China to see significant decline in passenger traffic during Labor Day holiday

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China is expected to see notable drops in passenger traffic for the upcoming Labor Day holiday amid measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, authorities said Thursday.

A total of 100 million passengers are expected to travel during the five-day holiday from April 30 to May 4, slumping 62 percent from a year earlier, said Zhou Min, an official with the Ministry of Transport.

From April 28 to May 5, the country is expected to see around 32 million railway passengers, also a relatively low level, China Railway said.

The railway authorities will provide support for both passenger and freight transportation to ensure safe travel and stable economic operation during the holiday, the company said.

The sporadic COVID-19 resurgence since March has discouraged travel from one province to another. Citizens are required not to travel to areas designated as high-risk or medium-risk for COVID-19 during the holiday.