Residents from across Kabul are voicing growing frustration over a severe shortage of public transport vehicles and worsening traffic congestion in the city. They say that after 4:00 p.m., the number of vehicles on the streets drops sharply, forcing commuters to wait in long queues for hours. Many add that the crowding has created fertile ground for pickpocketing and exploitation by some drivers. Residents widely attribute these mounting challenges to the Taliban’s poor management of urban transportation, warning that if left unaddressed, the crisis will make daily life increasingly unbearable.
Across the capital in the late afternoon hours, long lines of people can be seen waiting for public transport. The wait often stretches so long that when an empty vehicle finally arrives, crowds surge toward it in desperation, though many are left behind in the crush.
Jawid, a resident of Dasht-e-Barchi, is among the dozens who stand in the crowd each evening, hands full of shopping bags, hoping for a ride. He says the number of public transport vehicles drops sharply once the official workday ends, making his daily commute a growing ordeal.
Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, Jawid described his daily experience: “These days, by the time we head home, the streets are already packed as far as the eye can see. When a vehicle arrives, everyone rushes for it. Women are often left behind because the crowd is simply too intense. Every evening on the Dasht-e-Barchi route, the same scene plays out.”
Beyond the inconvenience, Jawid believes the absence of a proper public transportation system has given rise to broader social and security concerns.
“The chaos also enables pickpocketing,” he said. “Every day you worry whether you will even find a vehicle. You have to watch your wallet and your phone at the same time. You are already worn out, and then the gridlock and disorder push you over the edge. Reliable public transportation is a basic right, and the authorities must take it seriously.”
Samiullah, another Dasht-e-Barchi resident, says waiting in long queues for public transport has become a routine part of his day. He argues that the existing network is simply unable to keep pace with Kabul’s growing population, and that a properly organized urban transit system is long overdue.
“In the early evening, government workers, office employees, and shopkeepers all pour into the streets at once,” he said. “Vehicles are available, but nowhere near enough. The city’s population has surged, and traffic is brutal. Even if someone falls ill, getting to a hospital is nearly impossible because the roads are completely gridlocked.”
Khalid, a resident of the Chaharahi Qambar area who navigates several routes daily to get home, calls the shortage of public transport one of the most pressing problems facing Kabul residents today. He says that after 6:00 p.m., fares often rise without warning, and some drivers refuse to operate regular routes, accepting only full private charters.
Khalid is urging the Taliban-controlled Kabul Traffic Authority to impose stricter oversight on public transport operations. “The core problems are the high fares, the lack of vehicles, and the gridlock,” he said. “After dark, finding a ride is nearly impossible. If the fare is supposed to be 20 Afghani, they charge 30. If it is 40, they demand 50. Coming from the city toward Chaharahi Qambar, there are often no vehicles at all. Even during the day with fewer passengers, people are not treated with basic respect. We are asking the authorities to step in and fix this.”
Sohail, a resident of the Darulaman area, says the vehicle shortage has allowed some drivers to take advantage of commuters. He attributes the problem to the lack of both a structured transit system and enforceable regulations.
“On the route from Cinema Pamir to Doughabad, between noon and 7:00 p.m., you can wait hours for a vehicle,” he said. “Public transport is scarce, and the crowds are overwhelming. Some Mercedes-type vehicles run the route, but their conductors behave poorly and drop passengers off before the final stop. Taxis, Corollas, and Saracha vans operate during the day, but by evening most switch to private charters, leaving regular route passengers without options.”
In recent years, Kabul has experienced rapid population growth and accelerating urbanization, placing enormous strain on public services, none more so than urban transportation.
Residents across multiple neighborhoods, particularly along the Kote Sangi-Dasht-e Barchi route and in areas such as Deh Afghanan, Sarai Shamali, and on routes including Cinema Pamir-Darulaman, Cinema Pamir-Kote Sangi, and Cinema Pamir-Chihilsoton, report that public transport shortages and traffic congestion have reached crisis levels.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) had previously warned that rising urban populations and the large-scale resettlement of returnees in Afghan cities were placing significant pressure on public services and urban infrastructure throughout the country.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
کمبود موترهای شهری و ازدحام ترافیکی؛ باشندهگان کابل از بحران ترانسپورت شکایت دارند
