Traffic in Palmerston North

In 2024, Palmerston North sees a balanced split between walking and car usage, each accounting for 50% of the commuting methods.

The city's traffic data reveals insights into commute times and CO2 emissions, highlighting areas for potential improvement.

Average Commute Times

The average commute time in Palmerston North is 15 minutes, covering a distance of 5.65 km.

  • Car - Car commuters spend an average of 20 minutes driving over a distance of 9.3 km.
  • Walking - Walking commuters take about 10 minutes to cover a distance of 2 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Walking
50%
Car
50%

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 2 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
3.5 miles
Walking
5.0 mins
Driving Car
10.0 mins
Total:
15.0 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
5.8 miles
Driving Car
20.0 mins
Total:
20.0 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
1.2 miles
Walking
10.0 mins
Total:
10.0 mins

More Information

Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the summer months as more people travel for leisure.

Winter sees a slight decrease in walking due to colder weather conditions.

Commuter Pain Points

Limited public transport options can lead to reliance on cars.

Pedestrian pathways may require improvements to encourage walking.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings and late evenings are the best times to avoid traffic congestion.

Midday travel is generally smooth due to lower traffic volumes.

Event Impacts

Public events at the city center can lead to temporary road closures and increased traffic.

Sporting events often result in higher traffic volumes around stadiums.

Sustainability Efforts

The city is exploring initiatives to expand bicycle lanes and promote cycling.

Efforts are underway to increase the efficiency of public transport systems.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have reduced the need for personal car ownership.

These services help alleviate parking issues in busy areas.

Worldwide
New Zealand

Traffic Rankings

The Traffic Index for New Zealand combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in New Zealand, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.
Worst to BestUpdated: Oct, 2025