Bengaluru emerges as world’s second most congested city in 2025, Indian cities dominate Asia traffic rankings

Latest global mobility data shows Indian cities losing hundreds of hours annually to traffic, with Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai and Delhi featuring among the most congested worldwide.

Traffic congestion continues to severely impact daily life in Indian cities, with motorists losing days every year stuck on roads, according to the 2025 global mobility data released by Netherlands-based location technology firm TomTom.

Bengaluru emerged as the second most congested city in the world in 2025, recording an average speed of just 16.6 kmph. On average, a commuter in the city took about 15 minutes to travel 4.2 km. The data showed that motorists in Bengaluru spent around 168 hours in traffic over the year, which equals nearly seven days and 40 minutes. Compared to 2024, the situation worsened, with the time taken to cover 10 km rising from 34 minutes 10 seconds to 36 minutes 9 seconds, an increase of 2 minutes and 4 seconds. The city also saw a 1.7 percentage-point rise in congestion levels.

Mexico topped the global congestion chart, while Pune ranked fifth worldwide, making it the second Indian city to feature in the global top 10. Pune’s ranking highlights the growing pressure on urban transport systems beyond metropolitan capitals.

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Mumbai showed marginal improvement in 2025, with congestion dropping by 3.3 percentage points compared to the previous year. Despite this, commuters in the financial capital still lost 126 hours annually, with average vehicle speeds at 20.8 kmph. New Delhi recorded a congestion level of 60.2%, reflecting a 3.5 percentage-point increase, and motorists there lost 104 hours in traffic during the year.

India dominated the Asian congestion rankings, with six cities in the top 10: Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Jaipur. Chennai stood at 11th place in Asia, while Hyderabad ranked 15th.

Hyderabad was among the few Indian cities to show improvement, with congestion reducing by 1.3 percentage points in 2025. Chennai, however, witnessed a 1% increase in congestion levels. Kolkata, which was the second most congested city globally in 2024, slipped to 29th place in 2025, though motorists still spent around 150 hours annually in traffic.

The TomTom Traffic Index is based on anonymised GPS data and real driving speeds, analysing trip data covering more than 3.65 trillion kilometres worldwide. The index benchmarks cities based on congestion levels, travel times, and average speeds, offering a city-by-city view of traffic conditions.