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Journalism of Courage
Most Congested City in the World 2024 List: The world’s most congested cities in 2023-24: Traffic congestion impacts commuters worldwide, resulting in lost hours and decreased economic productivity.
In addition to serving as an economic indicator, the movement of people, products, and services boosts demand for road travel, reflecting underlying economic activity.
However, when demand exceeds existing road capacity, it causes congestion, lost time in traffic, and, in many cases, increased irritation.
Earlier this year, the TomTom Traffic Index saw a decline in average speeds in most cities. Out of the 387 cities analysed, 82 cities saw their average speed remain unchanged compared to the previous year.
Notably, London, registering an average travel time of 37 minutes and 20 seconds, and Dublin, with 29 minutes and 30 seconds, are the two cities with the lowest average speed and highest congestion, with travel times for a 6-mile journey increasing by +1 minute compared to 2022.
Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Vice President of Traffic at TomTom, emphasised in the press note, “With more than half of the world’s population residing in urban areas, we face urgent challenges from traffic congestion and its economic, ecological, and health impacts.”
Most of the cities struggling with the worst traffic congestion are some of their respective countries’ largest economic hubs, identified by a huge population, a high concentration of enterprises, and heavy daily commuter traffic.
| Rank | City, Country | Average Travel Time/10 km | Congestion Level % | Time Lost Per Year | Average Speed |
| 1 | London, UK | 37 minutes 20 seconds | 45% | 148 hrs | 14 km/hr |
| 2 | Dublin, Ireland | 29 minutes 30 seconds | 66% | 158 hrs | 16 km/hr |
| 3 | Toronto, Canada | 29 minutes | 42% | 98 hrs | 18 km/hr |
| 4 | Milan, Italy | 28 minutes 50 seconds | 45% | 137 hrs | 17 km/hr |
| 5 | Lima, Peru | 28 minutes 30 seconds | 61% | 157 hrs | 17 km/hr |
| 6 | Bengaluru, India | 28 minutes 10 seconds | 63% | 132 hrs | 18 km/hr |
| 7 | Pune, India | 27 minutes 50 seconds | 57% | 128 hrs | 19 km/hr |
| 8 | Bucharest, Romania | 27 minutes 40 seconds | 55% | 150 hrs | 17 km/hr |
| 9 | Manila, Philippines | 27 minutes 20 seconds | 46% | 105 hrs | 19 km/hr |
| 10 | Brussels, Belgium | 27 minutes | 37% | 104 hrs | 18 km/hr |
Source: TomTom Traffic Index 2023
Notably, Bengaluru, not Mumbai, holds the title of India’s most congested city, ranking sixth globally according to the index 2023.
Pune follows closely, with an average travel time of 27 minutes and 50 seconds for the same distance.
Meanwhile, New Delhi and Mumbai make it into the top 50, ranking 44th and 54th, respectively.
In the capital city, in 2023, with 21 minutes and 40 seconds of the average time for a 10-kilometre journey, the travel time decreased in New Delhi last year, with data suggesting that the average time it took to travel 10 km decreased by 30 seconds.
Mumbai has seen an increase in travel time compared to last year. The average travel time for a 10 km journey is now 21 minutes and 20 seconds, which is an increase of 10 seconds from the previous year.
