The mass exodus that heralds the start of the Chuseok holiday has begun, with vehicles already starting to cram major highways.

The Korea Expressway Corporation said that as of noon on Thursday, the usual four-and-a-half hour trip from the capital Seoul to the southern port city of Busan now takes an estimated five and a half hours.

Driving to cities in the southwest will likely take around four and a half hours, while a trip from the capital to the eastern coastal city of Gangneung in Gangwon Province should take over two hours. 

Arrival times will only grow longer as gridlocks expand in the afternoon.

Although travelers may grow weary of staring at unmoving traffic, Korea’s bright blue autumn skies may help lift their spirits. The Korea Meteorological Administration said Friday will bring clear and sunny skies all across the nation.

On Saturday, most regions should enjoy a full moon in the evening albeit interspaced with light clouds, which will then stretch across the nation Sunday and Monday as the droves make their way back home.