China is experiencing a major post-holiday travel surge following the conclusion of the weeklong Spring Festival holiday on Tuesday, with transportation authorities implementing extensive measures to ensure a smooth journey for millions of returning travelers.
The Spring Festival travel rush, known as chunyun, is the world's largest annual human migration, as millions return home before the holiday and then travel back to urban centers. This puts enormous pressure on the country's transportation infrastructure.
The Ministry of Transport estimates that during the eight-day period from Jan 28 to Tuesday, more than 2.31 billion cross-regional passenger trips were made. This consisted of 96.12 million trips by rail, 2.18 billion by road, 9.35 million by water and 18.29 million by air.
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On Tuesday alone, the last day of the holiday, cross-regional passenger trips were expected to hit 329.1 million. It marked the fifth consecutive day with more than 300 million people traveling, reflecting China's vibrant economic activity.
Liu Dongmei, a researcher at the Research Institute of Highway under the Ministry of Transport, said about 4.8 billion passenger trips were made during the first half of this year's Spring Festival travel rush from Jan 14 to Sunday.
"That was a 7.2 percent increase from last year," she said, adding that travel surged significantly from Jan 30 onward, with more than 300 million passengers traveling daily on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, all surpassing last year's figures.
The 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which began on Jan 14 and runs through Feb 22, is expected to see a total of 9 billion cross-regional trips.
Services increase
To manage the influx of travelers, transportation service providers have implemented a range of measures, including extending subway hours, adding extra buses and coordinating ride-hailing services to handle peak demand.
In Beijing, Tuesday marked the busiest day for returning travelers. The city was expected to see about 2.45 million trips, including 1.08 million arrivals at railway stations and airports, according to the Beijing transport commission.
Authorities extended subway operating hours on 10 lines, increased bus services and encouraged ride-hailing companies such as Didi Chuxing to offer incentives for drivers to stay on the road. Additional buses and taxis were deployed, particularly for nighttime arrivals between 11 pm and 5 am.
China's railway system also set records while implementing measures to handle the massive flow of passengers.
On Monday, 16.45 million passenger trips were recorded, a new high for daily rail traffic during the Spring Festival period. On Tuesday, that number was expected to reach 16.9 million, with 2,196 additional trains scheduled to meet demand, according to China State Railway Group, the national rail operator.
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To improve passenger services, railway authorities deployed extra trains and introduced new conveniences. At Nanning East Railway Station in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, for example, express delivery services allowed passengers to ship their luggage in advance to make traveling easier.
Beijing Railway Station and Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station kept their gates open late to guide passengers arriving at night, ensuring a smooth flow of travelers. At Beijing West Railway Station, 82 additional directional signs were installed, and efforts were made to ensure seamless train transfers. Staffing was increased during peak hours, and taxis and ride-hailing services were bolstered to cover the "last mile" of travelers' journeys.
A Beijing resident surnamed Liu, who arrived late Monday night at Beijing West Railway Station with her family, described the process as "very efficient" and "well-organized".
"When I got off the train, it was easy to find the ride-hailing area. I didn't have to wait at all," she said. "Even though the station was crowded, traveling with my kids and luggage was convenient. Everything was well-organized, and we made it home smoothly."
