Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World
Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World. Photo: KnowInsiders.com
Contents

Have you ever witnessed the hundreds of vehicles and motorcycles filling the street each morning, obstructing your path to work? If you live in a large city, that scene probably doesn't seem strange to you. Large cities across the globe are now plagued by terrible traffic congestion. We have selected the top ten cities worldwide with the worst traffic congestion. And if you don't live in those places, you'll be fortunate.

What causes traffic congestion?

The increased number of cars on the road is one of the primary causes of the congestion. As the number of adults rises, so does the desire for personal transportation among the populace. Congestion is more likely to occur as the number of cars rises. For this reason, traffic jams are practically unheard of in smaller cities and villages.

In addition, there is inadequate infrastructure. The impending threat of severe traffic congestion is ignored by national and local governments until it occurs. The population that depends more and more on cars does not cause the city to grow. After the population grows, a single street with a lane on each side might not be adequate in ten years. It is frequently not converted into a dual carriageway by the authorities.

Another issue is taking different routes. Due to inadequate funding and planning restrictions that prohibit building on green belt spaces, cities have limited capacity to expand. Cities have no choice but to make due with the routes they currently have. Congestion results if they are unable to add more lanes.

Employers have a role to play in addressing traffic congestion. When people are traveling to and from work, congestion virtually always occurs. Growing unemployment and the introduction of more flexible work hours have contributed to an improvement in traffic congestion in recent years.

Top 10+ Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World

1. Istanbul, Turkey

Avoid driving in Istanbul if you detest slow traffic. This is due to the fact that the city had the most congested roads in the world in 2021, according to transportation technology company TomTom.

404 cities in 58 countries had their traffic compared by the TomTom Traffic Index. Istanbul, Turkey, was discovered to be the most congested city, with its citizens spending 142 hours a year stuck in traffic.

Istanbul's 2021 traffic density was 62%, which means that during peak travel times, such as after work, travel times were, on average, 62% longer than during less congested times. Put another way, during peak traffic, a 30-minute trip would actually take roughly 49 minutes.

The average daily travel time increased by six minutes in the Turkish city, and the level of congestion was 11% higher than in 2020.

2. Moscow, Russia

Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World
Photo moscow times

Why Traffic Jams in Moscow Are So Bad?

To begin with, the city is enormous! Moscow is home to 12 million people, according to official statistics. However, that figure needs to be increased by two to three million visitors and unregistered residents. There are 4 million registered cars in the city, and an undetermined amount of cars travel to and from the Moscow region every day. More than 1000 square kilometers are occupied by Moscow.

The second, and perhaps most significant, fact is that Moscow was established in 1147, and radial ring planning was the most common for historic Russian cities. Moscow currently has numerous radial roads in addition to the Boulevard, Garden, Third, and City Limit rings. The more you are near the center, the more congested the traffic gets, which is not how things worked in the past.

Furthermore, the city government only recently began overseeing parking in the city and implemented paid parking in the center. Prior to being able to park anywhere you find a space large enough to accommodate your vehicle. On both sides of small roads and even on sidewalks, people had parked their cars in multiple lanes. These days, it's beginning to get regulated with fines and car evacuations. Additionally, it is no longer permitted for big trucks to enter the city limits during the day. However, there are currently no additional economic regulatory measures or entrance fees to the central area.

Last but not least, Russian drivers tend to break the law, which leads to a lot of accidents and worsens traffic jams, particularly during the winter. Dash cams are popular among drivers because of this.

READ MORE: What Is The Capital of Russia: History, Facts, Best Places to See

Why Not Use Public Transport Instead?

A good question, especially in light of all the praise Moscow's metro system has received! The Moscow subway is undoubtedly one of the city's treasures and makes any Muscovite feel incredibly patriotic. Every station in the center is unique, and the majority of them have sculptures, murals, and other incredible decorations in addition to veneers made of marble or granite.

3. Kiev, Ukraine

Every day, the streets of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, are congested and congested. The greatest concentration of traffic can be found in areas of the city such as:

- South Bridge - traffic movement to the left bank is halted due to repair work, specifically the change of expansion groove and road constructions;

- Highway junction on Moscow Square - as a result of road reconstructions, these sections of the road suffer the most.

There are traffic jams on Darnytskyi Bridge, North Bridge, and all bridges in the direction of the right bank, as well as in the city center.

Pieces of advice for the “beginners” on Kyiv roads

If you are visiting Kyiv and are not a native, you can rent a car from the city. Then, you can drive around the city on the rental car and quickly reach your destination by following the following tips:

1. Do you have Internet connection? Then use «Яндекс. Пробки» (Yandex. Traffic jams) and you will be able to escape from the traffic jams and get wherever you want with “minimum losses”,

2. Be on to “problem areas” in Kyiv, get to know which roads and at what exact time it is almost impossible to drive.

3. Buy or rent GPS system – it will be useful in every trip of yours.

If such a thing happened and you could not escape from the traffic jam, do not get distracted from the road. The most part of road traffic accidents happen when the cars are in traffic jams.

