Hello, this is 속초어때 (Sokcho Eottae). Today is October 3, Gaecheonjeol (National Foundation Day), and a three-day holiday continues through tomorrow, Sunday, and the substitute holiday on Monday the 5th. As of 2 PM, the weather in Sokcho (속초) is 20°C and clear, with a 0% chance of rain. The wind is calm, too, making it a great day for an outing, but that also means the roads are very congested. Today we have summarized how the road into Sokcho differs from the road back to Seoul (서울), and where traffic is backed up in the city.
5.7 million vehicles on the expressways today, the most of the three-day holiday
Korea Expressway Corporation expects nationwide expressway traffic today to reach 5.7 million vehicles. This is the highest figure of the three-day holiday. Vehicles leaving the Seoul metropolitan area for the provinces are expected to number 450,000, and vehicles entering the metropolitan area from the provinces 420,000.
Looking at the estimated travel times based on departure from the tollgate at 10 AM, there is a big difference depending on the direction.
- Namyangju (남양주) → Yangyang (양양): 3 hours 40 minutes
- Yangyang → Namyangju: 1 hour 50 minutes
- For reference, Seoul → Gangneung (강릉) 4 hours 40 minutes, Gangneung → Seoul 2 hours 40 minutes
It is the same road, yet coming toward Sokcho takes nearly twice as long. This is because on the first day of the holiday, most vehicles are heading out to the provinces. There are not many vehicles returning to Seoul yet.
Seoul-bound traffic is heaviest from 4–5 PM and clears around 9–10 PM
If you are visiting just for the day or heading up to Seoul today, you should check the timing. According to the Korea Expressway Corporation forecast, Seoul-bound traffic starts to back up from 9–10 AM, is heaviest from 4–5 PM, and is expected to clear around 9–10 PM. Traffic toward the provinces was heaviest from 10 AM to 12 noon and is expected to clear around 7–8 PM.
So when leaving Sokcho today, you can decide like this.
- If you want to leave early: It is best to get out of Sokcho before 3 PM at the latest. Just getting out of the city can take 20–30 minutes.
- If you want to have dinner before leaving: Sunset is at 18:06. If you watch the sunset, have dinner, and leave after 8 PM, it will roughly coincide with the time the congestion clears.
- In-between times: Departing between 4 and 6 PM puts you in the heaviest traffic. We recommend postponing your departure during this time.
The travel times given here are forecasts based on a 10 AM departure. The most accurate way is to check the actual travel time once more with the Korea Expressway Corporation traffic information app or your navigation just before you leave.
Right now in Sokcho, the coastal road and the roads toward Seorak are congested
Even after you get off the expressway, the city of Sokcho is congested. Here is the situation on the city's access roads as estimated by 속초어때 as of 2 PM.
- Donghae-daero (동해대로) (coast and downtown): Congested
- Seoraksan-ro (설악산로) (toward Seorak): Congested
- Misiryeong-ro (미시령로) (toward Seoul): Slow
You can see why it is congested by looking at the crowding levels at tourist spots. Right now, Dongmyeong Port (동명항), Deungdae Beach (등대해변), and Daecheongbong Peak (대청봉) of Seoraksan (설악산), along with the areas around accommodations such as 신세계영랑호리조트 (Shinsegae Yeongnangho Resort), 켄싱턴호텔 설악 (Kensington Hotel Seorak), and 연호콘도미니엄 (Yeonho Condominium), are all 'Very Crowded'. Holiday first-day afternoons overlap with check-in time. Cars heading to their accommodations and cars going to see the sea pile onto Donghae-daero, while cars going to see the autumn foliage pile onto Seoraksan-ro.
At times like this, getting around like this is a bit better.
- Dongmyeong Port and Deungdae Beach: The parking lots right in front of the port are very likely already full. Parking a little farther away and walking is actually faster. From Yeonggeumjeong (영금정) to the Lighthouse Observatory (등대전망대) is within walking distance.
- Seoraksan: Seoraksan-ro is congested, so if you set out now, it will be late afternoon by the time you reach Sogongwon (소공원). Hiking for autumn foliage is much easier if you go early tomorrow morning. Daecheongbong is also Very Crowded, so you may have to wait a long time near the summit.
- Checking in at accommodations: At resorts around Yeongnangho Lake (영랑호) and Seorak, the access roads tend to get congested at check-in time. Ask your accommodation whether you can drop off your luggage first, and entering outside the busy hours is another option.
There is another Seorak Cultural Festival street parade at 5 PM
Today is the second day of the 61st Seorak Cultural Festival (설악문화제). The first street parade started at 2 PM on 설악로데오거리 (Seorak Rodeo Street), and the second parade is at 5 PM. From 6:30 PM, a special youth stage will be held at the Expo Lawn Plaza (엑스포 잔디광장), with performances by Unite (유나이트) and Dotree (도트리).
During the parade, people and cars crowd around Rodeo Street together. If you plan to drive past this area around 5 PM, it is best to take a detour in advance. If you are going to watch the parade, it is more convenient to leave your car at your accommodation and walk or take a taxi. The 5 PM parade also overlaps with the time when the Seoul-bound expressway is most congested. If you are heading up today and want to see the parade too, it is better to postpone your departure until night.
Tomorrow, Sunday, is the last day of the festival. Of the three days, fireworks are held only once, tomorrow night, so keep this in mind when planning your holiday schedule.
The sea is calm, but you should not go in
Today the water temperature is 22.4°C and the wave height is 0.3 m, so the sea is very calm. It is warm, too, so you may want to at least dip your feet in. However, Sokcho's swimming beaches already closed at the end of August, and there are no lifeguards now. Please do not go in the water; it is safer to stick to walking on the sand or taking photos. After sunset, the temperature drops to a low of 14°C, so bring a jacket if you go out to the beach in the evening.
Through the substitute holiday on Monday the 5th: tips for a less congested holiday
Today the road to Seoul is relatively smooth, but on the last day of the holiday it will be the opposite. Expressway forecasts for the 4th and 5th usually come out the day before, so be sure to check the evening before you leave. As during the last Chuseok holiday, there is a high chance that cars heading to Seoul will all pour out at once on the afternoon of the last day.
- If you are staying in Sokcho for a while: Leaving early in the morning on Monday the 5th, or leaving late at night, is the safest choice.
- Sokcho residents: Throughout the holiday, Donghae-daero and Seoraksan-ro are likely to be congested in the afternoon. It is more convenient to finish grocery shopping and errands in the morning.
- For everyone: On clear days like today, parking lots at major tourist spots often fill up during the morning. The earlier you move, the easier it is.
Today we looked at what the roads to and from Sokcho are like on the first day of the Gaecheonjeol holiday and when to leave to avoid traffic. Did you find it useful? 속초어때 will keep updating real-time crowding levels and traffic conditions throughout the holiday, so please check before you set out. We will be back next time with even more useful information.
