Cars and the mobility they offer have given us the ability to live far from where we work. This has opened endless possibilities for people looking for more space, affordable housing, and surroundings that fit their lifestyle.
Unfortunately, automotive mobility has created mind-numbing commutes. Being stuck in traffic can be soul-draining, and is a colossal waste of time. In some of the cities, it has been estimated that drivers spend the equivalent of an entire week stuck in traffic each year. Bumper-to-bumper trips to and from work can also add stress to an already demanding job — especially for those already living in one of the most stressed-out cities in America.
Traffic declined in many cities in 2020, due to COVID-related lockdowns, business closings, and an increase in work-from-home opportunities. As the pandemic recedes in many places and cities open up again, of course, traffic is rebounding — though it may not reach former levels, at least for a while, as many companies still permit their employees to work remotely.
Based on data from the Netherlands-based mapmaking and location technology company TomTom, 24/7 Wall St. has assembled a list of the 50 worst cities and metro areas for traffic around the world, based on total days of low traffic and traffic congestion score for the admittedly anomalous year of 2020.
These are the world’s worst cities for traffic.
Some 416 cities in 57 countries and on six continents are ranked. Americans might be pleasantly surprised to learn that while there are 80 U.S. locales on the list, none are among the 50 worst. The one with the highest congestion level is Los Angeles, at No. 85. (These are America’s 50 worst cities to drive in.)
Source: Grigorii_Pisotckii / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
50. Omsk, Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 37 days — #319 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 31% — #44 out of 416 cities
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49. London, United Kingdom
> Days with low traffic per year: 67 days — #202 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 31% — #44 out of 416 cities
Source: 4FR / E+ via Getty Images
48. Fortaleza, Brazil
> Days with low traffic per year: 76 days — #174 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 31% — #44 out of 416 cities
Source: Joel Carillet / iStock via Getty Images
47. Warsaw, Poland
> Days with low traffic per year: 64 days — #217 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 31% — #44 out of 416 cities
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Source: fightbegin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
46. Chelyabinsk, Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 17 days — #377 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 31% — #44 out of 416 cities
Source: monticelllo / iStock via Getty Images
45. Poznan, Poland
> Days with low traffic per year: 57 days — #240 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 31% — #44 out of 416 cities
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Source: DarthArt / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
44. Santiago, Chile
> Days with low traffic per year: 165 days — #12 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 31% — #44 out of 416 cities
24/7 Wall St.
43. Edinburgh, United Kingdom
> Days with low traffic per year: 90 days — #124 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 32% — #39 out of 416 cities
Source: matthewleesdixon / iStock via Getty Images
42. Paris, France
> Days with low traffic per year: 94 days — #114 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 32% — #39 out of 416 cities
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Source: holgs / iStock via Getty Images
41. Tainan, Taiwan
> Days with low traffic per year: 1 day — #412 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 32% — #39 out of 416 cities
Source: celsopupo / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
40. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
> Days with low traffic per year: 130 days — #41 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 32% — #39 out of 416 cities
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Source: shih-wei / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
39. Kaohsiung, Taiwan
> Days with low traffic per year: 0 days — #416 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 32% — #39 out of 416 cities
38. Nagoya, Japan
> Days with low traffic per year: 2 days — #408 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 33% — #38 out of 416 cities
Source: aleks0649 / iStock via Getty Images
37. Rostov-on-Don, Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 51 days — #260 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 34% — #35 out of 416 cities
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Source: yiannismarmaras / iStock via Getty Images
36. Athens, Greece
> Days with low traffic per year: 102 days — #91 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 34% — #35 out of 416 cities
Source: tampatra / iStock via Getty Images
35. Taoyuan, Taiwan
> Days with low traffic per year: 1 day — #412 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 34% — #35 out of 416 cities
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34. Taichung, Taiwan
> Days with low traffic per year: 1 day — #412 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 35% — #32 out of 416 cities
24/7 Wall St.33. Osaka, Japan
> Days with low traffic per year: 3 days — #406 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 35% — #32 out of 416 cities
32. Wroclaw, Poland
> Days with low traffic per year: 46 days — #276 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 35% — #32 out of 416 cities
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Source: adiartana / iStock via Getty Images
31. Jakarta, Indonesia
> Days with low traffic per year: 141 days — #26 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 36% — #27 out of 416 cities
Source: Baloncici / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
30. Cairo, Egypt
