People are rushing back to Ho Chi Minh City.

From noon to late evening on February 22nd, crowds of people from provinces and cities across the country rushed back to Ho Chi Minh City after the Lunar New Year holiday of the Year of the Horse 2026, creating a bustling and crowded scene at the city's gateways and bus stations.

People from the western provinces travel by motorbike on National Highway 1 (Le Kha Phieu Street) to Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: QUOC HUNG

Observations at the western gateway to Ho Chi Minh City, on National Highway 1 (Le Kha Phieu Street), show that from around 11 am, the volume of vehicles began to increase sharply. Groups of motorbikes carrying bulky luggage lined up one after another heading towards the city center.

In the section passing through Binh Chanh commune, motorbikes moved slowly in a long line at major intersections. However, because the number of people returning to the city was spread out over many hours of the day, there was no traffic congestion like before Tet.

People from the western provinces travel to the city by motorbike on National Highway 1 (Le Kha Phieu Street). Photo: QUOC HUNG

Amidst the crowded traffic, many families were carrying young children. Quite a few babies were dozing off on their parents' shoulders. Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan (from An Giang province) shared that her family tried to get home early to avoid traffic jams, but due to the hot weather, the children were a little tired.

Not only the national highways, but also the Western Bus Station (An Lac Ward) becomes increasingly bustling with passengers as the afternoon progresses. From early afternoon, the waiting area and entrance gates are crowded with passengers leaving the station.

According to representatives of the Western Bus Station, on February 22nd, the peak day, there were over 30,000 passengers arriving in the city through the station. Prior to that, on February 21st (the 5th day of Tet), there were approximately 28,500 passengers. The total number of passengers expected to be served during the 20-day peak Tet period is approximately 842,000, an increase of 4.3% compared to the same period last year.

Photo: QUOC HUNG

Meanwhile, on the expressways heading towards Ho Chi Minh City, traffic conditions are also heating up by the hour. Expressways from the Mekong Delta, such as the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong expressway, recorded a sudden surge in traffic in the afternoon. At some expressway entrances, authorities had to temporarily close and open access points to regulate traffic flow and prevent prolonged congestion on the main route. Many vehicles were directed to National Highway 1 to reduce pressure on the expressway.

Vehicles traveling from central provinces to Ho Chi Minh City use the Nha Trang - Cam Lam, Cam Lam - Vinh Hao, and Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet expressways. Photo: QUOC HUNG

Similarly, expressways connecting Central Vietnam with Ho Chi Minh City, such as Nha Trang - Cam Lam, Cam Lam - Vinh Hao, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet, and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay, also experienced heavy traffic and slow movement in some sections. Due to the large number of vehicles converging at the same time, traffic had to inch forward in many areas, especially near interchanges and toll booths.

Driver Nguyen Van Nguyen (Ho Chi Minh City) said that during the peak days after Tet, choosing the right route is very important. “Taking the expressway is faster, but it's prone to traffic jams when there are too many vehicles or minor collisions cause the expressway to be closed at both ends to regulate traffic. Many people switch to National Highway 1, so that route is also overloaded, and cars move slowly for long stretches,” Nguyen shared.

Given the surge in traffic, traffic police, in coordination with road management units, have intensified patrols and traffic control to promptly handle any incidents that arise. Remote traffic diversion measures have been implemented to minimize traffic congestion at hotspots and ensure the safety of citizens returning to the city.

QUOC HUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/nguoi-dan-hoi-ha-tro-lai-tphcm-post839500.html