Lyon Overtakes Paris as France’s Most Congested City in 2025
Lyon, France – In a development that has stirred considerable discussion and political debate, Lyon has been identified as France’s most congested city, according to the newly released 2025 TomTom Traffic Index. This marks a significant shift, with Lyon now surpassing Bordeaux and the capital, Paris, in traffic delays.
The 2025 TomTom Index, which analyzes data from 600 million users worldwide, measures travel times against normal, free-flow conditions. Lyon’s congestion level reached an average of 47.2% over the year, a notable increase from 46.5% in 2024. This upward trend is attributed to numerous ongoing construction projects and the deliberate policy of ecological officials, who have been implementing a “rebalancing of public space and mobility” since 2020, aiming to reduce the dominance of cars in the city.
Increased Travel Times and Daily Commute Challenges
The report indicates that the worst months for traffic in Lyon were between September and December 2025, with average congestion rates exceeding 50%, showing an increase year-on-year, except for October. Unsurprisingly, August recorded the lowest congestion levels.
The average travel time for a 10-kilometer journey in Lyon is now 27 minutes and 31 seconds, a slight decrease of only 22 seconds from the previous year. On average, Lyon’s motorists cover 5.5 kilometers in 15 minutes, which is 100 meters less than in 2024. Despite this, the average speed during peak hours remains stable at 17.5 km/h, which is better than Paris or Nancy.
Lyon now clearly outperforms Paris, Bordeaux, and Marseille across all congestion indicators, meaning it is more challenging to drive in Lyon throughout the day, as well as during morning and evening peak hours, compared to these other major metropolitan areas, including the capital.
Crucially, a Lyonnais motorist commuting 10 km in the morning and evening peak hours loses an average of 121 hours annually, equivalent to 5 days and 1 hour. This represents an increase of 2 hours compared to 2024, highlighting the significant amount of time lost to congestion on Lyon’s roads. This suggests an imbalance between the number of motorists and the capacity of the road infrastructure.
During the morning peak hours, a 10 km journey takes an average of 32 minutes and 37 seconds. In the evening, this extends to 35 minutes and 56 seconds, with congestion rates soaring to over 90% during these periods.
Peak Congestion on Thursday and Friday Evenings
The TomTom ranking also reveals that the most challenging times to drive in Lyon are Thursday and Friday evenings. Between 5 PM and 6 PM, travel times are reportedly doubled. Congestion rates often approach 100% during these periods.
The worst day for traffic in the city was Thursday, April 17, 2025, when evening congestion at 5 PM reached a staggering 144%.
Top 10 Most Congested Cities in France:
- Lyon
- Bordeaux
- Montpellier
- Paris
- Marseille
- Clermont-Ferrand
- Rouen
- Nancy
- Strasbourg
- Nantes
Political Reactions Ahead of 2026 Municipal Elections
The publication of this ranking has already ignited strong reactions in the run-up to the 2026 municipal elections in Lyon. Jean-Michel Aulas, a mayoral candidate who launched his campaign focusing on traffic jams and construction, has sharply criticized the ecological administration.
“Lyon, champion of traffic jams in 2025. Lost living time, increased pollution, degraded health, penalized businesses, weakened attractiveness, slowed emergency services. This record summarizes the balance sheet of the outgoing officials, both in the City and the Metropolis,” Aulas stated on X yesterday.
The National Rally (RN) has also targeted Bruno Bernard, the president of the Metropolis. “Enough of dogmatic ecologists and the false right. Lyon has become the most congested city because of permanent construction sites and an out-of-touch ideology. Enough of the chaos,” lamented Tiffany Joncour, an RN deputy and candidate for the Metropolis.
The ongoing debate underscores the profound impact of urban planning and mobility policies on the daily lives of residents and the political landscape of Lyon.
Source: https://actu.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/lyon_69123/lyon-ville-la-plus-embouteillee-de-france-voici-le-classement-qui-fait-beaucoup-de-bruit_63726687.html