> Days with low traffic per year: 39 days — #310 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 36% — #27 out of 416 cities
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Source: Nate Hovee / iStock via Getty Images
29. Mexico City, Mexico
> Days with low traffic per year: 139 days — #27 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 36% — #27 out of 416 cities
Source: Andrey Turyanskiy / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
28. Yekaterinburg, Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 47 days — #270 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 36% — #27 out of 416 cities
27. Krakow, Poland
> Days with low traffic per year: 69 days — #193 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 36% — #27 out of 416 cities
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Source: Dandelion / iStock via Getty Images
26. Changchun, China
> Days with low traffic per year: 17 days — #377 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 37% — #23 out of 416 cities
25. Tel Aviv, Israel
> Days with low traffic per year: 68 days — #198 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 37% — #23 out of 416 cities
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Source: henriquev / Flickr
24. Recife, Brazil
> Days with low traffic per year: 95 days — #110 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 37% — #23 out of 416 cities
23. Taipei, Taiwan
> Days with low traffic per year: 2 days — #408 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 37% — #23 out of 416 cities
Source: badahos / iStock via Getty Images
22. Dnipro, Ukraine
> Days with low traffic per year: 9 days — #394 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 38% — #21 out of 416 cities
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21. Dublin, Ireland
> Days with low traffic per year: 64 days — #217 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 38% — #21 out of 416 cities
Source: blinow61 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
20. Samara, Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 40 days — #305 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 41% — #19 out of 416 cities
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19. Tokyo, Japan
> Days with low traffic per year: 2 days — #408 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 41% — #19 out of 416 cities
Source: frankpeters / iStock via Getty Images
18. Bucharest, Romania
> Days with low traffic per year: 66 days — #207 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 42% — #14 out of 416 cities
17. Chongqing, China
> Days with low traffic per year: 42 days — #297 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 42% — #14 out of 416 cities
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Source: naveen0301 / iStock via Getty Images
16. Pune, India
> Days with low traffic per year: 154 days — #17 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 42% — #14 out of 416 cities
Source: perdidoenelsiglo / Flickr
15. Lima, Peru
> Days with low traffic per year: 144 days — #24 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 42% — #14 out of 416 cities
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Source: whitelook / iStock via Getty Images
14. Lodz, Poland
> Days with low traffic per year: 13 days — #389 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 42% — #14 out of 416 cities
Source: 3sbworld / iStock via Getty Images
13. Kharkiv, Ukraine
> Days with low traffic per year: 19 days — #371 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 43% — #13 out of 416 cities
Source: U.Ozel.Images / iStock via Getty Images
12. Saint Petersburg, Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 60 days — #230 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 44% — #10 out of 416 cities
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Source: ToL_U4F / iStock via Getty Images
11. Odessa, Ukraine
> Days with low traffic per year: 47 days — #270 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 44% — #10 out of 416 cities
Source: volvob12b / Flickr
10. Bangkok, Thailand
> Days with low traffic per year: 44 days — #284 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 44% — #10 out of 416 cities
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Source: Elen11 / iStock via Getty Images
9. Novosibirsk, Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 15 days — #387 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 45% — #9 out of 416 cities
Source: hadynyah / E+ via Getty Images
8. New Delhi, India
> Days with low traffic per year: 64 days — #217 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 47% — #8 out of 416 cities
7. Kyiv, Ukraine
> Days with low traffic per year: 48 days — #267 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 51% — #5 out of 416 cities
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6. Bengaluru, India
> Days with low traffic per year: 147 days — #23 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 51% — #5 out of 416 cities
Source: 1001slide / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
5. Istanbul, Turkey
> Days with low traffic per year: 80 days — #157 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 51% — #5 out of 416 cities
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4. Manila, Philippines
> Days with low traffic per year: 128 days — #45 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 53% — #2 out of 416 cities
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3. Bogota, Colombia
> Days with low traffic per year: 116 days — #62 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 53% — #2 out of 416 cities
2. Mumbai, India
> Days with low traffic per year: 133 days — #36 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 53% — #2 out of 416 cities
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Source: wastesoul / iStock via Getty Images
1. Moscow Oblast (region), Russia
> Days with low traffic per year: 66 days — #207 out of 416 cities
> Congestion level 2020: 54% — #1 out of 416 cities
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