China to see 9 bln passengers in Spring Festival travel rush

The Spring Festival travel rush is coming. Latest data from the Ministry of Transport indicates an expected nationwide migration of 9 billion people, marking a historical high.

In 1954, the term "Spring Festival travel rush" debuted in the media. Back then, the main participants were students and government officials who made their slow journey home on green-skinned trains. Over the past 70 years, transportation modes have become increasingly advanced and diverse, reducing travel time and making the annual migration funnier.

This year's Spring Festival travel is predicted to exceed 1.8 billion passengers by trains, roads, ships, and planes, increasing by 200 plus million over 2023.

As the world's largest periodic migration, such extensive travel relies on an increasingly sophisticated and integrated transportation network.

On January 10, China's railways implemented a new train schedule to enhance service during the Spring Festival travel rush.

The one-way travel time from Sichuan's Chengdu city to Xinjiang's Urumqi city has been reduced by 9 hours and 24 minutes, while the journey from Jilin's Changchun city to Guangxi's Nanning city has been shortened by 16 hours and 19 minutes.

Though the distance remains the same, it seems "closer" for those going home. Besides, the new train schedule includes 20 passenger trains stretching to remote rural areas.

Self-driving travel is also booming this year, with an estimated 7.2 billion people driving on expressways and national/provincial highways. This constitutes 80% of the total travel volume, doubling that of the same period in 2023.

Self-driving has become the mainstream for Spring Festival travel. On the one hand, more households have their own vehicles and mature navigation technology ensures a safe journey. As tourism recovers from the epidemic, many people prefer to travel with their families and friends rather than stay home during holidays.

On the other hand, greater convenience and security measures have been adopted for self-driving trips. During this year's Spring Festival holiday, small private automobiles will be granted free access to expressways or highways from February 9 to 17. Parking, charging, refueling, and catering at rest areas have all been enhanced.

This year's Spring Festival travel rush involving 9 billion people reflects a vibrant and energetic China.

Source: China Internet Information Center; trans-editing by Guo Yao