Extra capacity aids return travel peak

China's transport system encountered one of its heaviest challenges of the year as the May Day holiday drew to a close on Tuesday, with railways, highways, airports and urban transit networks mobilizing extra capacity to help millions of travelers return home safely and smoothly.

The five-day break generated strong demand for family visits, tourism, concerts and short-distance leisure trips, creating heavy passenger flows across major intercity corridors. Transport authorities have rolled out coordinated measures, from additional trains and extended subway services to highway traffic management and last-mile urban transport links, to support the holiday economy and keep the return rush orderly.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Transport projected more than 1.52 billion cross-regional trips would be recorded between Friday and Tuesday, with average daily trips reaching 305 million, up 4 percent from the same period last year.

Cross-regional passenger movement was expected to reach 290 million trips by Tuesday, down 3.1 percent from Monday but up 8 percent year-on-year, the ministry said.

Railway passenger trips were expected to reach 23 million on Tuesday, up 12.8 percent from the previous day and 9 percent year-on-year. Road travel remained the dominant mode, with 263.7 million passenger trips expected, up 8 percent year-on-year. Civil aviation was expected to handle 2.3 million passenger trips, while waterway passenger trips were forecast at 1.04 million.

The return rush gained momentum on Monday, when China recorded 299 million cross-regional trips, up 6.1 percent from the year prior.

Railway services have played a particularly prominent role in handling the holiday travel peak. China State Railway Group, the national railway operator, said on Tuesday that the national railway network had handled 117 million passenger trips since the May Day holiday transport period began on April 29. On Monday alone, 20.38 million passenger trips were made by rail, with operations remaining safe, stable and orderly.

The return flow continued to rise on Tuesday, when the national railway network was expected to handle 23 million passenger trips and add 2,225 passenger trains, the company said.

Ticketing data from the official 12306 platform showed that Beijing, Guangzhou in Guangdong province and Chengdu in Sichuan province were among the most popular departure cities on Tuesday. Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai were among the top arrival cities.

Zhang Meng, who was traveling back to Beijing from Liaoning with his son, said the additional trains turned what could have been a stressful return journey into a smooth trip.

"Our schedule changed at the last minute, and I thought it would be almost impossible to find high-speed train tickets back to Beijing during the holiday peak," he said. "I had even prepared my child for the possibility that we might have to stay in Liaoning province one more night."

After railway authorities added three high-speed trains, Zhang and several friends traveling together were able to buy tickets and return to Beijing as planned.

"The carriages were full, but the trip was well organized," Zhang said. "For passengers like us, those extra trains really mattered."

Railway stations have also improved on-site services. Beijing Railway Station opened fast-track channels for passengers in a hurry and those needing assistance, while Beijing South Railway Station activated a taxi dispatch area at its south exit.

The holiday also showed how transport services are increasingly linked with tourism and consumption. In Shanxi province, extra trains were arranged to support performances and cultural events in Taiyuan and Datong, including customized "fan trains" for concertgoers.

Beijing, a major destination for returning travelers, has also launched a package of measures to handle the holiday-end peak.

The city has adopted tailored traffic management plans for key expressways, strengthened road network monitoring and coordination, increased emergency rescue resources, and worked with police and expressway operators to improve traffic flow at checkpoints entering Beijing.

The return peak followed earlier forecasts of record May Day travel demand. Gao Bo, deputy director of the transport services department of the Ministry of Transport, said about 1.52 billion cross-regional trips were expected during the five-day holiday, up 4 percent year-on-year.

Road travel was expected to account for 91.6 percent of the total, with daily expressway traffic reaching about 64 million vehicle trips. Railways and civil aviation were also forecast to operate at high levels.