Worst Rush Hour Traffic in World

Everyone hates traffic and it just seems to keep getting worse. No matter how much construction you city does, it never is enough. Global populations are growing and traffic is just another byproduct of growth. You may want to travel to get away from traffic, but be careful what you wish for, as traffic abroad may be much worse than where you currently live.

In fact, only one US city ranks among the top 15 cities with the worst rush hour traffic and that of course is Los Angeles, coming in at number 14. Wow, how can that be, I live in Los Angeles and I thought that was the worst traffic, until I traveled to Asia… talk about gridlock.

If you are trying to avoid congestion and gridlock woes, you may want to skip these 15 destinations, even though they may be excellent vacation spots.

Let’s see who has the worst rush hour traffic in the world according to GPS manufacturer TomTom.

Beijing, China

Expect China to be on this list a lot with over a billion people currently residing there. Beijing comes in at number 15 and the traffic there is insane. If you plan to travel to this Chinese Mecca, plan on traffic being a major part of your trip. Try to book a hotel close to the city center so you won’t have far to travel to any attraction.

Los Angeles, California

LA tops all of the United States with the worst gridlock. Not a big shocker to residents as everyone drives, no body carpools and the public transportation is a joke. Traffic will continue to grow here with California’s liberal policies and decreased transportation budget.

Shenzhen, China

Another Chinese city on the list, Shenzhen is a manufacturing hotspot, so not too many people travel here for vacation, but the amount of workers here is astonishing.

Shijiazhuang, China

With a population of over 10 million, this metropolis southwest of Beijing is smaller than Los Angeles but has much worse gridlock, with the average commute taking over an hour. Stick to the north and southern beaches in China to stay away from traffic as hard as that is.

Guangzhou, China

This city in China is known for its bustling port and being a maritime hub of all china’s manufacturing. Most products heading to the United States originates from this port, so you can imagine just how busy this city can be. A very high density of 18-wheelers makes traffic here a true nightmare.

Santiago, Chile

South America’s worst rush hour traffic is located in Santiago Chile. The country’s capital city is an extremely busy hub of commerce and since it has so many winding and curving streets, traffic is at a snail’s pace.

Zhuhai, China

Back to the Chinese travel nightmare, Zhuhai is close but still not the worst traffic in Asia. Called the Chinese Riviera, Zhuhai is China’s premier travel destination. The best beaches are located here and the city is close to Macau, Asia’s version of Las Vegas,

St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia breaks in to the list with St. Petersburg. Russia’s second largest city has long had trouble with transportation, as the infrastructure here is seriously dilapidated.   Poor streets and bridges make traveling here terrible.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul has always had bad traffic going back ages. Ancient cities like this one often aren’t prepared for modern driving and the amount of cars in today’s world.

Chonqing, China

Topping the worst driving in all of China is a feat not to be proud of. Chonqing is terribly designed making driving awful and the public transportation is non-existent.

Moscow, Russia

Moscow has bad roads, bad drivers and too many people, so of course traffic is terrible. The city is too cool to not visit, so suck it up and check it out.

Jakarta, Indonesia

The island nation of Indonesia has awfully designed infrastructure, so the highways are jammed packed. Stay in the smaller beach towns to avoid the headaches.

Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest is in the category of ancient cities with old roads and narrow side streets. Driving here is so bad, you are best to leave it up to the cabbies, and they will hook you up.

Mexico City, Mexico

Just too many people in a giant sprawl city describe Mexico City perfectly. The city is a radical experience, so hopefully the traffic won’t keep you away.

Bangkok, Thailand

The top city again is Bangkok, Thailand. The worst traffic in the world has been located in this Southeast Asian city for three years in a row. Overpopulation, huge tourist numbers and poor infrastructure makes Bangkok a bad spot to drive.

Good luck out there and hopefully traffic doesn’t ruin your vacation.