Europe’s most stressful cities to drive in: Part 2

The cities we studied were: Copenhagen (Denmark), Dublin (Ireland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Stockholm (Sweden), Tallinn (Estonia), Vienna (Austria) and Zagreb (Croatia). We found a driver in each city to take part in our research.

We collected data on each driver’s resting and driving heart rate and measured the highest and lowest bpm for both situations. Then we found the mean of their lowest resting and driving heart rates. We deducted this from the mean of their highest heart rates, resting and driving.

The resulting numbers were used to create the ranking, with those drivers with a significant difference between their average high and average low considered to be experiencing a higher level of stress. From now on we will refer to this number as their ‘Stress Rating’.

We also drew on information from online platforms such as Reddit and forums for travel, driving and motorcyclists to see what people are saying about road conditions, parking and what it is like to drive in each of these cities. We spoke to Dr Adedeji Saheed, a practicing medical doctor specializing in internal medicine, with over three years of clinical practice. He provided an insight into typical heart rates.

In joint first place, with the highest Stress Rating, it’s the capital of Austria, where the difference between our driver’s average driving and resting heart rate was 25.5.

The driver we were working with in Vienna had one of the highest heart rates while driving in the study, reaching 130 bpm. Dr Saheed said a heart rate of 130 bpm would be within the normal range for someone undertaking an activity like driving, although it is on the high side.

One aspect of navigating Vienna by car that could be more stressful than driving in other places might be the trams, which have the right of way and almost always have priority over other vehicles. The narrow streets of this historic city are also not designed for cars and might feel especially alarming to drivers who are used to having more space.

About an hour’s drive from Vienna, you can find Dürnstein on the Danube River. It’s a very picturesque town known for its vineyards, and you can hike up to the ruins of the medieval Dürnstein Castle for a stunning view of the town and the surrounding countryside.

The capital and largest city of Croatia, Zagreb, had the joint highest Stress Rating of each of the cities we included in the second installment of our study. The difference between their average driving heart rate and average resting heart rate was 25.5. The driver’s highest heart rate while driving was 115 bpm — compare this to their lowest resting heart rate of 75 bpm and you can see a big difference. This driver’s heart rate data was all within a normal range, but their highest heart rate while at rest was 94 bpm, which is on the high side.

Drivers in Zagreb say that rush hour can get very congested in the city, with traffic jams making traveling around the city quite difficult in the morning and late afternoon. Main roads like the dual carriageway Zagrebačka Avenue get particularly busy. Locals and visitors have also commented on difficulty finding a space to park in the city center.

If you’re looking to get out of the city and find some peace and quiet, you can drive out to Sljeme Mountain in only half an hour. In the summer, this is a beautiful place to enjoy the hiking trails through the forest - and in the winter you can ski! Looking out from the top of the mountain, you can see gorgeous views of the countryside and of the not-too-distant rooftops of Zagreb.

Next up we have Dublin, Ireland, where the Stress Rating was 9.5. While the driver’s heart rate did reach 130 bpm while driving (the same as our driver in Vienna), they also reached the highest heart rate while resting of all our drivers, of 126 bpm. A high heart rate while at rest can be influenced by a number of factors such as caffeine intake, anxiety or underlying health conditions.

Some say the worst thing about driving in Dublin is getting caught up in slow-moving traffic. Drivers also point out the high number of single-lane roads, which could be one reason for the traffic jams they describe experiencing.

The Hill of Tara is less than an hour’s drive out of Dublin. This beautiful place offers incredible views that some say are among the best in Ireland — but it is also of tremendous historical importance. On top of the hill, you can find an ancient ceremonial site, with monuments and standing stones that date back to the Iron Age.

The Danish capital is in fourth place, with a Stress Rating of 7.5. The driver’s fastest heart rate while driving was 85 bpm, which is slower than many of the other scores. Their heart rate did not vary as much as a lot of the other drivers and was overall low and in the typical range.

