The goal of this study is to develop a simulation model of the pollutant dispersion in vehicle tunnels, which can be utilized to optimize the tunnel ventilation system. Contaminant dispersion is modelled using a FDM solution of advective diffusion equation. Taking into consideration the local vehicle emission rates by year, it is user-oriented and its logic is generalized. Therefore, differences in the ventilation scheme can be easily adapted. The results of its application to a urban tunnel show that the relative errors are 1.1~6.8% for the natural velocity, 1.3% for the traffic-induced velocity and 2.9% for the total air quantity. Simulated CO concentrations along the entire tunnel show about 13% of the relative error.