In this article, we will take a look at the 15 most congested cities in Europe. If you would like to skip our discussion on the trends in traffic, you can go to the 5 Most Congested Cities in Europe.
Traffic congestion plagues cities worldwide, and Europe is no exception. From bustling capitals to historic centers, many European cities struggle with congestion, causing economic losses, wasted time, and environmental concerns. Drivers have to spend hours on the most congested roads in Europe, which leads to stress and frustration. The European University on Responsible Consumption and Production estimates that traffic congestion costs Europe over €100 billion or 1% of its GDP annually. Moreover, research by INRIX, a transportation data company, has revealed that the worst traffic hotspots in Europe could impose a staggering cost of £183 billion on drivers by 2025 due to time wasted in jams.
This highlights the significant economic burden of gridlock. In addition to economic costs, increased congestion can lead to high air pollution and carbonization. Air pollution is estimated to cost 1% of the global GDP and result in 6 to 9 million premature deaths per year by 2060, as per an OECD report. Traffic congestion arises from a complex interplay of factors. Among these are the lack of effective public transport options, especially in developing countries, and infrastructure bottlenecks. It is important to understand the causes in order to address the multi-faceted issue of traffic congestion.
Overview: Traffic Management Market
As traffic congestion becomes a big issue in cities worldwide, it is no wonder that there is a growing market for traffic management systems globally to fight international traffic congestion. According to a study by Markets and Markets, the industry is expected to grow to $72.5 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 11.4% during the period 2023-2028. Positive forces impacting this market include growing concerns for public safety, especially among governments, and the widespread use of advanced technologies such as sensors and cameras.
Local regulatory requirements can negatively impact the growth of this market. Europe is expected to hold the biggest share of this market during the aforementioned forecast period. This is because of the governments’ substantial spending on improving public transport in this region. Major players in the traffic management system market include Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), Kapsch TrafficCom AG (VIE:KTCG), and IBM (NYSE:IBM).
Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), a leading player in the traffic management system market, provides IoT solutions to improve roadway safety, lower carbon emissions, and reduce traffic congestion. It also partnered with ASFINAG to connect thousands of sensors and cameras along highways to route data to a central system in Austria. This provided drivers with real-time information about road conditions and helped in routing emergency vehicles.
Kapsch TrafficCom AG (VIE:KTCG), another major name in this industry, is working towards intelligent traffic systems in Europe. It recently signed a contract with German Autobahn GmbH for a cooperative intelligent transport system project. This project would involve setting up mobile barriers at limited-time work sites, which will send warning signals to approaching vehicles. Similarly, IBM (NYSE:IBM) also provides intelligent transport systems with capabilities of traffic prediction and analysis for smarter traffic management. Data is gathered through different devices such as cameras, radars, and under-road loop detectors, along with devices using Bluetooth or wireless technologies. The data is used to measure traffic speed and volume. This system is currently being used by the Finnish Transport Authority.
IBM's (NYSE:IBM) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer shared an update on the company's financial health in its Q4 2023 earnings call:
We had a solid close to 2023 with growth across our businesses and strong cash generation. Our fourth quarter and full year results demonstrate the strength of our portfolio and sustainability of our revenue growth. We are pleased with the progress we made in 2023, delivering revenue growth of 3% and over $11 billion of free cash flow, two-thirds of the way through our midterm model, I am proud of our achievements. Since 2021, we delivered average revenue growth for IBM and for each segment at or above our model. The overall trends we are seeing reinforce our views of the future. We are confident in achieving our midterm revenue model, and the strength of our diversified business model allows us to make progress each quarter.
15 Most Congested Cities in Europe
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Our Methodology
To shortlist the 15 most congested cities in Europe, we referred to data from TomTom Traffic. Different metrics, such as average travel time per 10 km, time lost at rush hour, and average speed at rush hour, were assessed in the shortlisting of cities. We have ranked the cities in ascending order of the average travel time per 10 km as of 2023. Some of these are also among the most congested cities in the world.
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15 Most Congested Cities in Europe
15. Manchester
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 23 Minutes 30 Seconds
Manchester, one of the most populated cities in England, is ranked second in terms of traffic congestion in England. An average driver in the UK spent 80 hours in traffic in 2022 in comparison to 51 hours in the US. Meanwhile, in Manchester, an average driver spent 84 hours stuck in traffic in 2023.
14. Zurich
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 23 Minutes 30 Seconds
Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland, is ranked 16th in the world in terms of congestion. Around 27.4% of the traffic on Zurich’s streets during the day is forced to travel at less than 70% as fast as compared to during the night. It takes 23 minutes and 30 seconds to travel a distance of 10 km in Zurich, which shows a clear picture of the congestion in the city.
13. Hamburg
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 23 Minutes 50 Seconds
Hamburg is a major port city in Germany and is famous for its heavy traffic on the roads during peak hours. The citizens of Hamburg were forced to spend 74 hours in traffic jams in 2023. Out of the 720 euros on average spent on fuel, 141 euros were wasted being stuck in traffic.
12. Messina
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 24 Minutes 40 Seconds
Messina is a bustling port city on Sicily's northeastern tip. The average person from Messina spends 79 hours stuck in traffic each year. This accounts for a substantial portion of the total time spent behind the wheel, which averages around 215 hours annually.
11. Geneva
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 24 Minutes 40 Seconds
As the second-largest city in Switzerland, Geneva has earned an infamous spot as the 22nd most congested city in the world. Congestion in the city leads to an extra cost of 120 francs per driver annually for fuel. Additionally, the average commute of 10 kilometers takes a slow 24 minutes and 40 seconds due to a congestion level of 36%, making short trips feel exceptionally long.
10. Wroclaw
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 24 Minutes 40 Seconds
Wroclaw, a bustling Polish city on the Oder River with over 634,000 residents, deals with a growing traffic problem. Traffic congestion within the city has earned it the title of Poland's most congested city. Commuters face a monthly delay of over 8.5 hours due to jams, adding up to around 107 hours lost annually in gridlock. This translates to nearly half (45%) of the average driving time wasted in traffic jams.
9. Turin
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 25 Minutes 40 Seconds
Turin, the capital of Piedmont in northern Italy, is battling a significant traffic congestion crisis. On average, drivers spend 235 hours behind the wheel in Turin, with a substantial 92 hours lost in traffic jams. Due to the heavy traffic, the average travel time per 10 km in Turin is 25 minutes and 40 seconds.
8. Paris
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 26 Minutes 30 Seconds
Paris is at the eighth position on the list of the most congested cities in Europe. Drivers lost around 120 hours during rush hour last year in Paris. The city's historic core, with its narrow, cobbled streets, is a major contributor to this long-standing problem.
7. Bordeaux
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 26 Minutes 30 Seconds
Bordeaux residents spend an average of 253 hours behind the wheel each year, with around 111 hours stuck in traffic jams. This translates to a sluggish average speed of 9 minutes to travel just 1.6 kilometers, compared to Paris' slightly faster 7 minutes. Bordeaux is among the top 15 most congested cities in the world.
6. Rome
Average Travel Time per 10 km: 26 Minutes 30 Seconds
The bustling city of Rome, Italy, is notorious for its traffic congestion issues. Among Italian cities grappling with this problem, Rome stands out as one of the most severely impacted. In fact, according to a yearly report from traffic analytics company INRIX, Rome ranks as the second-worst city globally in terms of the amount of time drivers spend stuck in traffic. On average, drivers in Rome lose around 247 hours each year due to traffic jams and spend 107 hours annually navigating through congested roads.
