Traffic Jam on Return Trip Continues... "Expected to Clear Around 2-3 AM on the 27th"

Congestion Formed on Gyeongbu Expressway Seoul-bound 80km Section
"Busan→Seoul 5 Hours 30 Minutes"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] On the third day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the 26th, traffic congestion continues on most sections of highways nationwide on the return trip. The Korea Expressway Corporation expects the congestion to clear around 2 to 3 a.m. on the 27th.

As of 4:30 p.m. that day, vehicles are crawling at speeds below 40 km/h over an 80.8 km section of the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Seoul. Congestion is also occurring on an 81.5 km section of the Seohaean Expressway toward Seoul, a 39.8 km section of the Jungbu Expressway toward Hanam, and a 59.4 km section of the Yeongdong Expressway toward Incheon.

The Expressway Corporation expects the heaviest congestion in the return direction to occur between 4 and 5 p.m. They stated, "Traffic volume on the 26th is expected to reach 4.64 million vehicles, with 350,000 vehicles moving from the metropolitan area to local regions and 480,000 vehicles moving from local regions to the metropolitan area. Heavy congestion on the return trip is expected to continue until late at night."

At 5 p.m., the estimated travel times by passenger car from major cities nationwide to the Seoul tollgate are: Busan 5 hours 30 minutes, Gwangju 5 hours 20 minutes, Mokpo 5 hours 10 minutes, Ulsan 5 hours, Daegu 4 hours 40 minutes, Gangneung 4 hours 30 minutes, and Daejeon 3 hours 30 minutes.

Traffic flow in the direction toward hometowns is relatively smooth. At the same time, travel times from the Seoul tollgate to major cities nationwide are: Daejeon 1 hour 40 minutes, Gangneung 2 hours 40 minutes, Gwangju 3 hours 20 minutes, Daegu 3 hours 30 minutes, Mokpo 3 hours 40 minutes, Ulsan 4 hours 10 minutes, and Busan 4 hours 30 minutes.