The World's Best and Worst Cities for Van Drivers
From gridlocked city centres to high congestion charges, where you drive and park your van can make or break your working day, and the cost of insuring it. We’ve ranked cities across the globe, and closer to home, to reveal exactly where it’s easiest and hardest to be a van driver.
Our rankings are based on five factors that shape a van driver’s enjoyment of a daily journey: congestion levels, driving-related fees like tolls and low-emission zones, access to petrol stations and EV charging points, ease of finding parking and how often road disruption like roadworks and closures get in the way. Each city was scored on these factors to give them an overall score.
The best cities in the UK for van drivers
The number of vans on UK roads reached 4.9 million in 20261, up 29% on the 3.8 million licensed light goods vehicles (LGVs) recorded in 20162. With more van drivers than ever on UK roads, knowing which cities offer the smoothest journey can make a big difference to the working day.
We came to an overall score based on how easy it is to refuel, park, how many fees drivers can expect and how many breakdowns, road closures or accidents occur (level of disruption). The more positive the experience for drivers, the higher the score. For example, 10 out of 10 for disruptions means little to no disruption.
The UK's best cities for van drivers
Rank | City | Overall Score | Refuel Score | Parking Score | Disruption Score | Fees Score | Congestion Score(/10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cardiff | 7.1 | 4 | 5.5 | 9.0 | 10 | 6.7 |
2 | Belfast | 6.6 | 4.5 | 6.8 | 9.3 | 10 | 2.6 |
3 | Manchester | 6.5 | 5 | 6.3 | 5.2 | 10 | 5.8 |
4 | Leeds | 6.2 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 7.4 | 10 | 5.9 |
5 | Edinburgh | 6.2 | 5.5 | 7 | 4.5 | 7 | 7.1 |
6 | Glasgow | 5.8 | 5 | 4 | 7.3 | 7 | 5.9 |
7 | Liverpool | 5.6 | 3 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 7 | 6.0 |
8 | Bristol | 4.8 | 4 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 4 | 5.2 |
9 | Birmingham | 4.6 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 4 | 5.6 |
10 | London | 3.8 | 6 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 1 | 6.4 |
1. Cardiff, Wales - 7.1
Cardiff takes the top spot as the best city for van drivers with an overall score of 7.1. The Welsh capital has no congestion charge, low-emission zones or toll charges in place, earning it a perfect 10 out of 10 for fees, meaning van drivers don't have to worry about any additional travel costs. Cardiff also has the second-best disruption score in the UK, meaning fewer crashes, breakdowns, closures and roadworks and a smoother, less stop-start journey for van drivers. Good news considering over 2 billion vehicle miles were driven on Cardiff’s roads in 2025 alone3.
2. Belfast, Northern Ireland - 6.6
Belfast takes second place with an overall score of 6.6. It has the UK’s best disruption score, meaning van drivers here experience fewer roadworks and traffic incidents than anywhere else in the country. Like Cardiff, Belfast also has no charges for congestion, low-emission zones or toll charges. However, it has the lowest congestion score of any UK city in the top 10, so a journey in peak times can take significantly longer.
3. Manchester, England - 6.5
Manchester ranks third overall, with a score of 6.5, despite over 1.7 billion vehicle miles of traffic recorded in 20253. The city scores well for parking, at 6.3 out of 10, giving van drivers a good chance of finding a space in the city centre. Manchester also charges nothing for congestion, low-emission zones or tolls, though drivers can generally expect some disruption from roadworks and traffic in the bustling city.
4. Leeds, England - 6.2
Leeds comes in fourth, scoring 6.2 overall. Much like the other top cities, it has no congestion charge, low-emission zone or toll fees. However, Leeds has the second lowest refuel score (3.5/10) of any city in the UK’s top ten. So, with 4.2 billion vehicle miles driven on Leeds's roads in 20253, drivers should be mindful of planning fuel stops or EV charging stops in advance to avoid being caught short.
5. Edinburgh, Scotland - 6.2
Edinburgh rounds out the top five best UK cities for van drivers with a score of 6.2, despite handling 1.9 billion vehicle miles of traffic in 20253. It’s the only city in the UK’s top five not to score a perfect 10 for fees, coming in at a 7 out of 10 instead. This is due to the Scottish capital's Low Emission Zone (LEZ), which is in force 24/7, though the city still has no congestion charges or toll fees.
