Post-holiday travel surge leads to traffic jams across country

ISTANBUL

As the nine-day Eid al-Fitr holiday comes to an end, millions of holidaymakers are returning home, causing heavy traffic congestion on highways, bottlenecks at city entrances, and crowded terminals at airports.

Several routes to Istanbul, in particular, experienced significant congestion as many residents left the city for their hometowns or holiday resorts during the break.

The Istanbul-İzmir highway saw periodic slowdowns, while Kırıkkale — a critical passage for 43 provinces in eastern and northern Türkiye — also recorded heavy traffic on April 5. Rainy weather further exacerbated the situation, causing delays in the region.

In the Black Sea region, the Havza stretch of the Samsun-Ankara highway, connecting the Black Sea region to Central Anatolia, was jammed with returning travelers.

Istanbul itself saw a steady buildup throughout the day. Traffic was especially heavy on the TEM Highway, one of the main thoroughfares of the city, and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.

Air travel also reflected the holiday return intensity. Istanbul Airport, particularly its domestic arrivals terminal, was flooded with passengers.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that 62 people died and 7,388 were injured in road accidents during the first seven days of the holiday.

Marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, during which observant Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, Eid al-Fitr sees millions traveling for family gatherings, cultural visits and leisure activities, causing delays at roads and airports each year.

Students return to school after 9-day break

Following the Eid holiday and the second midterm break that began on March 28, over 20 million students and 1.2 million teachers will return to classrooms on April 7.

To support ongoing learning during the break, the Education Ministry released a digital magazine for preschool, primary school and secondary school students, offering activity suggestions for families and students.

The school year, which began on Sept. 9, is set to end on June 20.

The nationwide high school entrance exam LGS is scheduled for June 15, while the university entrance exam YKS will take place on June 21–22.