China Prepares for 2.78 Billion Holiday Trips Across Autumn Travel Peak

China's transport authorities forecast 650 million inter-regional trips during the Mid-Autumn Festival and another 2.13 billion during the National Day Golden Week, bringing total holiday mobility to roughly 2.78 billion journeys. Officials from the Ministry of Transport, the National Railway Administration, and the Civil Aviation Administration announced coordinated measures on September 24 to manage heavy passenger flows and an unprecedented surge in electric vehicle travel. Key preparations include dynamic rail schedules of 13,000 daily trains, targeted highway charging plans, and integrated parcel shipping services to alleviate congestion across regional networks.

The back-to-back Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays serve as a critical barometer for Chinese domestic consumer demand, tourism vitality, and inter-city mobility in the fourth quarter. With more than 2.7 billion cross-regional trips anticipated, the travel period tests the resilience of China's transport grids and highlights evolving travel patterns, particularly the rising strain placed on highway power grids by widespread electric vehicle adoption.

China is bracing for an estimated 2.78 billion inter-regional passenger trips during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday period, according to figures released by transport authorities at a State Council Information Office briefing. Speaking at the press conference, Vice Minister of Transport Li Yang reported that the Mid-Autumn Festival alone is expected to see 650 million cross-regional passenger journeys, averaging roughly 220 million trips per day. Travel during this shorter holiday will primarily comprise short-distance family visits, suburban excursions, and rural tourism. In contrast, the subsequent week-long National Day holiday is projected to generate 2.13 billion trips, sustained by long-distance tourism. Li noted that because the two holidays are separated by only three working days, many citizens are taking annual leave to create an extended 13-day holiday. This unusual calendar alignment has altered travel behavior, boosting demand for long-haul routes and road trips. A significant operational focus this year is the surging volume of new-energy vehicles (NEVs). According to transport ministry forecasts, daily highway NEV traffic during National Day will average more than 1.6 times normal levels, reaching a peak of approximately 17.8 million electric vehicles on the holiday's first day. To prevent charging bottlenecks, transport departments are rolling out targeted 'one-area, one-policy' charging plans, dispatching mobile charging units to critical rest stops, and improving real-time charger availability data. Public transit networks are similarly expanding capacity. Wang Qiming, deputy head of the National Railway Administration, stated that national railways anticipate carrying 284 million passenger trips across the combined holiday window. Rail operators plan to run an average of 13,000 passenger trains daily under a peak timetable, deploying additional rolling stock and adding carriages to high-demand routes. Air travel is also expected to break previous records. Civil Aviation Administration of China Deputy Director Ma Bing estimated that 31.19 million passengers will travel by air between September 25 and October 7, representing a 3.6 percent year-on-year increase and an average of 2.4 million daily journeys. Single-day volume could exceed 2.6 million travelers at its peak. Complementing passenger services, the State Post Bureau is promoting integrated shipping services to support tourism. With parcel collection averaging 585 million items daily in September, postal networks will offer direct on-site parcel delivery from scenic spots, encouraging travelers to mail retail purchases and luggage directly home.