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South Korea Seollal Return Trip: Highway Congestion Reaches Up to 10 Hours

Kagi News | 2026-02-16 08:07 UTC | source

🚗 On February 17, 2026, the day of Seollal (Lunar New Year), congestion intensified significantly on northbound highways (toward Seoul) as the demand for return trips continued 9518. The Korea Expressway Corporation estimated the nationwide highway traffic volume at 6.15 million vehicles for the day, forecasting that more vehicles would enter Seoul (470,000) than leave (440,000) 51. During certain periods, the perceived congestion was severe, with the estimated travel time from Busan to Seoul stretching up to 10 hours 958.

Congestion toward Seoul was expected to peak around 3–4 PM and ease by 3–4 AM the following day 5184. In addition to the roads, major transportation hubs such as Seoul Station and express bus terminals were crowded with returning travelers, and it was reported that even express buses using dedicated lanes could not entirely avoid congestion depending on the route 1615.

Sources

  1. 귀경길 극심한 정체… 서울∼부산 7시간 [segye.com] (2026-02-17)
  2. 부산→서울 ‘6시간40분’…귀경길 정체 시작, 가장 막히는 시간이 [mk.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  3. 설날 전국 615만대 '대이동'…귀경길 오후 3~4시 정체 절정 [hankyung.com] (2026-02-17)
  4. 부산→서울 8시간…귀경길 정체, 새벽 3~4시쯤 풀릴 듯 [jtbc.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  5. 설날 귀경길 정체 극심…오후 1시 부산→서울 10시간 [newsis.com] (2026-02-17)
  6. 고속도로 귀경 정체 시작…광주→서울 8시간50분 [newsis.com] (2026-02-17)
  7. “다시 일상으로” 귀경길 기름값 가장 싼 주유소는? [etoday.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  8. 귀경길에 고속도로 곳곳 '주차장'…부산→서울 10시간 소요 [etoday.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  9. 부산→서울 최대 10시간…설날 고속도로 귀경길 정체 극심 [yna.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  10. [연합뉴스 이 시각 헤드라인] - 10:30 [yna.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  11. 설날 당일 고속도로 귀경길 정체…부산→서울 6시간 40분 [yna.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
  12. 설 전날 오후 귀성길 일부 정체…서울→부산 4시간40분 [yna.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
  13. 설 전날 막판 정체 후 차츰 해소…이 시각 서울요금소 [mbn.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
  14. "아쉬움 뒤로 한 채"…고속버스 타고 귀경 [yonhapnewstv.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  15. 고속도로 귀경길 정체…"내일 새벽 풀릴 듯" [yonhapnewstv.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  16. 설 당일 본격 귀경 행렬…이 시각 서울역 [yonhapnewstv.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  17. [이시각헤드라인] 2월 17일 뉴스와이드(11시) [yonhapnewstv.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  18. 오늘 오후 3~4시 정체 ‘극심’···귀경길 고속도로, 차량 615만대 몰린다 [khan.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
  19. 설 전날 고속도로 정체 계속… 서울~부산 4시간 40분 [seoul.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
  20. 설 전날 오후 귀성길 일부 정체…서울~부산 4시간40분 [mbn.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
  21. 6시 출발 '서울↔부산' 4시간30분…귀경길 내일이 최고 혼잡 [jtbc.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
  22. 귀경길 고속도로 정체 극심… 부산서 서울 최대 10시간 - 조선일보 [google.com] (2026-02-17)

Highlights

  1. Congestion by Section: As of 12:20 PM on the 17th, congestion continued on several sections of the Gyeongbu Expressway toward Seoul, including 20km between Biryong Junction and Juknam Rest Area, and 23km near Cheongju Junction and Cheongju Rest Area 5.
  2. Travel Times by Region: As of 12:00 PM on the 17th, travel times from the Honam region were recorded at 8 hours 50 minutes from Gwangju to Seoul (tollgate) and 9 hours 20 minutes from Mokpo to Seoul 6.
  3. Traffic Flow the Previous Day (16th): Nationwide traffic volume on the 16th was estimated at around 5.05 million vehicles, and the Expressway Corporation predicted that congestion for those leaving Seoul would ease around 5–6 PM, while return-trip congestion would ease around 10–11 PM 1920.
  4. Public Transportation Scene: At the Gangnam Express Bus Terminal in Seoul, buses from all over the country arrived in long lines, with reports describing every arriving bus as being packed with returning travelers 14.

Perspectives

Korea Expressway Corporation: Estimated the nationwide highway traffic volume at 6.15 million vehicles for the 17th and projected that congestion toward Seoul would be resolved by 3–4 AM the following day.

Express Bus Passengers: With one day left in the Seollal holiday, the atmosphere was one of travelers "leaving regrets behind" and heading back to Seoul by express bus.

Traffic Reporters: Reported that at the Seoul Tollgate on the 16th, the congestion for those leaving the city that began in the morning eased after noon, showing relatively smooth flow except for some sections.

Timeline

1
2월 16일
Afternoon before Seollal: Congestion persists in some sections 1219
2
2월 16일 오후 5시
Seoul to Busan estimated at 4 hours 40 minutes announced 1920
3
2월 17일 오전 8시
Seollal day: Return trip congestion begins in earnest; travel times announced 1118
4
2월 17일 오후 1시
Busan to Seoul projected to take up to 10 hours 59
5
2월 17일 오후 3~4시
Return trip congestion expected to peak 185
6
2월 18일 새벽 3~4시
Congestion toward Seoul projected to ease 54

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