Luxembourg lost out to London in the congestion rankings

A recent Global Traffic Scorecard study for 2024 from analytics company Inrix shows that Luxembourg City's traffic congestion situation is far from the worst. While drivers in London spent 101 hours in traffic jams, Luxembourg City ranked 87th in the world with "only" 55 hours lost on the road.

The first place in terms of lost time was taken by Istanbul, where drivers spent an average of 105 hours in traffic jams. London ranked fourth in the world and first in Europe, while in Paris the number was 97 hours. By comparison, drivers in New York and Chicago were also among those who lost more than 90 hours on the roads each year.

The study highlights the economic impact of congestion: it calculates that UK motorists lose around €712 in fuel costs and lost working time each year, which translates into a cost of €94 billion nationally.

Although the number of hours spent in traffic jams in Luxembourg's capital has increased by 2 per cent since 2023, the figure remains relatively low. In Esch-sur-Alzette, the situation is even better - drivers there lose only 36 hours annually, which ensured the city's 283rd place in the global ranking.

The study covered more than 900 cities in 37 countries and found that despite growing traffic volumes, Luxembourg remains relatively comfortable for drivers. However, with a growing population and an increasing number of cars, authorities continue to look for ways to improve the traffic situation to avoid megacity scenarios where congestion has become commonplace.