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How loud is Freiburg, Germany?

In Freiburg, Germany, most noise-exposed residents face average day-evening-night (Lden) transport noise of 55–70 dB, mostly from road traffic and railways, dropping to 50–65 dB at night. That ranks Freiburg #106 of 314 European cities by measured EEA exposure, right at the European median.

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Noise map of Freiburg, Germany: road-traffic noise contours from the EU strategic noise maps, shaded yellow (≈55 dB Lden) through orange and red to dark purple (≈75 dB+), over the city's street network.
Freiburg's road-traffic noise, mapped: each band is a measured Lden contour from the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round) — yellow ≈55 dB rising to dark purple ≈75 dB+. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors, © CARTO.
Freiburg at a glance (measured EEA data)
European rank (of 314) #106
Daytime Lden range 55–70 dB
Night Lnight range 50–65 dB
vs. WHO guideline ≈ 10 dB above the 53 dB Lden road-noise guideline (night guideline: 45 dB)
Dominant source road traffic and railways
Population 230,241
Data confidence high

With 230,241 residents, Freiburg reports day-evening-night transport noise of 55–70 dB for its exposed population (50–65 dB at night), mostly from road traffic and railways. That is #106 of 314 European cities, right at the European median. Among Germany's 72 ranked agglomerations, Freiburg is the 54th-loudest. Across Europe it sits just below Brunswick, Germany (#105) and just above Heidelberg, Germany (#107).

The WHO road-traffic guideline is 53 dB Lden by day and 45 dB Lnight at night, so Freiburg's exposed residents run roughly 10 dB above the daytime guideline. The figures count road, rail, aircraft and industry only, so sirens, nightlife and construction sit outside the model — which is why measured exposure can differ from a city's reputation for noise.

These are measured values, not estimates: they come from Germany's strategic noise maps reported under the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round) and harmonised by the European Environment Agency. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only people above the 55 dB Lden reporting threshold are counted, so the range describes the noise-exposed population, not the city's quietest streets.

Freiburg noise: the numbers

  • Ranks #106 of 314 European cities by measured day-evening-night (Lden) transport-noise exposure.
  • Exposed residents face Lden 55–70 dB by day and Lnight 50–65 dB at night.
  • Dominant noise source: road traffic and railways. Population 230,241.
  • The 54th-loudest of Germany's 72 ranked agglomerations.

These are measured values from the EU Environmental Noise Directive strategic noise maps (2022 round), harmonised by the European Environment Agency — see the methodology on the European city ranking. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only residents above the 55 dB Lden threshold are reported.

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