Traffic heading toward Seoul on major expressways nationwide worsened on the afternoon of the 26th, the third day of the Chuseok holiday, as returning vehicles crowded the roads. Congestion toward Seoul is expected to peak around 4 to 5 p.m.
According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, estimated travel times from Seoul to major provincial cities for vehicles leaving tollgates at 3 p.m. were four hours and 50 minutes to Busan, four hours and 30 minutes to Ulsan, two hours and 40 minutes to Gangneung, two hours to Yangyang (departing from Namyangju), one hour and 40 minutes to Daejeon, three hours and 20 minutes to Gwangju, three hours and 40 minutes to Mokpo (departing from West Seoul) and three hours and 50 minutes to Daegu.
Travel times from provincial cities to Seoul were projected at seven hours and 10 minutes from Busan, six hours and 50 minutes from Ulsan, four hours and 30 minutes from Gangneung, three hours and 40 minutes from Yangyang (arriving at Namyangju), three hours and 50 minutes from Daejeon, six hours from Gwangju, six hours and 40 minutes from Mokpo (arriving at West Seoul) and six hours and 10 minutes from Daegu.
Congestion toward Seoul began between 7 and 8 a.m., is expected to peak around 4 to 5 p.m. and should clear around 2 to 3 a.m. on the 27th. Traffic heading out of the capital is expected to be heaviest around 4 to 5 p.m. before easing around 7 to 8 p.m.
The corporation projected 5.9 million vehicles would use expressways nationwide on the day, with 380,000 traveling from the capital region to provincial areas and 520,000 moving in the opposite direction. Expressway tolls are waived nationwide for the four days of the Chuseok holiday, from the 24th through the 27th.
