Chuseok Return Traffic Remains Congested Across Major Expressway Routes
- 25, traffic congestion on major expressway routes heading back toward home cities has begun to ease, according to data from the Korea Expressway Corporation.
- 25, the Korea Expressway Corporation reported expected travel times from the Seoul Tollgate to major provincial destinations.
- Return trips moving from regional cities toward Seoul require substantially more time on the road.
As Chuseok holiday celebrations peak on Sept. 25, traffic congestion on major expressway routes heading back toward home cities has begun to ease, according to data from the Korea Expressway Corporation. However, return travel toward the capital region remains heavily congested with continuous vehicle queues.
Current Travel Times Across Major Routes
As of 7 p.m. on Sept. 25, the Korea Expressway Corporation reported expected travel times from the Seoul Tollgate to major provincial destinations. Drivers heading south face significantly lighter traffic conditions compared to earlier in the day.
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Busan: 4 hours and 30 minutes
Ulsan: 4 hours and 10 minutes
Mokpo: 3 hours and 40 minutes
Daegu: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Gwangju: 3 hours and 20 minutes
Gangneung: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Daejeon: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Return trips moving from regional cities toward Seoul require substantially more time on the road. Estimated travel times heading toward the capital stand at 5 hours and 50 minutes from Busan, 5 hours and 30 minutes from Mokpo and Ulsan, 5 hours and 10 minutes from Gwangju, 4 hours and 50 minutes from Daegu, 3 hours and 20 minutes from Daejeon, and 3 hours from Gangneung.
Expressway Bottlenecks and Seoul City Traffic
Specific highway segments continue to record slow-moving traffic. On the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Busan, congestion impacts a 2.68-kilometer stretch near Singal Junction and a 4.39-kilometer section near Giheung Dongtan IC. For traffic traveling toward Seoul on the Gyeongbu line, vehicles crawl at a snail’s pace across a 7.5-kilometer stretch around Oksan Junction and an 11-kilometer section near Hwalcheon and Gyeongju. The Seohaean Expressway similarly registers heavy northbound delays, including a 15-kilometer crawl between Donggunsan and Dongseocheon Junction, alongside slowdowns near Buan, Gwangcheon, Seogimje IC, and the Songak IC to Poseung JC corridor. Rain combined with holiday vehicle volume has also slowed movement across Seoul city roads. Congestion affects the Olympic Expressway between the Dongbu Expressway Junction and the south end of Yeongdong Bridge, as well as the route from the south end of Hannam Bridge to the south end of Banpo Bridge. Traffic inches forward between the south end of Yeongdong Bridge and the south end of Seongsu Bridge. Additional delays plague the Gangbyeon Expressway between the north end of Dongho Bridge and the north end of Banpo Bridge. The Bukbu Expressway between Mukdong IC and Wolreung IC, and the Inner Circular Road between Hongje Ramp and Yeonhui Ramp, also experience heavy vehicle bunching and slow speeds.
Projected Traffic Normalization and Volume Totals
The Korea Expressway Corporation estimates that return congestion heading toward Seoul will clear between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. the following morning, while outbound holiday travel delays wrapped up between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sept. 25. Total nationwide traffic volume for the day is projected to reach approximately 6.84 million vehicles. Out of that total, 470,000 vehicles are expected to travel from the metropolitan area to provincial regions, while 460,000 vehicles move in the reverse direction from the provinces toward the capital area, according to the Korea Expressway Corporation.