Drivers say that, like many other historic European cities, parking can be difficult to find in Copenhagen’s center - as well as pretty expensive. Many locals prefer to park outside the city center and then take public transport the rest of the way.

Only a 45-minute drive from Copenhagen, you can escape the traffic and the busy city center with a trip to National Park Skjoldungernes Land. The national park is home to the Bidstrup Forests, where you can swim in the Avnsø lake, or just enjoy the peace and quiet. There’s even an area of the forest that has been designated as a quiet zone - visitors are encouraged not to talk, so they can listen to the area’s wildlife.

The capital and largest city in Iceland is our next most stressful city to drive in, according to the data. The driver’s heart rate reached 97 bpm while driving at its highest, which is far lower than some of the other scores. The Stress Rating for Reykjavik was 5.5. All of this driver’s heart rate scores were in the typical range but quite low, getting a little higher while driving which is indicative of slightly increased exertion.

Anecdotally, driving in Iceland can vary. The paved roads in urban areas are very well maintained, but outside of the towns, you will find more unpaved gravel roads - and if other drivers are moving quickly, you might find that you get sprayed by some of that gravel! But in Reykjavik, the roads are fairly quiet even during rush hour - although it can still be difficult to find parking in the city center.

If you want to get out of the city and explore more of Iceland’s beautiful natural countryside, Thingvellir National Park is only about a 45-minute drive away from the capital. Here, dramatic cliffs show how deep in the past, the movement of tectonic plates formed this incredible landscape. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with plenty for nature lovers to do, from hiking trails to scuba diving in clear, cold lake water.

Sweden's capital came in sixth place, with a score of 3.5, making it the second least stressful city to drive in. Our driver’s heart rate reached 121 bpm at its highest point, considerably faster than their lowest heart rate while driving which was 60 bpm. However, 121 bpm is in the normal range while driving according to Dr Saheed.

Stockholm is not considered to be very stressful to drive in. But one reason why drivers might find navigating the Swedish capital a little stressful at times is that the Stockholm bypass, which will divert traffic from the city center, is still under construction. This system will involve tunnels up to 100 m below ground level, and should take a lot of traffic off the roads - but estimates suggest that it will be completed in 2030.

One lovely destination that’s less than an hour’s drive from Stockholm is Vaxholm, which is known as the capital of the archipelago. This pretty town, with its street lined with pastel-painted wooden houses, is technically a city, but it has a population of only 6,151. Near Vaxholm, you can also find the Bogesund nature reserve

In final place, achieving the ranking of the least stressful city to drive, we have Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Our driver here had very little difference between their driving and resting heart rate, so the data actually resulted in a Stress Rating of -1. One reason for this is, as well as their comparatively slow highest heart rate while driving of 87 bpm, they also had a slightly higher resting heart rate, which reached 95 bpm.

Drivers say that Estonia’s strict road laws, including the mandatory use of headlights at all times day and night, help make driving here a safer and more pleasant experience. Tallinn’s roads are described as being in good condition. However, as with any city, rush-hour traffic can make it harder to get around.

In 40 minutes, you can reach Laheema National Park by car from Tallinn. It’s Estonia’s largest national park and is home to landscapes from forests and wetlands to beaches. There’s lots to do here, including a beaver trail where you can try to spot these animals and their dams in their natural habitat.

There are a few things you can do to make driving in an unfamiliar location a bit easier.

Firstly, planning out your route ahead of setting off will help. While your satnav is an invaluable tool, knowing the gist of where you’re going will make you feel much more prepared.

Don’t panic if you make a wrong turn or find that you have overshot a turn you needed to make. Just keep on going until you find a safe place to turn around.

When possible, don’t drive at peak times - why not set off for your day of exploring a little earlier in the morning and beat the rush? Alternatively, lie in longer, have a leisurely breakfast, and set off after 10 or 11 am.