Beijing Traffic Jam Time Halved by Odd-Even System
By wchung | 30 Apr, 2025

Traffic Fix: Beijing's odd-even license plate system has eased congestion and improved air quality.

The average time spent stuck in Beijing traffic congestion has been slashed from 145 minutes to just 60 minutes compared to the same period last year, Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport vice director Wang Zharong told Beijing News.

The average running speed of cars driving inside the fifth ring road rose 11.5% to a bearable 25.3 kilometers per hour (15.8 mph) during the period from January to October of 2011.

The remarkable improvement is credited to the odd-even license plate system combined with shifting commuting hours, Wang said.

The odd-even license plate system Beijing introduced during the 2008 Olympics allows private cars to drive on alternating days based on the last digit of their license plates. The change reduced the number of cars on the road by 45% on any given day.

The odd-even system had proven surprisingly popular with residents when it was first implemented in the days before the 2008 Olympics. Not only did it ease traffic, it also cut air pollution. Many residents asked to have it made permanent. It continues to remain popular with a majority of Beijing residents.