Toll-Free Highways and Fuel Price Cuts for Chuseok Holiday

From September 24 to 27, all highway tolls across the country will be waived for the Chuseok holiday. During this period, the Korea Expressway Corporation will reduce the prices of gasoline and diesel by 100 won per liter at 226 highway gas stations it manages.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that the proposal to waive highway tolls was approved at the 41st Cabinet meeting held on September 22.

The toll exemption will apply to all vehicles using highways, including private toll roads, from midnight on September 24 until midnight on September 27. Any vehicle that enters the highway during this period will be exempt from tolls, even if it exits on a different day, such as entering on the 23rd and exiting on the 24th, or entering on the 27th and exiting on the 28th.

The process for using the highways remains the same. Vehicles equipped with Hi-Pass can pass through toll booths with their devices turned on, automatically receiving the toll exemption. Vehicles using regular lanes should take a ticket at the entry toll booth and present it at the exit toll booth.

Since 2017, the government has waived a total of 1.045 trillion won in highway tolls during 14 Chuseok and Lunar New Year holidays, benefiting a cumulative total of 403.18 million vehicles.

Additionally, the government aims to ease fuel costs during the Chuseok holiday. From September 24 to 27, the price of gasoline will be reduced to 1,744 won per liter, down from an average of 1,844 won as of September 17, while diesel will drop to around 1,734 won from 1,834 won. This reduction applies to gas stations on state-managed highways, excluding those on private toll roads.

In anticipation of increased traffic at rest areas and gas stations, special traffic management measures will be implemented. Additional safety guides and traffic management personnel will be deployed at major rest areas and gas stations, and signs providing congestion information will be installed at entry points. The flow of traffic at rest areas and gas stations will also be separated to reduce congestion. Real-time congestion information will be provided through variable message signs (VMS) on the roads.

A Ministry official stated, "We will establish a cooperative system with relevant agencies to ensure effective traffic management and fuel supply on-site."