Back to Feed
Long Read

Commute Times in Gujranwala: How Long Will You Spend in Traffic?

@David Vance2/8/2026blog

i know what you’re thinking. gujranwala isn’t some tiny sleepy town where you can just walk everywhere. no, it’s this weird mix of chaos and sprawl where traffic feels like a game of boulder bowler. let me tell you about my last trip to work. i left at 7:30 a.m., thinking maybe the monsoon rains would’ve cleared the roads. instead, i got stuck behind three cows herding a tractor on the gujranwala bypass. yeah, really. consultancy taught me statistics, but it couldn’t teach me to predict bovine gridlock.

here’s the thing about gujranwala: it’s notNew York or bangalore. it’s somewhere in the middle, like that roommate who’s always two days late on rent but once paid double just to spite you. the data says the average commute here is around 45 minutes. but let’s be real-if you live near the industrial zone, you’re looking at closer to two hours. why? because every freaking weekend, some boutique opens up next to a textile factory, and suddenly 14 trucks are trying to merge at once. it’s madness.

*[gujranwala bypass] is the main artery. drivers here treat it like a racetrack, which is ironic because it’s named after a 19th-century railway line. the signs say ‘slow down,’ but nobody does. i saw a guy parallel park a van yesterday. not kidding. meanwhile, the locals whisper that the gujranwala-bangalore expressway will finally fix this by 2025. overheard a guy at a dhaba stall saying, ‘i’ll believe it when i see it, man.’ that’s the summary of gujranwala traffic policy.

now, let’s talk safety. the numbers are bad. a 2023 report from pakistan’s federal road authority says folks here have a 22% higher chance of getting in a collision compared to other cities. i know, right? but here’s the kicker: most of it happens on narrower roads. the data doesn’t scream, ‘avoid gujranwala.’ it just says, ‘don’t drive like an idiot.’ which, honestly, is advice for anywhere. but in gujranwala, idiocy costs more than just a dented bumper. if you total your car, you’ll need to repair it or face a $500 fine. because, surprisingly, gujranwala has actual traffic laws. who would’ve thought?

rent is another story. i checked a few listings on zdar shape. a one-bedroom apartment near the old city is around 25,000 pakistani rupees a month. that sounds cheap, right? well, if you’re used to lahore or islamabad. here, 25k might buy you a place with a leaking roof and a neighbor who plays baa baa black sheep at midnight. the job market’s not terrible though. manufacturing and textiles still thrive. i mentioned this to a friend who’s a freelance photographer, and he said, ‘if you’re willing to commute, you can make do.’ he’s got a point. especially if you’re a budget student-gujranwala’s public transport is cheaper than a latte. the linksaajasi bus service, for all its delays, doesn’t charge more than $2 for a round trip.

weather*. it’s that perpetual ‘i forgot to pack’ vibe. right now, it’s 32 degrees, but the humidity feels like you’re breathing through a wet sponge. i asked a neighbor if this was normal, and she just grinned and said, ‘guess the city’s trying to keep us hydrated.’ they’re not wrong. the monsoon last month flooded half the historic bazaar. neighbors are weirdly chill about it. one woman told me over her phone, ‘if your shoes got soaked, just throw them out. life’s too short.’

here’s the part nobody talks about: gujranwala’s tourists. not the jet-setting ones, but the ones who pop in for a day. i overheard a couple at a street food stall saying, ‘this is our first time here, and we hate it.’ they were eating samosas in a van. maybe that’s a good thing? maybe gujranwala’s beauty isn’t in its cleanliness but in its rawness. the city’s like that friend who tells you the truth, even when it’s bitter. you don’t come here for a five-star experience. you come because someone promised you coffee that strong it could wake a corpse.

now, what about the alternatives? hyderabad is a four-hour drive. lahore is three. but hey, sometimes the grind is part of the charm. i saw a pro dancer in a local subreddit say gujranwala’s traffic is ‘meditative.’ she posted a reel of herself sipping tea at a dharamsala while honking horns. yeah, she exists. probably.

if you’re thinking about moving here, check out for real-time traffic updates. or hit up gujranwala_subreddit for that unfiltered local gossip. yelp has some brutal reviews about parking, but also some gems-like a café that serves ‘death by dal’ for $1. personal story of a guy taking a rickshaw through a monsoon flood-pure chaos, but somehow beautiful.

finally, what’s the deal with gujranwala’s neighbors? not the ones you live next to. the ones you drive past. they’re like a montreau show. a junkyard in one direction, a school disco in another. one night, i saw a tent city pop up near the railway line. the locals said it was for ‘people escaping the city noise.’ i’m not sure. it looked more like a pandemic protest against traffic.

you asked, how long will i spend in traffic? let me tell you, it’s not just about time. it’s about what you sacrifice. missed calls. faded memories. the urge to performed yoga in your car because you’re too sweaty to dress up. but break it down, you’ll spend less here than in dubai. possibly. if you’re lucky.

good luck. gujranwala’s traffic is like a boss you can’t quit. but hey, at least you get to honk your horn at cows. that’s a power move.

You might also be interested in:

About the author: David Vance

Writing is my way of listening.

Loading discussion...