Global best cities for van drivers
Across Europe alone, there are now 31.1 million vans in circulation4, and the number is slowly growing, up 1.9% on the previous year. With van driving playing a major role further afield, we’ve looked at the world’s most van-friendly cities, weighing up refuelling, parking, disruption, fees and congestion across the globe to find the top 10 destinations offering van drivers the smoothest ride.
Top 10 best cities around the world for van drivers
Rank | City | Country | Overall Score | Refuel Score | Parking Score(/10) | Disruption Score | Fees Score(/10) | Congestion Score(/10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Turku | Finland | 9.9 | 7.5 | 9.5 | 8.7 | 10 | 9.4 |
2 | Reykjavik | Iceland | 8.7 | 10 | 9.3 | 9.0 | 7.0 | 8.3 |
3 | Tampere | Finland | 8.4 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 10 | 9.3 |
4 | Minsk | Belarus | 8.3 | 9.5 | 10 | 7.7 | 7.0 | 7.2 |
5 | Darwin | Australia | 8.3 | 5.0 | 7.5 | 9.6 | 10 | 9.3 |
6 | Wroclaw | Poland | 8.2 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 6.6 | 10 | 7.0 |
7 | Lansing | United States | 8.2 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 10 | 9.4 |
8 | Bratislava | Slovakia | 8.2 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 7.0 | 6.6 |
9 | Bruges | Belgium | 8.2 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 10 | 8.0 |
10 | Helsinki | Finland | 8.1 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 10 | 6.3 |
1. Turku, Finland - 9.0
Turku takes the global top spot, with an overall score of 9.0. The Finnish city scores 10 out of 10 for fees, with no congestion, low emissions or toll charges to worry about. Turku also boasts a strong score for congestion, 9.4 out of 10, so van drivers can expect to keep moving steadily even during busy periods.
2. Reykjavik, Iceland - 8.7
Iceland’s capital comes in second place with an overall score of 8.7. Reykjavik is the only city in the global top five to score a perfect 10 out of 10 for refuelling, with the highest density of EV chargers of any top five city, giving van drivers plenty of choice when it comes to topping up their fuel or EV charge. However, the city scores 7 out of 10 for fees, with a national per-kilometre road tax (kílómetragjald) applied to all vehicles driving around the city.
3. Tampere, Finland - 8.4
Tampere takes third place, with an overall score of 8.4. Like Turku, the Finnish city charges nothing for congestion, low-emission zones or tolls, scoring 10 out of 10 for fees. Congestion is also well managed in the city, in part due to the Tampere Tunnel, Finland’s longest road tunnel, built specifically to route through traffic away from the city centre, and now carrying 36,000 vehicles a day5. This helps contribute to Tampere’s solid 9.3 out of 10 for congestion, meaning van drivers can expect a relatively easy and free-flowing journey through the city.
4. Minsk, Belarus - 8.3
Minsk ranks fourth overall, with a score of 8.3. The Belarusian capital earns a flawless score of 10 out of 10 for parking, with more than 564 parking spaces per 100km, ahead of any other city in the global top five. Minsk also scores highly for refuelling, at 9.5 out of 10, though its fees score of 7 out of 10 reflects the toll charges that apply to the national M-route motorway network.
5. Darwin, Australia - 8.3
Darwin rounds out the top five, tying with Minsk with an overall score of 8.3. The Australian city has the best disruption score in the global top five, at 9.6 out of 10, meaning van drivers face fewer crashes, breakdowns, road closures and roadworks than anywhere else in the top rankings. Darwin also ranks highly for fees, with no congestion, low-emissions zones or toll fees.
Global worst cities for van drivers
Not every city makes life easy for van drivers. While some destinations offer smooth roads and low running costs, others come with heavy congestion, frequent disruption or added fees that make journeys harder. Using the same five factors- refuelling, parking, disruption, fees and congestion- we have found the 10 cities around the world where van drivers face the toughest conditions.
