Driving in NYC can be a stressful and time-consuming experience, and New Yorkers on average spend more than 100 hours per year in traffic. But that's not the worst in the world, or even the U.S.
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The toughest times to travel in and out of Manhattan are between 8-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. If you can, try to avoid rush hour or consider some alternate routes. Some of the roughest routes will take you to the Brooklyn Bridge, George Washington Bridge, or the Lincoln Tunnel.
Trying to get into NYC during rush hour (or out of it during rush hour) is generally much worse than the LA freeways at rush hour although in LA you can find yourself stopped and in such times they can be comparable.
Today, it's best to get on the roads before 7 a.m. and tomorrow before 11 a.m. As for the weekend, the best times on Saturday and Monday are in the evening, around 6 or 7 p.m. Experts say that Sunday is statistically the lightest traffic day so that might be a good time to hit the road, as well.
Anyone who drives in New York City knows how stressful and frustrating the traffic jams can be. But believe it or not, it could be even worse. According to mobile analytics company INRIX, the average New Yorker sits in 117 hours of traffic every year.
Is it faster to walk or drive in NYC? It depends on where you're going but generally speaking it's faster to drive, especially if you want to explore more than one borough. Rush hour in New York tends to be between 8 - 9am and 3 -7pm, so avoid these hours if time is of the essence.
By comparison, most of LA is much easier, with the possible exception of downtown LA at rush hour can be chaotic as well, but not to the same extent as what I've seen in NYC.
Although the convenience of a car is hard to beat, trains free you from the costs and hassles of urban parking. They usually deliver you straight to city centers. Train travel, with its spacious seats and room to get up and walk around, is more relaxing and comfortable and the view is usually better.
INRIX found that London had the worst overall traffic numbers, as drivers in England's capital city spent approximately 156 a year stuck in their cars.