Travel
Busan to Seoul return travel time expected to reach 10.5 hours during Chuseok holiday
haps Magazine Korea
September 11, 2024
(Busan traffic)
This year’s Chuseok holiday is expected to see around 36.95 million people traveling across the country.
The estimated maximum travel time from Seoul to Busan during peak traffic is projected to be 7 hours and 40 minutes for the homebound trip, and 10 hours and 30 minutes for the return journey.
The government announced that the period from the 13th to the 18th has been designated as the “Chuseok Special Transportation Measures Period.” The government will respond with a coordinated effort across all ministries.
According to a survey conducted by the Korea Transport Institute between August 9th and 16th, the daily average number of travelers during this period is expected to be 6.16 million, a 5.7% increase from last year’s 5.82 million.
The primary modes of transportation are expected to be passenger cars (88.4%), buses (4.9%), and trains (3.6%). The main routes for homebound and return journeys by car will likely include the Gyeongbu Expressway (21.8%), West Coast Expressway (12.3%), Honam Expressway (10.3%), and Tongyeong-Daejeon Expressway (8.9%).
The busiest travel day is anticipated to be Chuseok day, September 17th, when as many as 6.86 million people will be on the move.
The preferred departure times for homebound travelers are expected to be between 10 and 11 a.m. on the 16th, while the return trip peak times are forecast for 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. on the 18th.
The maximum homebound travel time between Seoul and Busan has decreased by 3 hours and 25 minutes compared to last year, but the return trip time has increased by 1 hour and 30 minutes due to a shorter return period this year.
The government has outlined five key tasks during the special measures period: ensuring smooth vehicle traffic, increasing convenience for travelers, expanding public transportation capacity, strengthening traffic safety and quarantine management, and preparing for accidents and adverse weather.
Highway tolls will be waived for four days from September 15 to 18, and KTX and SRT train fares will be discounted by up to 40% for return trips.
Bus and train services will increase by 14.3% (17,390 additional trips) and 12.4% (1.14 million more seats), respectively.
Air travel will also see an increase, with an additional 1,122 flights, while the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will increase the number of coastal passenger ship operations by 11.7%, adding 170,000 more seats.