These 10 Cities Have the Worst Traffic in the World

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sign Up

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

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

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

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.  

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sign Up

You Might Also Like:

• 11 Amazing Solo Vacations to Take in 2024
• 5 Incredible Mother-Daughter Trips You’ll Always Treasure
• 11 Important Rideshare Safety Tips for Travelers
• 10 Most Overrated Tourist Traps
• 6 Things Tourists Should Never Do in Major Cities