Kota Bharu Beats KL to Become City with 2nd Worst Traffic in Malaysia, George Town Still King of Traffic Jams

Previously, we shared how Hat Yai was ranked as the city with the worst traffic in Thailand, ahead of the country’s capital Bangkok, which many would assume would take the unwanted crown.

So, how about Malaysia? Well, the 14th edition of the TomTom Traffic Index by Netherlands-based location technology specialist TomTom also provided a unique overview of traffic trends in Malaysia last year, and again, the results may surprise you.

George Town is the king of traffic jams in Malaysia in 2024

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Featuring 500 cities across 62 countries, the latest edition of the TomTom Traffic Index ranks these cities based on their average travel time, as well as congestion in 2024, thus providing access to traffic information city-by-city.

For Malaysia, the study found that the city with the worst traffic in 2024 is none other than the state capital of Penang, George Town, thanks to its average travel time of 26 minutes and 36 seconds per 10km.

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Furthermore, George Town recorded the highest congestion level of any Malaysian city in the list at 40%. It’s also by far the highest-ranked Malaysian city on the global list at 73rd place.

Kota Bharu is the city with the second-worst traffic in Malaysia in 2024

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Meanwhile, Kelantan capital city, Kota Bharu, was surprisingly ranked as the city with the second worst traffic in Malaysia and 139th globally, with an average travel time of 22 minutes and 30 seconds per 10km.

Making up the top 5 based on the average travel time per 10km:

• Ipoh (3rd place) – average travel time of 21 minutes and 48 seconds
• Johor Bahru, Johor (4th place) – average travel time of 19 minutes and 58 seconds
• Kuala Lumpur (5th place) – average travel time of 17 minutes and 26 seconds.

Here are the 8 cities in Malaysia with the worst traffic according to the index:

According to TomTom, the difference in travel times across cities stems from a combination of static and dynamic factors that significantly influence traffic flow and overall driving conditions.

Static factors are fixed aspects of a city’s infrastructure and planning that influence travel times, such as road network design, while dynamic factors are ever-evolving conditions that impact traffic flow daily, such as seasonal traffic surges.

So, what do you guys think of the list of Malaysian cities with the worst traffic? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Also read: Hat Yai Surpasses Bangkok as City with Worst Traffic in Thailand, Likely Due to Influx of Malaysian Tourists