32.79 million people traveled during Lunar New Year holidays... Highway congestion on the morning of the 24th and afternoon of the 25th

▲ Distribution of Departure Dates for Returning Home, Traveling, and Returning from Trips during the 2019 Lunar New Year Holiday (Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] During this year's Lunar New Year holiday, the outbound traffic to hometowns is expected to be heaviest on the morning of the 24th, the day before Lunar New Year, while the return traffic will be most congested on the afternoon of the 25th, the holiday itself. In particular, this Lunar New Year is expected to take more time for outbound travel than for return travel due to the shorter outbound period.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 21st, the return trip this year is predicted to take up to 2 hours and 50 minutes longer than last year, with Seoul to Busan taking 8 hours and 10 minutes, and West Seoul to Mokpo taking 7 hours and 10 minutes. Return trips are expected to decrease by up to 2 hours compared to the previous year, with Busan to Seoul taking 8 hours and Mokpo to West Seoul taking 7 hours, as vehicles are dispersed due to the extended outbound days.

The total expected number of travelers during the Lunar New Year holiday is 32.79 million, with an average of 6.56 million people traveling daily. Among them, highway traffic volume is estimated at an average of 4.72 million vehicles per day, with 9 out of 10 people (88.0%) using passenger cars.

To ensure safety during the holiday period, the government will conduct joint crackdowns using 10 drones and 22 undercover patrol cars to focus on violations of bus-only lanes and shoulder lanes on highways, as well as high-risk driving vehicles.

Especially since multi-vehicle collisions due to icy road conditions have been occurring frequently recently, patrols will be intensified during the vulnerable freezing hours from 11 PM to 7 AM. Preventive snow removal operations will also be carried out by continuously measuring air and road surface temperatures and preemptively spreading deicing materials.

Highway toll exemptions will also be implemented this Lunar New Year. The exemption applies to all vehicles using the highway even briefly between 0:00 on the 24th and 24:00 on the 26th. Usage methods remain the same as usual, using Hi-Pass or toll tickets.

Additionally, rest areas and drowsy driving shelters on highways will have expanded restroom facilities, and in rest areas, 301 existing men's restroom stalls will be converted for women's use. Daily inspections of restrooms and nursing rooms will be conducted to eradicate hidden cameras.

▲ Distribution of Transportation Modes Planned for Use During the 2019 Lunar New Year Holiday (Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

Measures to increase transportation capacity will also be implemented. The number of daily operations will increase by 1,221 for express buses, 33 for railways, 16 for flights, and 104 for passenger ships. Along with this, real-time traffic information and comparative information on detour route travel times will be provided to help disperse traffic volume.

To enhance convenience for return travelers, city buses and subways in Seoul will operate until 2 AM the following day on the 25th and 26th. Airport rail and eight metropolitan railway lines will also extend their operating hours.

For return convenience, city buses and subways in Seoul will operate until 2 AM the following day on the 24th and 25th. Nine metropolitan railway lines will also extend operations until 1:49 AM during this period.

Kim Chae-gyu, Director of the Transportation and Logistics Office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, urged, "Since this Lunar New Year holiday period is short and congestion is expected on outbound routes, please use public transportation as much as possible," and emphasized, "As traffic volume increases, the risk of traffic accidents in icy sections rises, and drowsy and drunk driving accidents tend to concentrate during this time, so please strictly observe traffic rules and drive safely."