Saturday marked the final day of the Spring Festival holiday in China, igniting a massive return rush as millions of people journey back to their places of work or home across the country.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the peak number of vehicles on highways was expected to reach 65.2 million between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, approximately 1.75 times the average traffic volume during the Spring Festival period. This surge is attributed to the high level of cross-regional passenger flow as holidaymakers return.
Transportation departments nationwide, including railway, road, and aviation sectors, have implemented multiple measures to ensure the smooth transit of passengers. Enhanced services and increased capacity aim to accommodate the significant uptick in travelers.
On Friday, Zhengzhou East Railway Station in central China’s Henan Province dispatched 799 trains, carrying 150,000 passengers, as reported by China Media Group (CMG). As of Saturday, tickets from Zhengzhou East Railway Station to major cities such as Wuhan, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou were sold out.
In Hubei Province, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport continued to operate at high capacity, handling 702 flights and 105,000 passengers in a single day on Thursday. The railways also witnessed a significant increase in return passenger traffic. Wuhan Railway Station operated 568 trains on Friday, transporting 838,000 passengers, according to CMG.
The Spring Festival period also saw the film industry breaking records, although detailed figures were not immediately available. The holiday season is traditionally a peak time for cinema attendance in China, contributing significantly to yearly box office totals.
As the nation wraps up the week-long holiday, the transportation networks are demonstrating resilience and efficiency in managing one of the world’s largest human migrations, ensuring that millions reach their destinations safely and on time.
Reference(s):
Spring Festival return rush underway, film industry breaks records
cgtn.com
