Panama City, a bustling metropolis, relies heavily on cars for daily commutes, with a significant 77% of residents using this mode of transport. Despite the dominance of cars, public transportation options like buses and trains are also utilized, albeit to a lesser extent, contributing to the city's diverse commuting landscape.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves around 25 minutes of driving, with minimal time spent waiting or walking.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend about 35 minutes on the bus, with additional time waiting and walking, totaling over 50 minutes.
  • Car - Car users experience a driving time of approximately 32 minutes, with negligible waiting or walking.
  • Train - Train commuters have a 10-minute train ride, with additional waiting and walking, totaling around 17 minutes.
  • Walking - Walking commutes average 15.5 minutes, with some time spent waiting and minimal driving.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
77%
Walking
8%
Bus
8%
Train
2%
Home
2%
Motorcycle
2%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic congestion tends to increase during the rainy season due to adverse weather conditions affecting road safety. Holiday seasons see a decrease in daily commutes as residents travel out of the city, temporarily easing traffic.

Commuter Pain Points

Heavy reliance on cars leads to frequent traffic jams, especially during rush hours. Limited public transportation options and coverage can make commuting challenging for those without access to a car.

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 can also offer smoother commutes.

Event Impacts

Major public events and festivals often lead to road closures and increased traffic, requiring alternative routes. Sporting events in the city center can significantly impact traffic flow, necessitating public transport use.

Sustainability Efforts

Panama City is investing in expanding its metro system to provide more sustainable commuting options. The city is also promoting cycling and walking through the development of dedicated lanes and pedestrian zones.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have become increasingly popular, offering flexible commuting options and reducing the need for personal car ownership. These services help alleviate parking issues and can contribute to reduced traffic congestion if widely adopted.

Worldwide
Panama

Traffic Rankings

Panama City ranks 1st on the Traffic rankings in Panama. The Traffic Index for Panama combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in Panama, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 48 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
9.3 miles
Walking
2.3 mins
Waiting
0.7 mins
Driving Car
25.2 mins
Bus / Trolley
3.0 mins
Train
1.0 mins
Other
0.2 mins
Total:
32.8 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
10.6 miles
Walking
9.3 mins
Waiting
6.3 mins
Bus / Trolley
35.0 mins
Train
5.8 mins
Other
2.5 mins
Total:
58.8 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
10.0 miles
Walking
0.2 mins
Driving Car
31.9 mins
Total:
32.0 mins
Average when primarily using Train
Distance
4.3 miles
Walking
4.0 mins
Waiting
3.0 mins
Train
10.0 mins
Total:
17.0 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
2.3 miles
Walking
15.5 mins
Waiting
0.8 mins
Driving Car
1.3 mins
Train
3.3 mins
Total:
20.8 mins
Panama City Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging the use of public transportation and non-motorized transport can help reduce CO2 emissions and traffic inefficiency.

Implementing smart traffic management systems could significantly improve commute times and reduce congestion.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Panama City has a high CO2 emissions index of 6912, indicating significant environmental impact.

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

Time

The time index of 32.77 suggests moderate traffic delays during peak hours.

Commuters may benefit from staggered work hours to alleviate congestion.

Inefficiency

With an inefficiency index of 157.72, Panama City faces challenges in optimizing traffic flow.

Improving traffic signal coordination and promoting alternative transport modes could enhance efficiency.