Bengaluru recorded an average one-way commute time of 94 minutes in the 2026 Urban Mobility Survey conducted by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), placing the city among the five most congested in Asia.

The survey, which tracked 12,000 commuters across 14 Indian cities using GPS data and self-reported travel logs, found that Bengaluru’s average commute has grown from 71 minutes in 2019 to 94 minutes in 2026 — a 32% increase in seven years.

The Bottlenecks

The survey identified Outer Ring Road, Hosur Road, Sarjapur Road, and the Hebbal flyover corridor as the four most consistently congested stretches. Peak congestion occurs between 8:30–10:30 AM and 6:00–8:30 PM on weekdays.

Remarkably, Saturday afternoons have emerged as nearly as congested as weekday peaks, attributed to the concentration of retail, recreational, and social activity.

Metro Usage

Namma Metro ridership has grown to 8.2 lakh trips per day following the Phase 2 extensions, but the survey found that 68% of respondents who live within 500 metres of a metro station still primarily commute by personal vehicle, citing last-mile connectivity as the critical barrier.

“The metro solves the trunk problem. Nobody has solved the last kilometre,” said an urban planner quoted in the survey report.

What Commuters Say

Respondents consistently identified three factors that would change their commute behaviour: reliable bus frequency, safe pedestrian infrastructure, and secure cycle parking at metro stations. The survey found that only 12% of Bengaluru’s major roads have continuous footpaths.

The BBMP has announced a ₹340-crore footpath improvement programme for 2026–27, covering 280 km of roads.