Chuseok Holiday Return Traffic Eases on Final Day... Busan to Seoul Takes 4 Hours 30 Minutes

Traffic Eases on Major Routes by 7 PM
Smooth Flow on Olympic-daero in Seoul
Only Some Sections Like Gangbyeonbuk-ro Still Slow

On the last day of the Chuseok holiday, the 27th, heavy congestion on highways across Korea—caused by vehicles returning to Seoul—has gradually begun to ease as of the evening.

According to Korea Expressway Corporation, as of 7:00 pm on September 27, the estimated driving time from major cities nationwide to the Seoul Tollgate was 4 hours and 30 minutes from Busan, 4 hours and 10 minutes from Ulsan, 3 hours and 40 minutes from Mokpo, 3 hours and 30 minutes from Gwangju, 3 hours and 30 minutes from Daegu, 2 hours and 40 minutes from Gangneung, and 2 hours from Daejeon.

On the last day of the Chuseok holiday, the 27th, vehicles are moving slowly on the southbound lanes of the Gyeongbu Expressway at Seocho IC in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

On the northbound Gyeongbu Expressway toward Seoul, traffic is crawling in sections such as from the Yeongdong area to near the Yeongdong 1 Tunnel (8 kilometers), from around Oksan Hi to near Cheongju Service Area (10 kilometers), around Anseong Junction (2 kilometers), and from Yangjae to Banpo (3 kilometers).

On the Seohaean Expressway toward Seoul, vehicles are also moving slowly, particularly in the 4-kilometer stretch from Gunsan Service Area to near Dongseocheon Junction and a 2-kilometer section from Songak to Haengdamdo Service Area.

On the Gwangju–Wonju Expressway, traffic toward Wonju is backed up for 10 kilometers from Dongyangpyeong to Seowonju. In the direction of Gwangju, congestion continues for 4 kilometers from Gwangju Service Area to Donggonjiam and in a 2-kilometer section near Heungcheonipo.

The Korea Expressway Corporation predicted that most of the return-trip congestion would be resolved between 10:00 pm and 11:00 pm.

Main roads throughout Seoul, which had also experienced heavy traffic with returning vehicles earlier in the day, are now seeing improved flow.

According to Seoul City’s traffic information system, traffic is currently smooth in both directions on Olympic-daero.

On Gangbyeonbuk-ro, vehicles are moving slowly on the northbound section from the eastern entrance of Topyeong IC to Topyeong Samgeori, and on the southbound section from the north end of Gayang Bridge to the north end of Seongsan Bridge.

On the Gyeongbu Expressway, congestion persists on the northbound segment from the northern side of Jamwon IC to the entry section of Banpo IC, and on the southbound segment from the southern side of Anseong IC to the southern side of Anseong Junction.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.