Around 28 million people are expected to hit the roads this Lunar New Year holiday, which is over eight million more than last year.

According to the transport ministry's survey disclosed on Wednesday, 28-point-77 million people were forecast to travel between this Friday and next Wednesday. The daily average was projected to be four-point-eight million, about 17 percent more than in 2021.

While the government has urged the public to minimize travel amid a COVID-19 spike, more than 40 percent of those who stayed home last year but plan to travel this year explained their decision as being because the pandemic will likely continue.

Travel time from Seoul to Busan is forecast to be an average six hours and 50 minutes, and an average nine hours and 50 minutes for the return trip.

Traffic leaving the capital region is expected to be the most congested during the morning hours of January 31, the day before Lunar New Year Day. Congestion is predicted to hit another peak on the afternoon of February 2 as people return to the capital area.