China Sees Record-Breaking Travel Surge as Spring Festival Holiday Ends
China experienced an unprecedented surge in travel on Monday, , marking the final day of the Spring Festival holiday. Millions of people returned to work and school, resulting in record-high passenger volumes across the nation’s transportation networks, according to the Ministry of Transport.
Cross-regional passenger trips reached approximately 362.6 million on Monday, continuing a trend of high travel demand. This followed Sunday, , which saw 380.35 million trips – the busiest single day of this year’s holiday period and among the highest ever recorded during the annual Spring Festival travel season.
The surge in travel began on Thursday, , with daily volumes exceeding historical levels for the same period for three consecutive days. This concentrated wave of returns signals the end of the nine-day public holiday, which concluded on Monday.
China’s 40-day Spring Festival travel season, known as *chunyun*, passed its halfway mark on Saturday, , 20 days after beginning on . Widely recognized as the world’s largest annual human migration, this year’s season is projected to generate a record 9.5 billion cross-regional trips, including approximately 540 million rail journeys and 95 million air passenger trips.
Railways were particularly busy on Monday, handling an expected 18.5 million passenger trips – the peak of return travel by train. Operators scheduled 2,297 additional services nationwide to accommodate the increased demand. In Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi province, railway stations reported peak passenger flows throughout the day.
The scale of the movement is remarkable, with a single day – – seeing 3.63 billion cross-regional passenger trips across rail, road, air, and waterways. This figure represents the third consecutive day of all-time highs, underscoring the pent-up domestic mobility following the lifting of pandemic controls two years prior.
Airports also experienced significant activity. Airports processed 2.63 million travellers on , a 17 percent increase compared to the same day last year. Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, and Beijing Capital airports each cleared over 100,000 international passengers daily on and .
To alleviate congestion, the civil aviation regulator authorized additional overnight “red-eye” slots at six major hubs. Authorities have been working to address concerns about limited flight and hotel availability, anticipating continued elevated prices through the end of February as return traffic persists.
The surge in travel also highlights the importance of proactive travel documentation planning. Experts suggest that partnering with specialist visa services can streamline the application process and ensure smooth travel for individuals and corporations.
The record-breaking travel numbers reflect a strong desire among Chinese citizens to reconnect with family and friends after the holiday, and to return to work and school with renewed energy. The efficient management of this massive logistical undertaking underscores China’s growing capacity to handle large-scale transportation demands.
