Vehicles run on North Third Ring Road during morning peak hours in Beijing, Jan 3, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Highway traffic on Sept 29 — the first day of the eight-day National Day holiday — will likely set a new daily traffic record as travel during the holiday is expected to surge, a Ministry of Transport official said on Thursday.

Wang Xiuchun, an official with the ministry's department of transportation services, said that the total traffic volume on the national highway network throughout the holiday is expected to rise by 40 percent compared with the same period last year.

Major metropolises and popular tourism destinations are expected to see high traffic volume

READ MORE: Over 100m railway trips made during National Day holiday

Trips for tourism, family visits, as well as cross-regional and medium and long distance travel are expected to grow, she said at a State Council Information Office news conference.

Major metropolises and popular tourism destinations are expected to see high traffic volume, such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta region, she added.

READ MORE: Over 13m air trips made during National Day holiday

Wang said that authorities will strengthen analysis of passenger flow, improve transportation organization plans and enhance transportation capacity of key tourist regions to meet the demands of travelers.