Top 10 worst cities around the world for van drivers
Rank | City | Country | Overall Score | Refuel Score(/10) | Parking Score(/10) | Disruption Score(/10) | Fees Score(/10) | Congestion Score(/10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bogotá | Colombia | 2.9 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 1 | 5.1 |
2 | Mexico City | Mexico | 3.3 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 4 | 5.9 |
3 | Guate | Mexico | 3.7 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 5.5 | 4 | 5.8 |
4 | Bangkok | Thailand | 3.9 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 5.7 | 1 | 7.1 |
5 | Lima | Peru | 4.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 7 | 5.8 |
6 | Mumbai | India | 4.4 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 7 | 7.9 |
7 | Lagos | Nigeria | 4.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 7 | 6.7 |
8 | São Paulo | Brazil | 4.6 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 7 | 3.3 |
9 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | 4.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 7 | 6.6 |
10 | Monterrey | Mexico | 4.7 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 6.9 | 7 | 5.6 |
1. Bogotá, Colombia - 2.9
Bogotá ranks as the toughest city in the world for van drivers, with an overall score of just 2.9. The Colombian capital has the lowest disruption score of any city in the top 10, at just 1.8 out of 10. Much of this is down to Pico y Placa, a traffic regulation system in Colombia that restricts vehicle circulation based on the final digit of a vehicle’s license plate, aiming to reduce rush-hour congestion and air pollution.
2. Mexico City, Mexico - 3.3
Mexico City takes second place, with an overall score of 3.3. It’s one of the most congested cities in the world, ranking third in a 2025 traffic study6. The city has the second lowest refuel score in the top five, at just 1.5 out of 10, making it hard for van drivers to find fuel or EV charging on the go. With a fees score of 4 out of 10 and a disruption score of 2.6, journeys around Mexico City can be challenging. Like Bogotá, Mexico City also runs a programme to cut air pollution, Hoy No Circula, where cars are not permitted to drive one weekday per week from 5 am to 10 pm based on the final digit of their license plate.
3. Guadalajara, Mexico - 3.7
Guadalajara ranks third, with an overall score of 3.7. The city has the lowest refuel score of any city in the top 10, at just 1 out of 10, alongside a similarly low parking score of 2, leaving van drivers with limited options for topping up their fuel and finding somewhere to park up.
4. Bangkok, Thailand - 3.9
Bangkok ranks fourth, with an overall score of 3.9. Fees are the city’s biggest challenge, scoring just 1.0 out of 10, reflecting the high additional costs van drivers face, on top of the low parking score of just 1.8 out of 10, making it hard for van drivers to find somewhere to stop in the Thai capital. Congestion fares better, scoring 7.1 out of 10, though refuelling options are more limited, scoring 4.0 out of 10. The significance of these issues for drivers has led to Thailand's Ministry of Transport trialling an inner-city congestion charge, set to pilot in late 2026.
5. Lima, Peru - 4.2
Lima completes the top five, with an overall score of 4.2. The Peruvian capital’s biggest challenges being disruption and refuelling, scoring just 2.3 and 3.0 respectively, meaning van drivers can expect frequent crashes, breakdowns and roadworks, as well as limited options for topping up their fuel. Parking is a similar issue in Lima, scoring 3.0 out of 10, leaving drivers with few options when it comes to finding a space.
📣 Whether you’re navigating Cardiff’s low-charge roads or battling congestion in Birmingham, one thing stays the same wherever you’re driving: the right van insurance matters.
Insurance Expert
Our expert says...
“No matter where you’re driving your van, having the right insurance is essential. Van drivers face a different set of risks depending on where they’re on the road, from heavier congestion to a higher chance of disruption, so it’s always worth checking your cover reflects how and where you drive.”
Sources
https://www.acea.auto/publication/report-vehicles-on-european-roads-2026/
https://trafficvision.live/blog/tampere-traffic-cameras#google_vignette
Methodology
We looked at 320 cities around the world and studied a 10km radius around the centre of each one. To make sure bigger and smaller cities could be compared fairly, we worked most stats out per 100km of road, rather than just as raw totals.
For each city, we looked at five things:
Refuelling & parking – how many petrol stations, EV chargers and car parks there are, plus how much parking is public vs private
Traffic disruptions – how many crashes, breakdowns, closures and roadworks are happening, checked at different times over four days to get a fair average
Congestion – how much longer a journey takes at rush hour (Tuesday 8:30am) compared with the dead of night (Sunday 2am), to see how bad peak traffic really is
Driving charges – whether the city has a congestion charge, low-emission zone, or toll roads/bridges/tunnels
Data quality – any city without enough reliable data was dropped, leaving 222 cities in the final ranking
Each city got a score out of 10 for each of the five categories above (with charges losing points for every extra charge that applies, and congestion/disruption scores adjusted so a few extreme outlier cities didn't skew things).
We then averaged all five scores together to get one final Overall Score for each city, so the results are easy to compare side by side.
Author
Sara Newell
Commercial Director
Sara Newell is the Commercial Director for Motor & Home Insurance at MoneySuperMarket. With almost 20 years of experience in insurance, Sara has built a reputation as a results-driven leader who...
