Germans spent 43 hours stuck in traffic jams in 2024

Germans spent an average of 43 hours stuck in traffic jams in 2024, an increase of three hours compared to 2023, according to an analysis by traffic data services company Inrix.
According to the analysis, the western city of Dusseldorf was the most affected by traffic jams, with commuters stuck for an average of 60 hours due to a number of maintenance works on busy highways.
Berlin ranked second with an average of 58 hours, followed by Stuttgart, Cologne and Munich.

Noticeable rise

The company also recorded a noticeable increase in transportation to city centers, “as employees returned to work from offices and city centers almost recovered from the repercussions of the Corona pandemic.”
Despite the increase in commuting hours, traffic in Germany remains significantly better than in other industrialized countries in the world.
“Compared to other major urban centers in America and Europe, German commuters still reach their destinations relatively quickly by international standards,” Inrix said.

The most suffering

Istanbul was the city with the most traffic congestion globally in 2024, with commuters spending an average of 105 hours in traffic, or nearly 4.5 days.
New York was the second worst city in the world, with commuters spending an average of 102 hours in traffic jams, closely followed by London and Paris (101 and 97 hours).
In 53 of the 73 regions analyzed in Germany and in 69 of the 100 most affected cities globally, delays have increased compared to the previous year.
“The 2024 results show that traffic growth continues unabated around the world, while the infrastructure of many cities is reaching its limits,” said Bob Pecheux of Inrix.