Inrix Study: Traffic Jams Cost Commuters Billions

An average commuter in Germany spends 40 hours a year in traffic jams, according to an analysis by traffic data service provider Inrix. If you calculate the time loss based on half of an average hourly wage, it costs 427 euros per driver.

"Traffic jams across Germany cost drivers 3.2 billion euros, which is an increase of 14 percent compared to 2022," Inrix announced on Tuesday.

In addition, higher fuel costs in stop-and-go traffic should be considered, which are of a similar magnitude. According to traffic data analysts, Berlin tops the list of traffic-congested cities in Germany. Drivers there spent an average of 55 hours in traffic jams in 2023, closely followed by Stuttgart (53 hours) and Munich (52 hours). In Cologne, commuters spent 50 hours, in Düsseldorf 49 hours, and in Bremen as well as the Ruhr area, they each spent 45 hours in traffic jams or slow-moving traffic.

“Hamburg fares relatively well with 43 hours, but even here commuters had to sacrifice more than a working week per year additionally for the daily commute.”

To calculate the time loss, Inrix compared the duration of trips at night on free roads with the times in daytime rush hour traffic. An interesting development was noted in trips to the city center. They declined sharply in the major cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne, as well as in Frankfurt am Main:

“In Berlin even by 17 percent and in Munich by 16 percent” compared to the previous year. At the same time, delays due to traffic jams or slow-moving traffic increased. “This indicates a gradual migration from the city centers and a greater shift of traffic to the outskirts,” explained the traffic data analysts.