Virus dampens homebound travel on Lunar New Year

A woman walks on the empty train platform at Seoul Station, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The coronavirus pandemic put a damper on travel this Lunar New Year, with fewer people flocking to train stations and airports for the annual visit home.

At 8:30 a.m., people dressed in long padded coats waited for their trains at Seoul Station, some carrying traditional gifts such as fruits and beef, and others sipping on coffee or looking at their phones.

In the waiting area, people on benches left the middle seats empty to comply with social distancing protocols, while sanitation workers walked around cleaning and disinfecting every surface.

"There are more people than usual because it's the holiday, but it doesn't compare to previous Lunar New Year when the terminals were packed with people waiting for their trains," said a 47-year-old sanitation worker surnamed Kim.

This year the holiday will begin Thursday and last four days including the weekend. To contain the spread of the coronavirus, the government has put in place special measures for the holiday, including selling only window seats on trains and charging toll fees on highways.

Private gatherings of five or more will continue to be banned through Sunday, making it difficult for extended families to gather as is the custom on Lunar New Year.

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Some people said they are visiting their relatives alone because of the ban.

"I couldn't go last Chuseok because of the coronavirus, so I'm going today," a 35-year-old husband waiting for the 9 a.m. train to the southeastern port city of Busan said, referring to the fall harvest holiday. "I left my wife and child at home and am going alone."

At Seoul Express Bus Terminal, the scene was much the same.

At 8 a.m., several people were carrying gifts and pulling suitcases, but there were no groups of families traveling together or lines in front of ticket boots.

Vendors and shopkeepers lamented the lack of business but said they had no one to blame other than the virus.

"Compared to the same time last year, I think I'm making less than 40 percent in sales," said the owner of a snack eatery.

At a nearby convenience store, the 59-year-old owner surnamed Lee got to work in his empty shop and said, "I heard many of the buses are fully booked after 3 p.m. I'm hoping to see a lot of customers in the afternoon."

The close proximity of passengers inside buses raised concern among some people, and one traveler said he purposely chose an early morning bus to avoid big crowds.

At Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, travelers were not only heading home but also going on vacation to the southern resort island of Jeju.

A Korean Air employee said that of the airline's 40 flights scheduled for the day, 30 were bound for Jeju.

Traffic on highways was light as of the morning, with car travel expected to reach a peak around 6 p.m., according to the road authorities. (Yonhap)

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