On 28/8, traffic congestion plagued Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as people began their exodus for the National Day holiday. The extended five-day break, from 29/8 to September 2nd, spurred increased travel demand, overwhelming major roads and gateways from noon.

Anh Tho, 25, left her office on Cau Giay street, Hanoi, at 3 PM on 28/8, hoping to catch a bus to Nghe An for the holiday. To avoid the usual rush-hour congestion, she requested to leave three hours early. Her planned 12 km journey to Nuoc Ngam bus station, typically 25 minutes, stretched much longer.

As her taxi turned onto Pham Hung - Khuat Duy Tien boulevard, Tho immediately encountered heavy traffic. The car moved slowly beneath Ring Road 3, taking two hours to reach the bus station. After departing, Tho's bus continued to crawl through traffic lights at the southern gateway, still within the city limits by 6 PM. "At this pace, I will probably only get home early tomorrow morning," Tho said.

Crowds of residents and students boarded buses at Giap Bat bus station in Hanoi on the afternoon of 28/8. *Photo: Tung Dinh*

Tat Dat, 26, faced a similar ordeal. He also left early, driving his own car to Hai Phong. Departing from Cau Giay at 3:45 PM, Dat initially planned to take Ring Road 3 via Thanh Tri Bridge. However, traffic groups warned of severe congestion in both directions on elevated Ring Road 3.

Dat then changed his route, opting for Nhat Tan Bridge, accepting an additional tens of kilometers detour to reach National Route 5. By 4 PM, as he turned onto Vo Chi Cong street towards Nhat Tan Bridge, he saw a traffic jam stretching several kilometers. He changed his route again, circling to Lang street, then onto Ring Road 2 towards Long Bien. By 5 PM, Dat's oto was stuck at Truong Chinh overpass.

"After more than two hours, I still had not escaped the inner city. I thought about turning back and waiting until midnight when the roads might be clearer, but that was not an option either. The opposite direction on Ring Road 3 was also congested," Dat said.

The early start of congestion was notable this year. According to VnExpress observations from 3:30 PM on 28/8, numerous Hanoi streets, including Khuat Duy Tien, Nguyen Xien towards Linh Dam, Giai Phong, and Ngoc Hoi, experienced localized congestion. Elevated Ring Road 3, Vo Chi Cong street, Ring Road 2, and Chuong Duong Bridge all shared the same fate of gridlock.

"In previous years, congestion only started in the late afternoon, but this year, traffic jams at the gateways began at noon," stated the director of Dung Minh bus company, which specializes in the Hanoi - Ha Tinh route. The bus company began selling tickets from late July, reporting passenger numbers doubling compared to the same period last year. Despite adding 30 trips, the company still could not meet all demand.

Vehicles are stuck in traffic on Giai Phong street, heading towards Ngoc Hoi in Hanoi, at 4 PM on 28/8. *Photo: Tung Dinh*

Ho Chi Minh City experienced similar traffic woes. The Tan Son Nhat airport gateway saw a sudden surge in traffic pressure from mid-afternoon. Main roads like Truong Son, Tran Quoc Hoan, Phan Thuc Duyen, and Lang Cha Ca roundabout were packed with cars and motorbikes.

Nhat Huyen, 27, residing in Tan Hung ward, Ho Chi Minh City, requested to leave work one hour early to catch her 7 PM flight to Nghe An. The 14 km journey to the airport took her nearly three hours. At 3:30 PM, the taxi carrying Huyen got stuck at the foot of Kenh Te Bridge. A dense line of vehicles crept meter by meter under the scorching sun.

After 45 minutes to travel less than 3 km, her navigation app reported continued congestion on the Nguyen Van Troi section. Fearing she would miss her 6:15 PM check-in time, Huyen paid the fare, pulled her suitcase, walked, and called a ride-hailing motorbike to continue her journey.

"I had two bulky pieces of luggage but had to walk and then switch to a motorbike because I was afraid of missing my flight," Huyen stated.

Nga Thanh - Quynh Nguyen