Lunar New Year holiday traffic expected to reach over 26 million

The average daily traffic during South Korea’s Lunar New Year holidays is expected to increase by more than 20% from last year. The worst traffic jams are expected on the morning of Jan. 21 and the afternoon of Jan. 23, the two days before and after the Lunar New Year.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the Korea Transport Institute, 26.48 million people will be moving across the country during the 5-day holidays (Jan. 20 to 24), an average of 5.3 million each day. The estimate of daily traffic went up 22.7% from last year thanks to the lifting of the lockdown. In particular, freeway traffic is expected to reach 5.19 million cars a day, up 23.9% from last year.

The maximum time estimates for each route are as follows: eight hours 40 mins from Seoul to Busan, seven hours 40 mins from Seoul to Gwangju, 5 hours 20 mins from Seoul to Gangneung, and five hours from Seoul to Daejeon. The time estimates for return trips are four hours 15 mins from Daejeon to Seoul, eight hours 15 mins from Busan to Seoul, six hours 35 mins from Gwangju to Seoul, and four hours 30 mins from Gangneung to Seoul.

Freeway tolls will be exempted from the start of Jan. 21 to the end of Jan. 24. The Seoul Capital Area and the municipalities of Busan, Gwangju, and Ulsan are planning to extend the late-night operation of the subway system on Jan. 22 and 23. To stave off the spread of Covid-19 from China, international flights for China, Hong Kong, and Macao will make it mandatory for passengers to fill out their online quarantine information in advance or carry a negative test result certificate to board the plane.

Six major freeway service areas, including Anseong on Seoul-Busan Highway, will temporarily run PCR test zones. “One must always put their facial mask on when using public transportation and need to refrain from eating in public places,” said an official from the ministry.


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