Cuenca, Ecuador, showcases a diverse transportation landscape with a significant reliance on buses and walking as primary commuting methods. In 2024, the city faces challenges related to traffic inefficiency and CO2 emissions, prompting a need for sustainable transportation solutions.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 2.4 minutes waiting, 5.85 minutes driving, and 15.75 minutes walking, covering a distance of 8.09 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend 4 minutes waiting and 17.67 minutes on the bus, with an additional 3.67 minutes walking, covering 6 km.
  • Car - Car users experience a 34-minute drive with minimal walking, covering a distance of 18 km.
  • Walking - Walking commutes involve 53 minutes of walking and 3 minutes of driving, covering 7.15 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Bus
50%
Walking
21%
Home
17%
Car
13%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the holiday season in December, impacting commute times. Rainy seasons can lead to slower traffic flow and increased reliance on public transport.

Commuter Pain Points

Long waiting times for buses during peak hours are a common complaint among commuters. Traffic congestion in the city center leads to delays for car users.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 7 PM are ideal for avoiding peak traffic. Midday travel between 11 AM and 2 PM generally experiences less congestion.

Event Impacts

Public events and festivals often lead to road closures and increased traffic, requiring alternative routes. Cultural events in the city center can significantly impact traffic flow and public transport schedules.

Sustainability Efforts

Cuenca is investing in expanding its public transport network to reduce reliance on cars. The city promotes cycling and walking through improved infrastructure and public awareness campaigns.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have helped reduce the number of private cars on the road, easing congestion. These services offer flexible commuting options, especially during off-peak hours.

Worldwide
Ecuador

Traffic Rankings

Cuenca ranks 2nd on the Traffic rankings in Ecuador. The Traffic Index for Ecuador combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in Ecuador, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 24 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
5.0 miles
Walking
15.8 mins
Waiting
2.4 mins
Driving Car
5.8 mins
Bus / Trolley
10.6 mins
Total:
34.6 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
3.7 miles
Walking
3.7 mins
Waiting
4.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
17.7 mins
Total:
25.3 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
11.2 miles
Walking
2.0 mins
Driving Car
34.0 mins
Total:
36.0 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
4.4 miles
Walking
53.0 mins
Driving Car
3.0 mins
Total:
56.0 mins
Cuenca Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Enhancing public transport infrastructure could significantly reduce commute times and emissions.

Promoting walking and cycling can help lower the city's CO2 emissions and improve public health.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Cuenca's CO2 emissions index is high at 1980.1, indicating significant environmental impact.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on increasing the use of non-motorized transport.

Time

The average commute time index is 34.6, reflecting moderate travel durations.

Improving public transport efficiency could help reduce overall commute times.

Inefficiency

The traffic inefficiency index stands at 81.43, suggesting room for improvement in traffic management.

Strategies to enhance traffic flow and reduce congestion are needed.