Chinese people have shown a strong desire to travel during the 3-day Qingming Festival holiday, which ends on Saturday, handling more than 750 million cross-regional trips.
According to the Ministry of Transport, it is estimated that the total cross-regional travel volume is expected to reach 753 million trips, averaging 251 million trips per day. This marks a 56.1 percent increase in daily travel volume compared to the same period in 2023 and a 20.9 percent increase compared to 2019.
Specifically, railway passenger traffic is projected to reach 49.7 million trips, averaging 16.6 million people per day, reflecting a 75.3 percent increase compared to last year and a 20.7 percent increase compared to 2019.
Road passenger flow is estimated to be about 696 million trips, averaging 232 million trips per day, showing a 55.1 percent increase compared to 2023 and a 21.8 percent increase compared to 2019.
Waterway passenger traffic is projected to be about 2.8 million trips, averaging 930,000 trips per day, reflecting an 84.5 percent increase compared to 2023 and a 50.2 percent decrease compared to 2019.
Air passenger traffic is estimated to reach 5.1 million trips, averaging 1.7 million per day, showing a 23.6 percent increase compared to 2023 and a 1.7 percent increase compared to 2019.
The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day Festival, is expected to generate strong demand for travel related to family visits, ancestral remembrance, outings, and tourism.
The Qingming Festival traditionally involves honoring ancestors and enjoying outdoor activities, leading to this significant rise in travel demand across China.