Tet travel rush has Saigon traffic in a jam

By Quynh Tran, Huu Khoa January 20, 2020 | 12:49 am PT

Major streets and city access roads across HCMC were choked Sunday due to increasing Lunar New Year travel demand.

At the Hoang Hoa Tham - Cong Hoa overpass area in Tan Binh District near Tan Son Nhat Airport, long lines of vehicles are jammed for more than 2 km.Tet, or the Lunar New Year holiday, will peak this Saturday, and is Vietnams biggest and most important holiday. It is also a major occasion for family reunions.

At the Hoang Hoa Tham - Cong Hoa overpass in Tan Binh District near Tan Son Nhat Airport, queues of vehicles stretch over two kilometers.

Tet, or Lunar New Year, peaks this Saturday and is Vietnam's biggest and most important holiday. It is also a major occasion for family reunions.

A delivery man carrying a yellow Mai, an indispensable decoration at home for Tet in southern Vietnam, moves at a snails space on Cong Hoa Street, a route to Tan Son Nhat.The Tan Son Nhat Airport is expected to receive peak holiday crowds between January 9 and February 8. Thousands of overseas Vietnamese also return home for the festival.

A delivery man carrying a yellow Mai, an indispensable home decoration for Tet in southern Vietnam, moves at a snail's space along Cong Hoa Street, a route to Tan Son Nhat.

Tan Son Nhat Airport is expected to receive peak holiday crowds between January 9 and February 8. Thousands of overseas Vietnamese also return home for the festival.

Due to heavy congestion around Mien Dong coach station, many taxis and buses forced to let their passengers get off in the middle of the road.All roads are congested and walking is the best way right now or I would be late for my home journey, Trung Anh, 22, walking with luggage to the bus station where he takes a coach to return home in Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands, more than 10 hours drive from the city.The station has buses going to destinations all over northern and central Vietnam as well as the citys eastern neighbors such as Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc.

Due to heavy congestion around Mien Dong bus station, many taxis and buses are forced to drop passengers in the middle of the road.

"Since all roads are congested, walking is the best way or I would be late for my home journey," said Trung Anh, 22, on his way to the station where he will catch a ride to Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands, over 10 hours from the city.

The station has buses serving destinations all over northern and central Vietnam as well as the city's eastern neighbors such as Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc.

A man stands in the middle of the Hanoi Highway occupied by long lines of container trucks along both sides.This area is always a hot traffic jam, and goes from bad to worse in the lead up to Tet. I have to wait at a traffic light for a few minutes, inching a bit on the way to the port, a container driver said.

Traffic is paralyzed on Hanoi Highway from District 2 via District 9 to Thu Duc District.

From morning to evening, long lines of container trucks progress inch by inch, waiting to enter Cat Lai Port. Companies are rushing to finish all business before the one-week holiday starts on Thursday.

"This area is always a hot spot for traffic jams, and goes from bad to worse in the lead up to Tet. I have to wait several minutes at the traffic light, inching my way ahead before a bit on the accessing the port," a container driver confirmed.

Chaos at the intersection of Cao Thang and Vo Van Tan Street in District 3.

Chaos engulfs the intersection of Cao Thang and Vo Van Tan Streets in District 3.

Cars and motorbikes were stuck for more than a kilometer on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in District 1, which was put up with Tet decorations.

Cars and motorbikes span over a kilometer of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in District 1, ablaze with Tet decorations.

A foreign man riding a bicycle could not escape the traffic crowd on Ly Tu Trong Street in District 1.

A foreigner cyclist can do little but endure the traffic on Ly Tu Trong Street in District 1.

A car-motorbike collision on Nguyen Van Troi Street in Phu Nhuan District, a route that connects downtown districts and the countrys largest airport.All vehicles move in disorder as everyone try to squeeze through the crowds to escape these days. Though there are many customers in the lead up to Tet, but I chose to sleep well during rush hours, said Thong, a motorbike taxi driver.

Collisions are not uncommon on Nguyen Van Troi Street in Phu Nhuan District, a route connecting the city downtown and the country's largest airport.

"Traffic moves in disorder as everyone tries to squeeze through the crowds and escape the city. Though business is booming in the lead up to Tet, I choose to sleep during rush hour," said Thong, a motorbike taxi driver.

Traffic police show up on Nguyen Van Troi Street to regulate traffic during rush hours.

Traffic police struggle to regulate traffic flow on Nguyen Van Troi.