Chinese transportation authorities were preparing for the peak of the bustling Lunar New Year travel season on Friday as vacationers journey home following the holiday period.
On Thursday alone, there were 315 million “cross-regional” journeys by various modes of transportation, including trains, planes, buses, cars, and boats, as reported by the Ministry of Transport. This marked an increase from 306 million on Wednesday and 301 million on Tuesday.
To accommodate the surge in passengers, more than 1,200 additional train services have been introduced nationwide, according to a report by state broadcaster CCTV.
Airports are experiencing high volumes of travelers, with over 2.35 million flights scheduled for Friday throughout China – the busiest day of the upcoming week, as stated by the civil aviation authority.
The Lunar New Year, China’s most significant holiday, has been extended to eight days this year instead of seven, aiming to stimulate domestic tourism and the sluggish economy. This festive period, lasting 40 days, sees millions of people traveling back to their hometowns to reunite with family members.
Following the holiday, many travelers will return to major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as indicated by Qunar, one of China’s prominent online travel agencies. Wuhan, Changsha, and Hangzhou are also popular destinations for returning travelers.
In the economically vital Yangtze River Delta region, additional train services have been added to cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Xuzhou to manage the end-of-holiday rush, according to reports from Shanghai. Approximately 2.55 million railway trips were anticipated in the region on Friday.
First-tier cities like Beijing and Shenzhen have extended subway service hours in anticipation of the large influx of travelers heading back home.
Chartered planes and trains have been arranged for migrant workers returning to cities including Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Wenzhou after visiting their hometowns during the break, as reported by state media.
In Haikou, the capital of Hainan, and Harbin, local media reported expectations of 120,000 and 90,000 trips through the airports, respectively.
The surge of tourists in Hainan during the holiday season has led to challenges for those without return flight bookings, with some resorting to purchasing business class tickets. The civil aviation authority is in discussions with airlines to increase flight availability from Hainan to address the issue.
Due to heavy fog, ferry services from all three ports in Haikou were temporarily halted at midnight on Friday, causing delays for motorists. Although services resumed around 8 am, there were significant queues for cars boarding ferries at the ports. Reports of ticket shortages prompted authorities to arrange additional services for car travelers in the following days.
Compared to 2023, this year’s Lunar New Year break has witnessed a notable increase in travel. Railway authorities reported 230 million train trips during the peak travel period from January 26 to February 14.
A total of 480 million trips are projected for the entire 40-day travel season, surpassing the 348 million trips in 2023 and the 410 million trips in 2019 before the pandemic.