On the afternoon of September 26, the third day of the Chuseok holiday, traffic congestion on the highways is gradually easing as travelers continue their return journeys.
According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 6 p.m., the estimated travel times from major cities to the Seoul tollgate are as follows: Busan 5 hours 40 minutes, Ulsan 5 hours 20 minutes, Mokpo 5 hours 20 minutes, Gwangju 5 hours, Daegu 4 hours 40 minutes, and Gangneung 3 hours 10 minutes.
However, significant congestion persists on major highways heading toward Seoul. Notable traffic jams include a 17-kilometer stretch near Cheongju and Cheongju Rest Area, a 28-kilometer backup on the Nonsan-Chuncheon Expressway toward Cheonan, and a 16-kilometer delay near the Yangyang Junction on the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway.
Some sections of the Yeongdong Expressway toward Incheon and the Jungbu Inland Expressway toward Yangpyeong are also experiencing congestion.
In contrast, highways heading away from Seoul are seeing relatively smooth traffic flow. Estimated travel times from Seoul to various cities are: Busan 4 hours 30 minutes, Ulsan 4 hours 10 minutes, Mokpo 3 hours 40 minutes, Gwangju 3 hours 20 minutes, Daegu 3 hours 30 minutes, Gangneung 2 hours 40 minutes, and Daejeon 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Korea Expressway Corporation predicts that traffic congestion toward Seoul will clear by around 2 to 3 a.m. on September 27, while congestion in the opposite direction is expected to ease around 7 to 8 p.m. on the same day.
Nationwide traffic volume is estimated to reach approximately 5.9 million vehicles, with 380,000 vehicles moving from the capital region to provincial areas and 520,000 vehicles traveling from provincial areas to the capital.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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