Gateway to Hanoi jammed as people return from New Year holiday

At 4 p.m. on January 1, a long line of cars can be seen heading toward downtown Hanoi on the city's southern gateway Ring Road 3.

An hours-long traffic jam on the old National Highway 1A near Agriculture General Hospital in Thanh Tri District, south of Hanoi.

A long line of motorbikes trying to enter Phap Van-Cau Gie Highway south of Hanoi. The World Bank estimated in 2016 that 18 percent of Hanoi population are not registered as permanent residents.

The intersection between Linh Dam and Giai Phong streets is in chaos as vehicles rush in from Ring Road 3.

Giai Phong Street, another southern gateway, is already jammed by 4 p.m.  

All four members of this family are visibly tired upon encountering a long traffic jam just as they reach Hanoi.

Many motorbike riders are well-prepared to stay warm despite being stuck in traffic for hours in the cold.

This long line of cars is slowly inching toward Giai Phong Street from Thanh Tri Bridge.

The city's coach station is also packed with families disembarking and coming home from the holiday. It's not uncommon for them to bring along fresh food from family farms in the countryside.

By 7 p.m., the elevated road connecting Thanh Tri Bridge with Ring Road 3 is still heavily jammed.