▲ Highway Congestion During Holiday
The average daily highway traffic volume during this year's Chuseok holiday is projected to reach 6.05 million vehicles, an 11.8% increase compared to last year.
Traffic is expected to be most congested on the morning of the 24th for those heading to their hometowns, and on the afternoon of the 25th, which is Chuseok day, for those returning.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it has designated the five-day period from the 23rd to the 27th as a special transportation countermeasure period for the Chuseok holiday and will operate a joint special transportation headquarters with related agencies.
According to the Korea Transport Institute and Korea Expressway Corporation, the total number of travelers for this Chuseok holiday is expected to be 30.93 million, a 3.5% decrease from last year.
Passenger cars are expected to account for 88.4% of transportation methods.
The average daily highway traffic volume will increase by 11.8% from 5.41 million vehicles last year to 6.05 million vehicles this year, with 6.84 million vehicles expected to surge on Chuseok day itself.
Travel times between major cities are expected to be longest on the morning of the 24th, the first day of the holiday, for returning home, and on the afternoon of the 25th, Chuseok day, for traveling back, levels similar to 2022 and 2023 when the holiday durations were comparable.
The maximum required time to head home is projected to be 10 hours and 30 minutes from Seoul to Busan, and 10 hours and 45 minutes from Seoul to Mokpo.
For the return trip, it is expected to take 9 hours from Busan to Seoul and 7 hours and 40 minutes from Mokpo to Seoul.
To prepare for traffic congestion, the Ministry will intensively manage 299 sections (2,312 km) of expressways and general national highways, and operate shoulder lanes on 64 expressway sections (374 km).
It will newly open 11 sections (71 km) of general national highways and extend the operation hours of the bus-only lane on the Yangjae to Sintanjin section of the Gyeongbu Expressway by 4 hours compared to usual, operating it until 1 a.m. the next day.
To prepare for the increase in passengers, the operation frequency and seats of buses and trains will be increased by 11.8% (11,567 trips) and 11.1% (853,000 seats), respectively, compared to normal.
Railroads will additionally supply an average of 34,000 seats per day (approximately 9%) compared to last year's Chuseok.
KTX fares will be discounted by an average of 10%, and counter-flow fares for returning from provinces to the capital area will be discounted by up to 50%.
Incheon International Airport will open departure halls up to 30 minutes earlier and expand self-check-in services.
Expressway tolls are planned to be exempted during the Chuseok holiday period from the 24th to the 27th.
The toll exemption is scheduled to be finalized at the Cabinet meeting on the 22nd.
Fuel prices will be reduced by 100 won per liter at 226 fiscal expressway gas stations managed by the Korea Expressway Corporation during the holiday period.
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