BEIJING: Chinese state television CCTV reported that approximately 80% of the 9 billion trips during the upcoming travel season will be self-driving road trips, marking a record. The remaining journeys will be divided between rail, air, and water transport.
Friday alone witnessed nearly 11 million train trips, the primary mode of transportation in China.
Over the 40-day period, a total of 480 million trips will be undertaken nationwide, indicating a 38% increase from 2023 and a 17% rise from 2019, pre-pandemic.
The demand for both railway and air travel surged on the first day of the travel rush, leading to challenges in securing train tickets, despite China boasting the world’s largest high-speed network.
Miranda Guo, a 25-year-old cartoonist from a Hangzhou-based Chinese technology firm, shared her experience of securing a seat on a bullet train to Jinan.
However, this was only possible after paying an additional 60 yuan, equivalent to 13% of the ticket price, for an “accelerator package” offered by third-party booking apps.
Guo mentioned the difficulty in obtaining tickets this year, with many colleagues facing similar challenges and being placed on waiting lists.
According to CCTV, air passenger trips are anticipated to reach 2 million on Friday, with the total number of air trips during this year’s travel rush expected to soar to 80 million, as reported by China’s aviation regulator.
Major airports in Beijing and Shanghai are preparing for heavy crowds, with a projected 57.6% surge in passenger traffic at Shanghai’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports and a more than 60% increase at Beijing’s airports.
International travel is also expected to rise during the travel peak. Chinese aviation authorities have organized over 2,500 additional international flights to destinations in Asia, including Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea.
Additional rail and flight services have been arranged for popular domestic tourism.
