Now Reading
Penang Crowned “Traffic Nightmare Champion 2024,” Beats KL In Epic Gridlock Battle

Penang Crowned “Traffic Nightmare Champion 2024,” Beats KL In Epic Gridlock Battle

Coming in at #73 globally, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is proving that preserving history sometimes means preserving traffic too.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.


George Town, Penang, has snatched the crown for Malaysia’s Most Congested City 2024.

The city known for its mouth-watering street food is now also famous for something less appetizing – making drivers sit in their cars for a whopping 27 minutes just to travel 10km.

Let’s look at Malaysia’s “Traffic Pain Rankings” for 2024:

  1. George Town (27min) – “The Grand Champion of Gridlock”
  2. Kota Bharu (23min) – “The Surprise Challenger”
  3. Ipoh (22min) – “Bronze Medal in Bumper-to-Bumper”
  4. Johor Bahru (20min) – “The Southern Slowdown”
  5. Kuala Lumpur (17min) – “The Capital’s Consolation”
  6. Butterworth (15min) – “Penang’s Other Traffic Trap”
  7. Shah Alam (13min) – “The Selangor Snail”
  8. Kajang (13min) – “Tied for Last But Still Stuck”

From Sleepy Colonial Streets To Global Traffic Superstar

The study, conducted by navigation guru TomTom, analyzed 500 cities worldwide, and George Town managed to secure an impressive 73rd place globally.

That’s right – this little Malaysian city is playing in the big leagues of traffic jams.

The secret recipe for George Town’s traffic success includes:

  • A maze-like road network
  • Heritage buildings that can’t be demolished
  • Narrow colonial-era streets
  • Peak hour madness
  • Tourist crowds hunting for char kuey teow
  • Random tropical downpours

Will Penang’s Future Finally Rise Above Its Traffic Troubles?

So next time you complain about traffic in your city, remember – somewhere in Malaysia, someone is probably still trying to move 10 meters in George Town.

But wait, there’s hope.

The upcoming Penang LRT might be the light at the end of this very congested tunnel.

Expected to begin construction soon, this RM10 billion project promises to whisk commuters above all that gridlock below.


Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s FacebookTwitterInstagram, or Threads.

Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.

© 2024 The Rakyat Post. All Rights Reserved. Owned by 3rd Wave Media Sdn Bhd