In 2024, Cancun's transportation landscape is dominated by car usage, accounting for 75% of all commutes. Despite the heavy reliance on cars, the city is experiencing significant traffic inefficiencies and CO2 emissions challenges.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 17 minutes of driving and 5.9 minutes of walking, covering a distance of 10.5 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend 10 minutes waiting and 40 minutes on the bus, with a total travel distance of 13.1 km.
  • Car - Car users typically drive for 18.6 minutes over a distance of 10.3 km.
  • Walking - Walking commutes average 60 minutes of walking time, covering a distance of 10 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
75%
Walking
8%
Bus
8%
Home
8%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the winter months as tourists flock to Cancun. The rainy season can also lead to longer commute times due to road conditions.

Commuter Pain Points

Heavy reliance on cars leads to frequent traffic jams, especially during peak hours. Limited public transportation options make commuting challenging for non-drivers.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 8 PM are the best times to avoid traffic. Midday travel is generally smoother compared to rush hours.

Event Impacts

Major events like spring break and festivals significantly increase traffic congestion. Road closures and detours during events can lead to longer travel times.

Sustainability Efforts

Cancun is exploring the expansion of bike lanes to promote eco-friendly commuting. Initiatives to improve bus services aim to reduce car usage and emissions.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services are gaining popularity, offering flexible commuting options. These services help reduce the number of cars on the road, easing congestion.

Worldwide
Mexico

Traffic Rankings

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

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 12 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
6.5 miles
Walking
5.9 mins
Waiting
0.9 mins
Driving Car
17.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
3.6 mins
Total:
27.5 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
8.1 miles
Walking
5.0 mins
Waiting
10.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
40.0 mins
Total:
55.0 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
6.4 miles
Driving Car
18.6 mins
Total:
18.6 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
6.2 miles
Walking
60.0 mins
Driving Car
20.0 mins
Total:
80.0 mins
Cancun Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Increasing public transportation options could reduce car dependency and emissions.

Improving traffic management systems may help decrease commute times and inefficiencies.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Cancun's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 4667.45, reflecting the heavy car usage.

Efforts to reduce emissions are critical as the city faces environmental challenges.

Time

The average time index is 27.45, indicating moderate commute durations.

Time inefficiencies are primarily due to traffic congestion during peak hours.

Inefficiency

The traffic inefficiency index stands at 110.28, highlighting significant delays.

Addressing traffic flow and public transport options could alleviate inefficiencies.