Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, presents a diverse range of transportation options for its residents and visitors. In 2024, the city continues to focus on sustainable transport solutions, with a significant portion of the population opting for walking and public transport.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 1.90 minutes waiting, 11.59 minutes driving, and 7.67 minutes walking over a distance of 10.59 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend about 7.27 minutes waiting and 29.18 minutes on the bus, covering a distance of 6.69 km.
  • Car - Car users experience a driving time of 31.28 minutes with minimal walking, covering 17.96 km.
  • Train - Train commuters wait for 5 minutes and spend 10 minutes on the train, with a total travel distance of 5 km.
  • Walking - Walking is a popular choice, with an average walking time of 21.77 minutes over 2.24 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
36%
Walking
26%
Bus
22%
Bicycle
6%
Home
4%
Tram
2%
Train
2%
Motorcycle
2%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the summer months due to tourism, impacting commute times. Winter weather can lead to delays, particularly for road transport.

Commuter Pain Points

Traffic congestion during peak hours is a major issue for car commuters. Limited tram and train options can restrict public transport accessibility.

Best Travel Times

Traveling outside of peak hours, such as mid-morning or early afternoon, can reduce commute times. Weekends generally offer less congestion, making them ideal for travel.

Event Impacts

Major events like the Edinburgh Festival can significantly increase traffic, requiring additional planning for commuters. Sporting events at Murrayfield Stadium often lead to localized congestion.

Sustainability Efforts

Edinburgh is investing in electric buses and expanding cycling lanes to promote sustainable transport. The city encourages carpooling and the use of public transport to reduce traffic congestion.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have provided flexible transport options, reducing the need for private car ownership. These services help alleviate parking issues in the city center.

Worldwide
United Kingdom

Traffic Rankings

Edinburgh ranks 12th on the Traffic rankings in United Kingdom. The Traffic Index for United Kingdom combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in United Kingdom, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 51 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
6.6 miles
Walking
7.7 mins
Waiting
1.9 mins
Driving Car
11.6 mins
Bus / Trolley
6.9 mins
Bicycle
0.5 mins
Motorcycle
1.6 mins
Train
0.2 mins
Tram
0.5 mins
Total:
30.9 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
4.2 miles
Walking
5.1 mins
Waiting
7.3 mins
Bus / Trolley
29.2 mins
Total:
41.5 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
11.2 miles
Walking
0.9 mins
Driving Car
31.3 mins
Total:
32.2 mins
Average when primarily using Train
Distance
3.1 miles
Walking
5.0 mins
Waiting
5.0 mins
Train
10.0 mins
Total:
20.0 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
1.4 miles
Walking
21.8 mins
Waiting
0.2 mins
Driving Car
0.4 mins
Bus / Trolley
0.5 mins
Total:
22.9 mins
Edinburgh Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging more cycling and walking can help reduce CO2 emissions and improve public health.

Investments in public transport infrastructure could alleviate traffic inefficiencies and reduce commute times.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Edinburgh's CO2 emissions index is 3639.96, indicating a moderate level of emissions from transportation.

Efforts to reduce emissions focus on increasing public transport and cycling.

Time

The average time index is 30.94, reflecting typical commute durations in the city.

Peak hours can significantly increase travel times, particularly for car users.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 138.87, suggesting room for improvement in traffic flow and public transport efficiency.

Traffic congestion during peak hours contributes to this inefficiency.