Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

By Viet Anh, Dinh Van, Quynh Tran   January 24, 2025 | 07:23 pm PT
Many roads in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City experienced heavy congestion on Friday afternoon, as migrants rushed home for the Lunar New Year, which peaks on Jan. 29.
Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

From 4 p.m. on Friday, elevated Ring Road No. 3 and the main road connecting Pham Hung, Khuat Duy Tien, and Nguyen Xien in Hanoi were packed with people and vehicles heading toward Phap Van and National Highway 1 to leave the capital for their hometowns.

Vietnamese workers are granted nine days off for the Tet holiday, from Jan. 25 to Feb. 2.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

A line of cars stretched approximately 2 kilometers along Khuat Duy Tien Street in Hanoi.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

Vehicles in Thanh Xuan District move inch by inch along the heavily congested Pham Hung - Khuat Duy Tien - Nguyen Xien main road.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

Giai Phong Street is teeming with vehicles.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

A woman carrying a branch of peach blossoms, a popular Tet decoration in northern Vietnam, found herself stuck in traffic on Giai Phong Street,.

Traffic jam in Hanoi, Jan. 24, 2025 . Video by VnExpress/Huy Manh

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

In Ho Chi Minh City, National Highway 1 in Binh Chanh District—the gateway to the Mekong Delta—is bustling with vehicles heading home on Friday afternoon.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

Around 5 p.m. at the An Phu intersection in Thu Duc City, vehicle flow intensified, causing congestion on roads like Mai Chi Tho, Nguyen Thi Dinh, and the parallel route to the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

The Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, a key route for those traveling to Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and central provinces, was clogged with cars, reflecting its popularity as an alternative to National Highway 1.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

Motorbikes were also heavily congested at the Cat Lai ferry terminal as travelers waited to cross the Dong Nai River and leave Ho Chi Minh City.

Hanoi and HCMC roads gridlocked as thousands head home for Tet holiday

To ease traffic congestion, the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Police Department deployed officers at key road axes leading to city gateways and expressways.

They also distributed over 13,000 bottles of water and 3,000 wet tissues along National Highway 1 to support travelers on their way home.

 
 
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