This year’s Spring Festival Transport has officially begun, with the number of cross-regional personnel movements across the country expected to reach 9 billion. The travel period will last for 40 days, from January 26 to March 5, and will see a significant rebound in commercial passenger traffic on railways, highways, waterways, and civil aviation.
The overflow of people returning home, visiting relatives, students, and tourists has already resulted in crowded train stations, airports, and passenger transport hubs in various places. The flow of passengers has increased, with sights of New Year decorations and a vibrant atmosphere of Spring Festival travel.
The Vice Minister of Transport, Li Yang, announced that travel demand during the Spring Festival this year is expected to further increase, with a total volume of commercial passenger traffic exceeding 1.8 billion, marking a 40% increase from the previous year. Self-driving travel is also anticipated to reach a record high, accounting for 80% of all trips taken during the Spring Festival holiday.
The increase in travel volume also presents greater challenges for transportation and logistics, including ensuring smooth traffic and coordinating the transportation of essential materials such as food, energy supplies, and spring plowing preparations.
In response to the significant passenger flows, the Ministry of Transport and other departments have ramped up efforts to ensure capacity assurance, safety management, and emergency response to guarantee the safe travel of the public.
The China Railway Group expects to carry 480 million passengers during the Spring Festival travel period, with an average of 12 million passengers per day, marking a 37.9% increase compared to the previous year. Similarly, civil aviation is projected to see a record high of 80 million passengers during the festival.
To facilitate travel convenience, new measures have been introduced, such as a special ticket reservation area for students and migrant workers on the railway 12306 mobile client, as well as the launch of the “e-Road Smooth” WeChat applet to assist self-driving passengers.
In efforts to upgrade services and ensure a warm travel experience, various departments have implemented innovative measures and introduced heartwarming services. From specially prepared activities at train stations to the provision of free city tours for transit passengers and the introduction of Spring Festival-themed in-flight services, passengers can expect a more thoughtful and enjoyable journey.
As the Spring Festival transport period progresses, authorities are committed to managing the surge in passenger flow, ensuring smooth traffic, and providing attentive services, ultimately striving for a safe, smooth, and warm Spring Festival for all travelers across the country.