Stuck in Traffic for 7 Hours... To Avoid It, Steer Clear of This Day During Chuseok

T Map Analyzes Past Holiday Travel Data for Predictions
"Traffic Congestion to Peak on Chuseok, Expected to Ease on the Afternoon of October 8"

With a long holiday stretching from National Foundation Day to Hangeul Day, an analysis has found that this year's Chuseok holiday traffic congestion will peak on both the outbound and return routes on Chuseok itself, which falls on October 6.

On September 13 last year, ahead of the Chuseok holiday, a view of the southbound lanes of the Gyeongbu Expressway from Jamwon IC in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Traffic congestion is occurring as vehicles of holiday travelers and commuters converge.

On September 29, T Map Mobility released its predictions for travel times by day and hour between Seoul and major cities such as Gwangju, Busan, Daejeon, and Gangneung, based on past T Map mobility data collected during holiday periods.

The analysis predicts that travel times during this Chuseok holiday will be about 10 to 20 minutes shorter than during the Lunar New Year holiday in January this year and last year's Chuseok holiday. This is because the unusually long holiday is expected to disperse outbound traffic more than in previous years. However, for the return route, congestion is forecasted to be similar to or even worse than average at noon on Chuseok, October 6.

Traffic Congestion to Peak on Chuseok, October 6... Up to 6 Hours 41 Minutes from Seoul to Busan

The Most Congested Time on the Return Home Road. T Map Mobility

For outbound travel, October 4 and Chuseok itself are expected to be the most congested. If departing at 11 a.m. on October 4, the Seoul-Gangneung section is expected to take about 3 hours and 43 minutes, while departing at 3 p.m. for the Seoul-Gwangju section will take about 4 hours and 43 minutes. On Chuseok, a mix of late outbound travelers, early returnees, and those traveling in the opposite direction is expected to cause congestion to increase from 8 a.m. and peak around noon. As of 12 p.m., the Seoul-Busan section is expected to take up to 6 hours and 41 minutes, and the Seoul-Daejeon section is expected to take 3 hours and 20 minutes.

For the return route, noon on Chuseok, October 6, is also expected to be the most congested. If departing from Busan to Seoul at 11 a.m. on that day, it will take up to 7 hours and 50 minutes. At 1 p.m., the Gwangju-Seoul section will take 6 hours and 24 minutes, and the Gangneung-Seoul section will take 4 hours and 1 minute. The Daejeon-Seoul section will be most congested at 12 p.m., taking 3 hours and 55 minutes.

To enhance user convenience during the Chuseok holiday, T Map Mobility will provide information on free public parking lots during the holiday, reflect exemptions for expressway tolls, include newly opened roads, expand sections with bus-only lanes, and allow temporary shoulder driving.