Traffic congestion on both the outbound and return routes during the long Chuseok holiday that runs from National Foundation Day through Hangul Day is expected to peak on the 6th, the day of Chuseok, and return to normal levels starting the afternoon of the 8th.
Tmap Mobility and SK Telecom on the 29th announced daily and hourly travel time forecasts to major regions such as Gwangju, Busan, Daejeon, and Gangneung from Seoul, based on historical Tmap (TMAP) holiday travel data.
Outbound traffic is expected to be heaviest on Oct. 4 and on the 6th, the day of Chuseok. If departing at 11 a.m. on the 4th, ▲ the Seoul–Gangneung section will take about 3 hours 43 minutes, and if departing at 3 p.m., ▲ the Seoul–Gwangju section is expected to take about 4 hours 43 minutes.
On the 6th, the day of Chuseok, late outbound trips, early return trips, reverse outbound, and reverse return trips will converge, with congestion gradually increasing from 8 a.m. and peaking around lunchtime. At 12 p.m. that day, ▲ the Seoul–Busan section is projected to take up to 6 hours 41 minutes, and ▲ the Seoul–Daejeon section 3 hours 20 minutes.
The smoothest outbound travel window was found to be the early morning hours (12 a.m.–4 a.m.) on the 3rd. During that period, ▲ the Seoul–Busan section will take 4 hours 22 minutes, ▲ the Seoul–Gwangju section 3 hours 10 minutes, ▲ the Seoul–Gangneung section 2 hours 34 minutes, and ▲ the Seoul–Daejeon section about 2 hours.
Return traffic is also expected to be most congested at noon on the 6th, the day of Chuseok. If departing at 11 a.m. that day, ▲ the Busan–Seoul section will take up to 7 hours 50 minutes; at 1 p.m., ▲ the Gwangju–Seoul section 6 hours 24 minutes; at the same time, ▲ the Gangneung–Seoul section 4 hours 1 minute; and at 12 p.m., ▲ the Daejeon–Seoul section 3 hours 55 minutes.
Congestion will continue during the day on the 7th and 8th, the days after Chuseok, but is expected to return to normal levels starting the afternoon of the 8th. On the 9th, Hangul Day, Tmap predicted it will return to a level similar to usual.