Decibel Shield

European cities › Spain › Pamplona

How loud is Pamplona, Spain?

In Pamplona, Spain, most noise-exposed residents face average day-evening-night (Lden) transport noise of 50–70 dB, mostly from road traffic, dropping to 50–60 dB at night. That ranks Pamplona #231 of 314 European cities by measured EEA exposure, below the European median — quieter than most cities in the ranking.

Last updated:

Noise map of Pamplona, Spain: 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.
Pamplona'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.
Pamplona at a glance (measured EEA data)
European rank (of 314) #231
Daytime Lden range 50–70 dB
Night Lnight range 50–60 dB
vs. WHO guideline ≈ 7 dB above the 53 dB Lden road-noise guideline (night guideline: 45 dB)
Dominant source road traffic
Population 335,350
Data confidence high

Pamplona houses 335,350 people. Its noise-exposed residents experience Lden levels of 50–70 dB by day and 50–60 dB at night, driven mainly by road traffic, which puts it #231 of 314 in the measured European ranking — below the European median — quieter than most cities in the ranking. Among Spain's 19 ranked agglomerations, Pamplona is the 10th-loudest. Across Europe it sits just below Bergen, Norway (#230) and just above Uppsala, Sweden (#232).

The WHO road-traffic guideline is 53 dB Lden by day and 45 dB Lnight at night, so Pamplona's exposed residents run roughly 7 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 Spain'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.

Pamplona noise: the numbers

  • Ranks #231 of 314 European cities by measured day-evening-night (Lden) transport-noise exposure.
  • Exposed residents face Lden 50–70 dB by day and Lnight 50–60 dB at night.
  • Dominant noise source: road traffic. Population 335,350.
  • The 10th-loudest of Spain's 19 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.

Measure your own street

Standing somewhere loud in Pamplona right now? Measure it with the free online decibel meter → No install, nothing recorded.

← All Spain cities ranked · All 314 European cities