Traffic in Italian Cities: What the Isfort Data Tell Us

Traffic continues to be one of the structural problems affecting urban mobility in Italy. The new Isfort-Audimob report, which examines Italians’ travel habits, highlights a significant trend: despite growing attention to sustainable mobility, the private car continues to play a central role in daily travel, even when the distances involved are short.

The return to full activity following the pandemic years has once again increased the number of trips, consequently putting greater pressure on cities’ road networks.

Travel is on the Rise Again

According to the report, in 2021 Italians made an average of 89 trips per day, while in 2025 the average had risen to 101.

The increase is linked to the resumption of work, school and personal activities, which has brought mobility back to higher levels. The car has once again benefited the most from this recovery: private vehicles account for more than 60% of all trips.

Local public transport, on the other hand, has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Its share remains below 10% of the total, highlighting the sector’s difficulty in regaining the role it had in 2019.

The result is an urban road network where a large number of cars converge every day along the same routes, particularly during peak hours.

Most Trips Are Under 10 Kilometres

The data on travel distances make the picture even more interesting. More than 80% of daily trips take place within a distance of 10 kilometres, while around 85% of journeys last less than half an hour.

There is also a particularly significant figure: 27.3% of trips of less than 2 kilometres are made by car. These are very short journeys that, at least in theory, could also be made on foot, by bicycle or through other forms of light mobility. However, the car remains the predominant choice, contributing to the pressure on urban traffic.

Several factors may lie behind this situation: the perceived convenience of the car, the need to save time, parking availability and, above all, the characteristics of the infrastructure and services available in different areas.

Sustainable Mobility Remains Stalled

The difficulty in changing Italians’ mobility habits is also confirmed by the Sustainable Mobility Index developed by Isfort, which stands at 34%.

This figure is substantially in line with the level recorded in 2000. In other words, over more than two decades, the sustainable component of mobility in Italy has not undergone any significant structural change. The data therefore highlight a gap between sustainability goals and the way Italians travel on a daily basis.

The Difference Between Large Cities and Small Towns

The situation, however, varies considerably depending on the size of the municipality. In large cities with more than 250,000 inhabitants, public transport accounts for 18.4% of trips, a significantly higher share than that recorded in smaller towns.

In municipalities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, by contrast, public transport accounts for only 4% to 5% of trips, while cars cover almost 75% of journeys. This difference highlights the extent to which public transport provision and urban structure can influence everyday travel choices. Where more extensive and frequent networks exist, public transport represents a more practical alternative to the private car.

Italians Want to Change Their Habits

Despite the continued high reliance on the car, the intentions expressed by respondents point to a possible shift in travel habits. For private cars, the index measuring future propensity to use them is negative, at -10.8: 23.8% of respondents say they intend to use their car less, compared with 12.9% who expect to increase their use.

The opposite trend can be seen for public transport, which records a positive balance of +13.8. In this case, 36.3% of respondents say they intend to use it more. The inclination towards cycling is even stronger, with a balance of +25.2 and 38.2% of respondents planning to increase their use of bicycles.

Short Trips Remain the Key Issue

The data from the Isfort Observatory therefore paint a picture characterised by a contradiction: the car remains the dominant mode of transport, but a significant proportion of Italians say they want to change their habits in favour of public transport and cycling.

The issue of urban traffic, therefore, is not simply a matter of the number of cars on the road. The large volume of short trips, the availability of alternatives to the car, and the differences between major urban areas and smaller towns also play an important role.

The ability of cities to make walking, cycling and public transport simpler, faster and more accessible is therefore one of the key factors in turning Italians’ stated willingness to change into actual everyday behaviour.

Innovative mobility solutions will be presented at Traffic 2026, the international exhibition and conference dedicated to traffic management, infrastructure, safety and enforcement, smart roads and smart cities, intelligent mobility, parking solutions, and public and collective transport.

It will take place as part of Urban Tech 2026 – The Urban Technology Show, the new event dedicated to e-mobility, traffic, commuting, security, telecoms & data and environment, scheduled to take place from 7 to 9 October 2026 at BolognaFiere.