Rain-soaked crowds stream back to Hanoi after Tet holiday
Heavy rain and rising traffic marked the end of Tet 2026 as thousands of residents returned to Hanoi, with police deploying AI cameras and early traffic control to ease congestion at key city gateways.
THE HANOI TIMES — On the final day of the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday (February 22), hundreds of thousands of people returned from nearby provinces and headed back to Hanoi to prepare for the new workweek.
Traffic volume surged on key gateways such as the Phap Van-Cau Gie Expressway, National Highway 1A, National Highway 5, Thang Long Boulevard and Thanh Tri Bridge. Photos: Pham Cong/The Hanoi Times
Private cars and interprovincial buses lined up as they moved toward the city center. At times, vehicles slowed due to heavy density and slippery roads.
On the Phap Van-Cau Gie Expressway toward Hanoi, traffic spiked sharply, causing congestion on the Ring Road 3.
Elevated Ring Road 3 recorded heavy traffic from the morning. At the Thanh Xuan underpass intersection, traffic remained busy but stable and safe.
Persistent light rain made travel more difficult. Motorcyclists returning to the capital wore raincoats throughout the long journey. After the Tet holiday, many people returned to Hanoi carrying large amounts of luggage and hometown gifts packed onto their vehicles.
Roads leading into the inner city also became crowded. Traffic on Vinh Tuy Bridge increased significantly after the holiday.
Under a traffic safety plan for 2026 Tet holiday, Hanoi traffic officers have stationed at major intersections, bus stations, ring roads and overpasses to guide vehicles and prevent prolonged congestion.
The steady drizzle makes travel more challenging, forcing many vehicles to slow for safety. According to Lieutenant Colonel Dao Viet Long, Deputy Head of the Hanoi Traffic Police Division, all officers are sent to key checkpoints, particularly on radial roads and gateways.
The Hanoi Traffic Police Division ensures to direct traffic from a distance, issues early warnings to residents returning to the capital and maintains continuous patrols to handle incidents promptly.
The traffic police also make the best use of the traffic control center, which operates over 1,800 AI cameras covering all city gateways, to adjust signal timing and instruct flexible traffic flows based on vehicle volume.
