'5 hours from Seoul to Busan': Traffic eases on first day of Hangeul Day holiday

Heavy outbound highway congestion that peaked through midday Friday — the first day of a three-day Hangeul Day holiday weekend — has gradually begun to ease. However, estimated travel times to Seoul have grown longer in some areas as returning vehicles increase.

According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, estimated travel times from the Seoul tollgate as of 4 p.m. Friday were: Busan, 5 hours; Ulsan, 4 hours and 40 minutes; Daegu, 4 hours; Gwangju, 4 hours; Mokpo, 3 hours and 46 minutes; Gangneung, 3 hours; and Daejeon, 2 hours and 30 minutes.

In the opposite direction, estimated travel times back to Seoul were: Busan, 4 hours and 30 minutes; Ulsan, 4 hours and 10 minutes; Daegu, 3 hours and 30 minutes; Mokpo, 4 hours and 20 minutes; Gwangju, 3 hours and 50 minutes; and Daejeon, 2 hours and 30 minutes.

While outbound travel times have fallen sharply compared with the morning, the start of the return rush has pushed up estimated travel times from cities such as Gwangju and Daejeon to Seoul.

Congestion persists at several points along major expressways. On the Gyeongbu Expressway heading toward Busan, traffic is backed up for about 13 kilometers near the Cheonan junction and for about 5 kilometers from the Oksan rest area to the Oksan Hi-pass interchange.

On the Seoul-bound side, congestion continues over a 6-kilometer stretch from the Oksan junction to near the Cheongju rest area, and over a 5-kilometer stretch from near Yangjae to Banpo.

On the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway, the Yangyang-bound lanes are congested for about 10 kilometers from near the Namyangju tollgate to near Seojong, and for about 4 kilometers from Naechon to the Seoseok Tunnel. The West Coast Expressway is also backed up for about 10 kilometers on the Seoul-bound side from Balan to the Paltan junction.

The corporation projected total nationwide traffic at about 5.62 million vehicles for the day, with an estimated 440,000 traveling from the Greater Seoul area to regional destinations and 410,000 heading in the opposite direction.

Outbound congestion is expected to clear around 7 to 8 p.m., the corporation said. Seoul-bound traffic is forecast to peak between 6 and 7 p.m. before easing around 9 to 10 p.m.