INRIX 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard: Traffic Delays Rise Across Germany as Cologne Becomes Most Congested City

• Cologne drivers lose 67 hours, with delays rising 20% year-over-year
• 77% of German urban areas saw increased congestion in 2025
• Global congestion continues to rise, with 62% of cities experiencing increased delays

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--INRIX, a global leader in transportation data and analytics, today released the 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard, the world’s most comprehensive benchmark of mobility performance. Spanning 36 countries and nearly 1,000 cities, the Scorecard reveals that congestion increased in most major urban areas worldwide, including across Germany, where traffic delays rose sharply in 2025.

Globally, 62% of urban areas saw increased congestion, compared to only 26% experiencing improvements. Germany followed the global pattern: traffic delays increased in 77% of the urban areas analyzed in the country. Drivers in 56 of 73 German cities lost more time to congestion in 2025, while delays fell in 13 areas and remained unchanged in four.

Cologne Leads Congestion as Traffic Intensifies Across Germany

Cologne became Germany’s most congested urban area in 2025. Drivers lost 67 hours to traffic, up from 56 hours in 2024, reflecting a 20% increase year-over-year. Düsseldorf (63 hours lost), Berlin (60 hours), Stuttgart (60 hours), and Munich (57 hours) rounded out the top five.

Berlin saw delays rise 3% to 60 hours per driver in 2025. Despite falling from the top spot in 2024 to number two in 2025, Berlin’s size, economic strength, and density resulted in an estimated 1.1 billion € in congestion costs.

Nationwide, the typical German driver lost 47 hours to congestion in 2025, costing 750 € in lost time and productivity. Across the country, these delays totaled 5.3 billion €.

Several regions also faced growing corridor-level bottlenecks. Germany’s busiest corridor (the A52 Eastbound near Essen) saw drivers lose 42 hours to congestion in 2025, with peak delays occurring between Heidendoren and the A40 around 4:00 p.m.

Global Context: Congestion Climbs Elsewhere

Istanbul again topped the global ranking with 118 hours lost, followed by Chicago (112 hours) and Mexico City (108 hours). Several dense Western cities also saw flat or declining delays—including Paris (–7%), Los Angeles (–1%), and New York (0%)—but these were exceptions amid year-over-year increases worldwide.

INRIX: Using Data to Drive Smarter Mobility Decisions

The key findings of the INRIX 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard provide a quantifiable benchmark for governments and cities across the world to measure progress to improve urban mobility and track the impact of spending on smart city initiatives. Please visit https://inrix.com/scorecard/ for the full report.

Access to reliable, consistent data is the first step in addressing traffic congestion. INRIX data and analytics on mobility, traffic signals, parking, safety and population movement can help city planners and engineers make data-based decisions to prioritize spending to maximize benefits and reduce costs now and into the future.

About INRIX

Founded in 2004, INRIX pioneered intelligent mobility solutions by transforming big data from connected devices and vehicles into mobility insights. INRIX has harnessed machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver precise and actionable mobility data. This revolutionary approach enabled INRIX to become one of the leading providers of data and analytics in people and vehicle movement. With partners and solutions spanning across the mobility ecosystem, INRIX is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology and transportation. Learn more at inrix.com.