As South Koreans head to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year, congestion increased on expressways on Saturday, the first day of the four-day holiday.

The Korea Expressway Corporation forecasted the heaviest traffic
between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. with hold-ups starting to ease only after 7 p.m.
 
As of 10 a.m. Saturday, the average travel time expected from the capital Seoul to the southern port city of Busan was eight hours and ten minutes. It was expected to take six hours to Gwangju, six and a half hours to Mokpo and seven and a half hours to Daegu.

Half a million vehicles are expected to leave the capital area while some 360 thousand will travel into the metropolitan region from non-capital areas on Saturday alone. A total of five-point-one million cars will hit expressways nationwide.

For travelers returning to Seoul, the heaviest congestion is expected on Sunday afternoon, the day of the Lunar New Year.

During the holiday, expressway toll fees are lifted and bus-only lanes will operate for an additional four hours from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. the following day.