Holiday tourists head home

Several government departments have intensified efforts to ensure safe, efficient return journeys for hundreds of millions of travelers across the nation as China's weeklong National Day holiday wrapped up on Monday.

The national railway operator China State Railway Group said early on Monday that it expected to facilitate approximately 19.86 million passenger trips on the last day of the holiday. In anticipation, authorities added 1,705 trains to meet demand on Monday, putting a total of 13,103 trains into operation — a record high for a single day.

In the lead-up to Monday's rush, railways saw robust travel, with 18.52 million passenger trips recorded on Sunday, an 8.6 percent year-on-year increase.

As of 9 am on Monday, the 12306 railway ticketing system reported a staggering 164 million tickets sold during the holiday period, evidence of the nation's strong appetite for domestic travel.

Roads were also really busy, with the Ministry of Public Security's Traffic Management Bureau noting elevated traffic on major highways throughout the holiday and monitoring revealing a consistent high volume of vehicles compared to previous years.

The return traffic rush began on Saturday and grew heavier on Sunday and Monday, according to the Ministry of Transport. It said on Monday that an impressive 278.76 million cross-regional trips were made across the country on Sunday — up 5.2 percent year-on-year and 24.8 percent higher than the same period in 2019, before the COVID-19 epidemic.

To help ensure travelers return smoothly and safely, local authorities have implemented various measures.

In Beijing and Shanghai, additional metro services were operated on Sunday and Monday to manage the influx of passengers from transportation hubs such as railway stations. In Shenzhen, Guangdong province, late-night bus services ran overnight to accommodate late arrivals at Shenzhen North Railway Station.

Railway departments also enhanced travel experiences.

At Yingtan and Yingtan North railway stations in Jiangxi province, travelers can use self-service express cabinets to mail items they cannot take on the train. Moreover, many train stations in Jiangxi and Fujian provinces have set up lost-and-found areas and are offering a convenient delivery service for those looking to reclaim such items.

Weather conditions across the country also presented a variety of challenges for returning travelers. The Central Meteorological Administration warned of moderate to heavy rainfall expected in regions such as the Xizang autonomous region, as well as the provinces of Fujian, Sichuan and Yunnan, which could complicate travel, particularly for drivers in the southern parts of the country.

Travelers are advised to stay informed about weather updates and road conditions along their routes.