The mass exodus of travelers heading to their hometowns for the Chuseok holiday has begun.

Traffic authorities said congestion during Friday's evening commute would likely peak around 7 p.m.

Cars leaving the capital region on Monday morning are expected to face the worst road delays.

For drivers returning to the Seoul metro area, traffic is expected to be the heaviest around Tuesday afternoon.

An estimated 32 million people are expected to visit their hometowns, with more than 5.3 million people hitting expressways daily throughout the five-day holiday period.

Special quarantine measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 are being enforced nationwide, including bans on indoor eating and drinking at rest stops, where only takeout services will be allowed through next Wednesday.

Rest stop visitors will also have to sign entry logbooks.

In addition, temporary testing facilities have been set up at nine major rest areas, including those in Icheon, Anseong and Yongin.