The 10 Worst Cities in the World for Traffic

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel

Notice: Undefined offset: 4 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 5 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 6 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 4 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 98

Notice: Undefined index: pass_through_args in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 158

Notice: Undefined index: wrapper in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 159

Notice: Undefined offset: 4 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 5 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 6 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 92

Notice: Undefined offset: 4 in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 98

Notice: Undefined index: pass_through_args in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 158

Notice: Undefined index: wrapper in /nas/content/live/stagingstmllc/wp-content/plugins/smartertravel-shared/includes/ads/includes/api.php on line 159

Don’t want to spend your vacation stuck in traffic? Avoid these destinations, where residents spend an average of nearly one hour each day sitting in road congestion.

Online language platform Preply analyzed data to determine which cities in the world have the worst traffic.

The study found that New Delhi, India, is the destination with the most traffic—residents here spend an average of 57.37 minutes per day stuck in gridlock.

If you want to maximize your next vacation without spending hours on the road, head to Canberra, Australia, which is the world’s best capital city for traffic, according to the study. In Canberra, the average amount of time spent in traffic per day is just 23.91 minutes per day.

City	Position	Minutes Spent in Traffic Per Day
New Delhi, India	1	57.37
Manila, Philippines	2	54.02
Jakarta, Indonesia	3	52.88
Mexico City, Mexico	4	52.45
Bogotá, Colombia	5	51.96
Cairo, Egypt	6	50.21
Buenos Aires, Argentina	7	48.15
Bangkok, Thailand	8	46.18
Beijing, China	9	44.61
London, United Kingdom	10	43.72
Paris, France	11	42.52
Seoul, South Korea	12	42.22
Tokyo, Japan	13	42.19
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	14	41.78
Rome, Italy	15	41.36
Information Courtesy of Preply

Tips for Avoiding Traffic

Although traffic jams are an unavoidable aspect of city living, there are things you can do to reduce the amount of time spent sitting on the road while traveling.

Utilize Public Transit

Woman standing holding the hand rails on a public bus — dusanpetkovic1 | Adobe Stock

Public transportation around the world is generally cheap, and can often be faster for getting around than driving. Before visiting a new city, save maps of the public transportation system offline, and be sure to download any payment apps you’ll need in order to board (or learn how and where to buy tickets so you’ll be prepared when you arrive.)

Time Your Drives

Over the shoulder view of person driving a car at twilight — Мухтар Женисов | Adobe Stock

Rush hour varies by city, so learn what local working hours are and try to avoid being on the road during peak commuting times if possible. Rush hour is a great time for a leisurely breakfast or afternoon happy hour as a tourist. Try to avoid scheduling flights that arrive/leave around rush hour, and if you do have to head to the airport during peak traffic times, be sure to build in lots of extra time to get there.

Download Traffic Apps

Close up of person using a smartphone with a line of traffic unfocused in the background — ipopba | Adobe Stock

If you’re in an unfamiliar destination, download a navigation app like Waze that will give you real-time traffic alerts along with alternative routes to beat congestion.

You Might Also Like:

• The 7 Best Travel Dresses for Europe
• The 8 Best Ticket Websites for Booking Day Tours and Travel Activities
• Discover the Hidden History of Vikings in Sweden
• 10 Secret Alternatives to Crowded Summer Destinations
• The 24 Best Hotels in New York City 2023

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.