4. Bogota, Colombia

Why is there so much traffic in Bogota? It undoubtedly has serious issues with traffic congestion.

With a population of more than 7.4 million and a metro area with a population of over 10 million, it is both Colombia's capital and largest city. Despite this, its total area is just 307 square kilometers. That's a large number of people crammed into a small space. Thus, in terms of population, it is comparable to New York City, the largest city in the country. Nevertheless, New York City occupies an area of over 780 square kilometers, which is more than twice that of Bogota!

5. Mumbai, India

During office opening and closing hours, almost all Mumbai faces a huge traffic, but here are some places with major blocks.

D.S.P. Mukherjee chowk (regal)

Kalaghoda (fort)

Johar chowk (Bhindi bazar)

Nana chowk (Peddar road)

Vatsalabai Desai chowk (Haji ali)

A.H. Ansari chowk (Khada Parsi)

Hindamata

Khodadad circle (Dadar TT)

Wadala bridge

Rani Laxmibai chowk (Sion station)

Kherwaadi junction (Kalanagar)

Suman Nagar Junction

Jijamata Bhosale marg Junction

Datta Samant chowk (Saki Naka)

Hiranandani (Powai)

C.D.Barfiwala road (JVPD)

D.N. Nagar (four bunglows)

Bahar Cinema (Chakala highway)

Behram baug (Jogeshwari)

August 21, 2022 was the worst traffic day of the city, where congestion level was 53% last year, when three religious occasions coincided.

6. Jakarta, Indonesia

Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World
Photo Pinterest

When it comes to places with the worst traffic, Jakarta ranks first. The daily traffic that thirty million residents of Jakarta, Indonesia, have to put up with has already caused them pain and suffering. The issue with Jakarta is that the government is still unable to rein in or stop the city's explosive growth.

The nation's biggest problem is traffic, which has been exacerbated by the city's continued growth despite its underdeveloped public utility and local infrastructure systems. An immediate solution to the worst traffic situation on Earth is still out of reach for the nation, with 1,000 cars contributing to the clogged pile of vehicles that travel through the city's streets every day. Many think that the current traffic problem in the city could be solved, or at least made easier, with a massive mass transit system. Since the mass transit project is already five years behind schedule, traffic congestion has become a daily occurrence for Indonesians.

7. St. Petersburg, Russia

One of Russia's most beautiful cities, St. Petersburg, has sadly already been marred by traffic issues. In 2012, the first major snow storm of the year caused a traffic jam that left people stranded in the streets for three days. Snow falls heavily in St. Petersburg. Between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a 400-mile stretch caused 100 miles of traffic and 10,000 vehicles to become stuck in the streets for three days.

Due to traffic, trips and travel times take 44% longer in St. Petersburg. Conversely, the trip takes nearly twice as long during rush hour. Actually, Moscow and St. Petersburg are the second and third most congested cities in the world during rush hour. However, by urging commuters to take public transportation, authorities are able to maintain traffic order. To lessen the issue, they are also erecting pay parking lots and removing cars that are parked illegally.

8. Bucharest, Romania

Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World
Photo actmedia

TomTom Traffic Index for 2021 shows that Bucharest remains one of the world's most congested cities. The Romanian capital is sixth in Europe and eighth globally with an average congestion level of 50%. Additionally, it is the EU city with the worst automobile traffic.

Last year, traffic jams cost drivers in Bucharest an average of 115 hours of lost time. Estimates of traffic congestion put it at 50%, up 8% from 2020 but down 2% from 2019. This was prior to the coronavirus pandemic, which put travel restrictions in place and increased the popularity of remote work.

9. Novosibirsk, Russia

As the administrative hub of the Novosibirsk Oblast and the Siberian Federal District, Novosibirsk is the third most populous city in Russia. It is Siberia's biggest hub for business, culture, transportation, education, and science. Many refer to Novosibirsk as the "Capital of Siberia."

Novosibirsk experienced higher levels of traffic in 2021. According to the data, daily average travel time increased by two minutes.

10. Bengaluru, India

Bengaluru's congestion levels fell from 71% in 2019 to 48% in 2021, a 32% decrease. Peak traffic congestion will be reduced by 44% by 2021. On October 9, 2021, the city experienced its worst traffic day, when heavy rain caused certain waterlogged pockets, resulting in widespread logjams and high congestion. Congestion levels in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Pune decreased by 18%, 14%, and 29%, respectively. India outperformed the global average of 10% reduction in congestion.

11. New Delhi, India

Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World
Photo hindustan times

According to Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of the Center for Science and Environment's research and advocacy division, "Delhi will simply run to stand still if not addressed immediately." This is an unavoidable result of the explosive and uncontrolled vehicle population, which surpassed 10 million in 2017. An additional factor inflating the figures is the daily influx of cars from outside Delhi. Car congestion is only going to get worse as car prices under the GST continue to decline. At the moment, traffic in Delhi is increasing at a rate of 7% a year. Every day, 1,158 two-wheelers and 537 cars are added to these roads.

