Medan, Indonesia, presents a diverse transportation landscape with motorcycles leading as the primary mode of commute. The city's traffic dynamics reveal significant reliance on buses and cars, contributing to notable CO2 emissions.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 16.4 minutes on a motorcycle, with a total travel distance of 9.89 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend about 25.6 minutes in transit, covering a distance of 11.02 km.
  • Car - Car travel takes approximately 20 minutes, with a journey distance of 7.67 km.
  • Walking - Walking commutes average 10 minutes for a distance of 0.55 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Motorcycle
50%
Bus
25%
Car
15%
Walking
10%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the rainy season due to slower travel speeds and increased vehicle usage. Holiday seasons see a spike in traffic as residents travel to visit family and friends.

Commuter Pain Points

Heavy traffic congestion during peak hours leads to longer commute times. Limited public transport options can cause delays and inconvenience for commuters.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 8 PM are ideal for avoiding heavy traffic. Midday travel between 11 AM and 2 PM typically experiences lighter traffic.

Event Impacts

Public events and festivals can cause significant traffic disruptions, especially in central areas. Planning alternative routes during major events can help mitigate delays.

Sustainability Efforts

Medan is exploring initiatives to expand its public transport network to reduce reliance on private vehicles. Efforts to promote cycling and walking are being considered to enhance urban mobility.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services are gaining popularity, offering flexible and convenient travel options. These services help reduce the number of private vehicles on the road, easing congestion.

Worldwide
Indonesia

Traffic Rankings

The Traffic Index for Indonesia combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in Indonesia, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Feb, 2025

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 20 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
6.1 miles
Walking
2.2 mins
Waiting
1.4 mins
Driving Car
3.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
6.4 mins
Train
0.1 mins
Other
0.6 mins
Total:
30.1 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
6.8 miles
Walking
3.5 mins
Waiting
5.4 mins
Bus / Trolley
25.6 mins
Train
0.3 mins
Other
2.4 mins
Total:
37.2 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
4.8 miles
Walking
0.3 mins
Driving Car
20.0 mins
Total:
20.3 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
0.3 miles
Walking
10.0 mins
Total:
10.0 mins
Medan Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Promoting motorcycle and bus usage can help manage commute times effectively.

Reducing car dependency could lower CO2 emissions and improve air quality.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Medan's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 3691.5, indicating significant environmental impact.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on promoting public transport and reducing car usage.

Time

The average commute time index is 30.05, reflecting moderate travel durations across the city.

Motorcycle usage significantly reduces travel time compared to other modes.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 111.24, suggesting room for improvement in traffic management.

Traffic congestion during peak hours contributes to inefficiencies.