A new report has identified Brisbane as having the worst traffic in Australia, with the average commuter spending a staggering 81 hours—the equivalent of two full working weeks—stuck in congestion last year.

The finding comes from the 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard, a report that provides a granular and holistic analysis of mobility across more than 900 cities worldwide. The Scorecard utilizes up-to-date, observed commute trips to analyze travel behavior and provides travel delay comparisons, commuting trends, and information on the costs of congestion.

While Brisbane’s congestion figures are grim, the city did mark a slight overall improvement compared to the previous year, when it broke into the global top 10. Brisbane saw a 4% decrease in hours spent in traffic compared to the prior year. Average peak-hour speeds saw a modest lift, rising from 34km/h last year to 37km/h this year.

However, the final kilometer into the Central Business District (CBD) during the crucial morning commute showed minimal improvement, inching up from 27km/h to just 29km/h in 2025.

Nationally, Brisbane’s lead in congestion is significant. Melbourne ranked a distant second nationally, placing 23rd worldwide. Brisbane’s 81 hours lost places it among several highly congested international cities.

Globally, Brisbane’s congestion, while severe for Australia, remains less extreme than the world’s most gridlocked areas. The top spots for congestion were held by Istanbul, Türkiye (118 hours lost), Mexico City, Mexico (108 hours lost), and Chicago, USA (112 hours lost).

The 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard highlights that traffic congestion occurs when the demand for roadway travel exceeds the available supply. This situation forces drivers, freight movers, and bus riders to lose time and spend fuel unproductively, contributing to the economic cost of congestion.