China is preparing for what officials say will be the busiest Spring Festival travel season in history, with 9.5 billion passenger trips expected over the 40-day period known as chunyun.
The travel rush will begin next Monday and run through March 13. With the official Chinese New Year holiday period for mainland residents set from February 15 to 23, people will enjoy nine consecutive days off, which is longer than usual.
At a press briefing yesterday, the National Development and Reform Commission outlined measures to handle the surge.
Li Chunlin, deputy head of the NDRC, said self-driving trips will remain dominant, accounting for about 80 percent of the journeys.
Railways are projected to carry 540 million passengers, while airlines anticipate 95 million – both figures likely to set new records.
Li highlighted emerging travel trends, including more parents visiting children, “reverse travel” patterns, and a growing mix of family visits followed by leisure trips.
To meet surging demand, authorities pledged to expand transport capacity, enhance safety measures, and improve services, while preparing for possible disruptions from cold weather.
Between February 15 and 23, cars with seven seats or fewer can use national expressways toll-free.
Officials also reminded travelers to buy tickets only through official channels, stressing that railway operators have not partnered with any third-party platforms offering so-called “ticket-snatching tools.”
