Exhausted from traffic jams on the way home.

A prolonged traffic jam on Truong Chinh Street, at the intersection with Giai Phong Street, forced many people to wait through three or four red lights before they could cross, on the afternoon of January 24th.

Thảo said she had to go home on January 24th (the 25th day of the Lunar New Year) because her family had an important matter the next day. Initially, she planned to book a ride-hailing service to the bus station about 10 km from her house and then catch a bus. However, the drivers all switched off their apps or accepted rides and then canceled them, even though the fare had more than doubled to 200,000 VND.

The 25-year-old woman decided to strap her suitcase and backpack onto the back seat of her motorbike, place a bunch of apricot blossoms in front, and ride to Nam Dinh, nearly 100 km from Hanoi .

Instead of the usual two hours it would take Thảo to travel from the city center to the highway, she spent four hours. All the routes from Láng to Nguyễn Thái Học (Đống Đa District) - Hoàng Diệu (Ba Đình District) - Chương Dương Bridge (Hoàn Kiếm District) - Nguyễn Văn Linh (Long Biên District) were heavily congested. On average, she had to wait through two or three red lights at each intersection.

She set off at 10 a.m. but didn't leave Hanoi until after 2 p.m. Thao estimated it would take at least another 3 hours to get home, assuming there were no further traffic jams.

"Just one more traffic jam and I'll be completely exhausted," Thao said.

This year's Lunar New Year holiday (Year of the Snake) lasts 9 days, from January 25th to February 2nd. Today and tomorrow are peak days for people returning to their hometowns, so many roads are expected to be crowded and traffic jams are likely due to high traffic volume.

From noon on January 24th, the number of people traveling to bus stations and gateways in Hanoi increased sharply. Prolonged traffic congestion occurred for hours at the Khuat Duy Tien intersection, the elevated section of Ring Road 3 (near the Nguyen Xien intersection), and the intersection from the Phap Van - Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway. Many ride-hailing drivers said they had turned off their apps and were not accepting passengers due to the difficult traffic conditions. Several transportation companies providing door-to-door pick-up and drop-off services experienced frequent delays. Bus departures were also delayed and postponed.

Mr. Tuan Huy, a ride-hailing driver in Hoang Mai district, said that traffic congestion is already bad on normal days. Now, with people returning to their hometowns for Tet (Lunar New Year), traffic is even worse. In previous years, the 34-year-old man earned several million dong driving a ride-hailing vehicle from 5 am to midnight. But this year, his income is only half, or even one-third, of what it used to be because of traffic jams and immobility.

In Ho Chi Minh City, on the evening of January 23rd, Phuong Nhi took a taxi from District 7 to Tan Son Nhat Airport to fly back to Nghe An. Her rented room was 15 km from the airport, a journey that normally took 30 minutes, but today it took her more than two hours.

Nhi tried calling a taxi at 7 PM (4 hours before her flight) but no one answered. After nearly an hour of using two ride-hailing apps simultaneously, she was lucky enough to find a driver who agreed to take her, even though the price was double the usual rate.

Nhi arrived at the airport at 9 PM and then spent an hour queuing to check in and drop off her luggage. The overcrowding and lack of seats in the waiting area forced her and many other passengers to sit on the floor in the airport lobby to rest.

"Last year, I was crammed into a crowded bus, and I thought flying would be less congested, but with the current situation, no matter how you travel, there's always traffic. It's especially tough for migrant workers," Nhi said.

Passengers sat scattered throughout the waiting area of ​​Tan Son Nhat Airport, Ho Chi Minh City, on the evening of January 23. Photo: Phuong Nhi

Mr. Le Hien, 50 years old, a bus driver on the Ho Chi Minh City - Nghe An route, said that after the 15th day of the 12th lunar month, the demand for traveling back to their hometowns increases significantly. In previous years, traffic congestion only occurred at some intersections at the city's gateways, but now it's everywhere.

Previously, the journey to Nghe An took 20-25 hours, but now it takes 30-35 hours due to traffic congestion. This situation causes passengers to complain of fatigue, and drivers are also tired from the long travel time. However, Mr. Hien said there is no solution because this is a common problem for all bus companies.

Not only are people returning home for Tet exhausted, but commuters are also fatigued by prolonged traffic jams. At noon on January 24th, the Vinh Hao - Cam Lam expressway through Binh Thuan and the Rach Mieu bridge connecting Tien Giang with Ben Tre were congested as vehicles headed home for Tet.

Truong Cong Thuc, 32, a truck driver on the Binh Duong - Hanoi route, said that for about a week now, the number of people returning from the South to the provinces for Tet has increased, causing serious traffic congestion on many roads.

People took to the streets to take a break on the Vinh Hao - Cam Lam expressway (the section through Binh Thuan province) on January 23rd due to prolonged traffic congestion, preventing vehicles from moving.

Before January 2025, it took him 36-42 hours to travel from Binh Duong to Hanoi. In case of prolonged traffic jams, it could take up to 50 hours. But closer to Tet 2025, the travel time will increase three to four times. The main reason is the increased number of people returning home for Tet, vehicles moving cautiously, driving below the speed limit, and stopping at red lights when the countdown timer is only 5 seconds away from the significantly increased traffic violation fines.

VN (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/kiet-suc-vi-tac-duong-ve-que-403825.html