Exhausted from traffic jam on the way home

Traffic jams at Truong Chinh Street, the intersection with Giai Phong Street, caused many people to wait three or four red lights before being allowed to cross, at noon on January 24.

Thao said she had to return home on January 24 (the 25th of Tet) because her family had an important matter the next day. Initially, she planned to book a ride-hailing service to a station about 10 km from her home and then catch a bus. But the drivers all turned off the app or accepted the ride and then canceled even though the fare had more than doubled, to VND200,000.

The 25-year-old girl decided to tie her suitcase and backpack tightly to the back of her motorbike, put a bunch of snow plum flowers in front and ride to Nam Dinh, nearly 100 km from Hanoi.

Instead of two hours traveling from the inner city to the national highway, Thao spent four hours. All routes from Lang to Nguyen Thai Hoc (Dong Da district) - Hoang Dieu (Ba Dinh district) - Chuong Duong bridge (Hoan Kiem district) - Nguyen Van Linh (Long Bien district) were congested. On average, at each intersection, she had to wait two or three red lights.

She left Hanoi at 10am but it was past 2pm when she left. Thao estimated that it would take at least 3 more hours to get home, assuming there were no more traffic jams.

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

This year's Tet holiday lasts 9 days, from January 25 to February 2. Today and tomorrow are peak times for people returning to their hometowns, so many roads are expected to be crowded and prone to congestion due to heavy traffic.

Since noon on January 24, the number of people traveling to bus stations and gateways in Hanoi has increased sharply. Traffic congestion has lasted for many hours at the Khuat Duy Tien intersection, the elevated Ring Road 3 (section through Nguyen Xien intersection) or the intersection from the Phap Van - Cau Gie - Ninh Binh expressway. Many drivers of technology cars said they had turned off their apps and refused to pick up passengers because of the difficulty in moving. Some transport units providing home pick-up and drop-off services have been repeatedly late for appointments with customers. There have been cases of passenger buses being delayed or having their departure times delayed.

Tuan Huy, a ride-hailing driver in Hoang Mai district, said traffic is already congested on normal days. Now, as people return to their hometowns to celebrate Tet, traffic is getting worse. In previous years, the 34-year-old man drove a ride-hailing car from 5am to midnight, earning several million VND. But this year, his income has dropped to half, or even a third of what it used to be, due to traffic jams and the inability to move.

In Ho Chi Minh City, on the evening of January 23, Phuong Nhi took a bus from District 7 to Tan Son Nhat Airport to Nghe An. Her rented room is 15 km from the airport, which normally takes 30 minutes, but now it took her more than 2 hours to get there.

Nhi called a taxi at 7 p.m. (4 hours before her flight) but no one picked up. After nearly an hour of using two ride-hailing apps at the same time, she was lucky to find a driver who would take her, even though the price was double the usual price.

Nhi arrived at the airport at 9 p.m., then waited in line for an hour to check in and check in. The overcrowding in the waiting room forced her and many other passengers to sit down in the airport lobby to rest.

"Last year, I was crammed onto a bus, so I thought flying would be less congested, but with the current situation, no matter how I go, it's always congested, making it difficult for every worker far from home," Nhi said.

Passengers sit in 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 of December, the demand for people to travel back to their hometowns increased. In previous years, traffic jams were only at some intersections at the city's gateway, but now they are everywhere.

Previously, the bus took 20-25 hours to reach Nghe An, but now it takes 30-35 hours due to traffic jams. This situation makes passengers on the bus tired, and the driver also tired because of the long travel time. But Mr. Hien said there is no solution because this is a common situation for all bus companies.

Not only are people returning home for Tet exhausted, but also people going to work are tired due to the prolonged traffic jam. At noon on January 24, the Vinh Hao - Cam Lam expressway through Binh Thuan and the Rach Mieu bridge connecting Tien Giang and Ben Tre were congested as cars poured into their hometowns to celebrate Tet.

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

People take a break on the Vinh Hao - Cam Lam highway (section through Binh Thuan) on January 23 due to prolonged traffic jams, vehicles cannot move.

Before January 2025, it took him 36-42 hours to travel from Binh Duong to Hanoi. In case of prolonged congestion, it could take up to 50 hours. But near Tet 2025, the time increased 3-4 times. The main reason is that the number of people returning to their hometowns for Tet increased, vehicles moved cautiously, went below the speed limit, and stopped at red lights when the countdown clock had 5 seconds left since traffic violation fines increased sharply.

VN (according to VnExpress)

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