The afternoon of April 24 marked the final working day before the three-day Hung Kings Commemoration Day holiday from April 25 to 27. Large numbers of people living in Hanoi packed their belongings and headed to their hometowns or began short trips early, leading to heavy traffic across the city.
Dantri reporters observed that from 4 pm, the elevated Ring Road 3 and major routes including Nguyen Xien, Khuat Duy Tien and Nguyen Trai were heavily congested.
At one point, traffic on the elevated Ring Road 3 stretched for nearly 5km from the Thang Long Boulevard and Pham Hung intersection to the area near the Hanoi People’s Court.
Cars lined up in five to six rows along Khuat Duy Tien Street, forcing many motorbike riders to weave through narrow gaps in an attempt to escape the jam.
During peak hours in Hanoi, cars often spill into lanes designated for motorbikes, worsening already serious congestion.
By 4.20pm, the Nga Tu So junction was packed with vehicles.
Cars and motorbikes queued for long stretches, inching forward metre by metre on Lang Road.
Traffic on Nguyen Trai Street has also been repeatedly disrupted in recent months due to multiple construction barriers set up along the route.
At 4 pm on April 24, the road was heavily congested in the direction from Nga Tu So towards Ha Dong, with vehicles struggling to move near the busy junction.
Many commuters appeared visibly frustrated by the long delays.
From 5 pm onwards, traffic volume increased further, especially on routes leading towards western and southern provinces outside Hanoi.
On Nghiem Xuan Yem Street, many motorbike riders climbed onto pavements in an effort to avoid the standstill.
During the holiday period, many families choose to travel home or go on trips by motorbike.
At Giap Bat Bus Station, however, passenger numbers had not yet risen significantly by the afternoon.
Nguyen Hoang Tung, director of Giap Bat Bus Station, said passenger numbers were expected to increase later in the evening.
He said that during the peak travel days for the Hung Kings holiday and the Reunification Day (April 30) to May 1 holiday period, the station usually handles around 12,000 to 15,000 passengers per day, mainly on routes to Ninh Binh, Hung Yen and Thanh Hoa.