Roychowdhury notes that Delhi's fight against pollution, traffic, and energy-guzzling is becoming more and more challenging even with the construction of so many roads—22% of the city's total land area. The city's attempts to reduce emissions and hazardous exposures across the board are being undermined by this. Reversing this trend of high toxic exposure, crippling congestion, and lost productive time will become more challenging if strategies to curb motorization are not modified.

A study by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) found that building flyovers and underpasses, as well as extending roads or right of way, are not better ways to deal with traffic congestion. The study, titled "Gradual Sustainability Approach for Urban Transport through Subtle Measures," also demonstrates how, after only a few years of development, these strategies have worsened sustainability without lowering traffic.

12. Manila, Philippines

Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World
Photo travel daily news asia

Manila is well-known throughout the world for its vibrant urban environment and abundance of tourist destinations that highlight the rich cultural diversity of the Philippines. But Manila is notorious for more than just its outstanding hospitality and the variety of delectable food offered in kiosks and different Filipino restaurants located throughout the metropolis: traffic congestion. Millions of cars and public transportation vehicles pass through the city every day, causing traffic in Manila during rush hour, which can take up to two hours for commuters and drivers.

Poor Public Transport

Poor management of public transportation is one of the reasons why traffic in Metro Manila keeps getting worse, forcing jeepneys and public utility vehicles to compete for passengers. An increasing number of people are choosing to use alternative transportation options or purchasing their own private vehicles in order to make daily travel easier and more comfortable, due to issues ranging from congested buses and jeepneys to frequent train system breakdowns. Limiting the number of cars on Metro Manila roads and giving preference to public mass transit is one way to address this issue.

13. Lodz, Poland

Top 13 Cities With The Most Traffic Congestion In The World
Photo wbj

According to the annual TomTom Traffic Index report, ód is once again the most congested city in Poland. According to the study's authors, the level of traffic jams in this city increased by 3% over the year, which means that drivers driving in ód the streets can expect a 47 percent increase in travel time when compared to standard road traffic.

ód is followed by Kraków (45 percent), Pozna (44 percent), Warsaw (40 percent), Wrocaw (39 percent), Bydgoszcz (34 percent), the Tri-City (33 percent), Szczecin (30 percent), Lublin (27 percent), and Biaystok (26 percent) in the Polish ranking of 12 cities.

How To Avoid Traffic Congestion

While specific cities may have different strategies based on real-world conditions, there are general guidelines to help prevent traffic jams.

Avert peak hours.

Everyone must have given you this advice, and it is true that it is the most important thing to remember. If you live in a crowded city, this is the best you can do. The traffic starts to gradually slow down as the peak office hours come into view. Thus, attempt to leave a little earlier.

Draw out other routes.

Make sure you have a backup plan for getting where you're going. The other routes are your only option if you can't help but be late during peak hours. Although they might be a little bit longer, alternate routes are typically less crowded. That shouldn't be an issue, though, if we can avoid the traffic jam.

Observe the flow of traffic.

It is crucial that you do not contribute to the traffic, even if you would prefer to avoid it. Be mindful of lights. Until you get honked at, it is not the appropriate moment to ignore the change in signal light. Avoid using your phone while talking and losing the signal. These minor details frequently cause delays for both you and other people.

Utilize a two-wheeler.

Your two-wheeler might be your savior during rush hour traffic jams. It can be maneuvered easily, takes up little room, and changes lanes quickly. It will enable you to get to your destination more quickly. You can always use your bicycle if you don't have a motorbike license (as long as you don't live too far away from your place of employment). Riding a bike regularly has health benefits.

Sound system

Instead of following your gut when deciding on your commute to work, tune in to the radio as it provides updates on traffic conditions and status. You can easily avoid any potential gridlock in this way.

GPS unit featuring real-time traffic updates

You can also instantly avoid traffic jams by using the GPS on your phone. When your GPS detects traffic, you can quickly adjust your route to avoid delays.

Public transportation

You can usually save a lot of time by taking the city bus or the subway. Even though you drive a fancy car, it's better to leave your pride at home and take the metro instead of running late.

How To Check and Pay The Traffic Fine Tickets Online In The UK How To Check and Pay The Traffic Fine Tickets Online In The UK

It is important to understand traffic rules and knowledge about fines and tickets when you decide to live in the United Kingdom.

Full List of Countries That Have Left-Hand Traffic in the World Full List of Countries That Have Left-Hand Traffic in the World

Most of the countries drive on the right side of the road, but some of them still drive on the left side. Which Countries That ...

How To Check and Pay the Traffic Fine Online in India How To Check and Pay the Traffic Fine Online in India

It is important to understand traffic rules and knowledge about traffic fines and tickets when you decide to live in India.