been defined by some opinions to be a distance between 81 and 83 km or more.
Some defined it by ‘urf (local custom) – Whatever is customarily regarded as travelling is travelling (even if it is to a place that is nearby).
– Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah
The definition based on distance is more precise and clearer to people. If it is agreed that a trip counts as travelling based on both distance and ‘urf, there is no need for debate.
If there is a difference between distance and ‘urf, then a person should act in accordance whatever is on the safe side.