China aims for smooth travel during National Day holiday

Tourists visit the Qianmen Street and the Zhengyang Gate arrow tower in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China is making multipronged efforts to ensure safe and smooth trips for passengers during the upcoming National Day holiday, the Ministry of Transport said on Friday.

In the country, the annual National Day holiday is marked by mass family reunions and a surge in travel. This year, the country's transport sector is expected to handle over 1.9 billion passenger trips nationwide during the week-long holiday starting on Oct. 1, said Vice Minister Li Yang during a press conference.

This translates to a daily average of 277 million passenger trips during the holiday, a 19.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019, according to Li.

Specifically, Li noted that over 80 percent of these trips are expected to be made by private vehicles, while also anticipating a rising demand for mid- and long-distance travel.

Since 2012, China has waived tolls for passenger cars during major holidays, including the Spring Festival, the Tomb-Sweeping Day, the Labor Day and the National Day. The policy has significantly stimulated demand for holiday road trips.

This policy will remain effective during this year's National Day holiday to enhance passengers' travel experience, Li said, adding that efforts will also be made to improve facilities and services at highway rest areas.

For instance, transport authorities nationwide are accelerating the installation of charging facilities to accommodate the country's growing number of new-energy vehicles.

A case in point is the southwest province of Sichuan, where 98.3 percent of highway rest areas had been equipped with charging poles as of August 2024, providing an overall capacity of 190,000 kilowatts.

Given the length of the holiday, cross-regional travel is expected to be prevalent during the period, with popular destinations including Beijing, Shanxi, Sichuan and Xinjiang, Li said.

Fueled by the recent blockbuster video game "Black Myth: Wukong," north China's Shanxi has seen a phenomenal travel boom as it is home to many of the stunning locations featured in the game. Highway travel routes encompassing many of these locations, including ancient temples, towers and pagodas, have gone viral online.

To ensure safe and smooth road transport, the local transport department has overhauled roads and transport facilities around popular tourist spots to eliminate safety risks. It has also worked with traffic bureaus to create contingency plans in case of congestion.

At the national level, Li said that the transport ministry has provided targeted instructions for local departments nationwide on developing strategies to maximize transport capacity ahead of the tourist influx.

In terms of public transport, efforts are underway to further streamline the ticket purchasing process, especially for the elderly and foreign passengers, Li added.

China's passenger transport has been robust since the beginning of this year, with nearly 44 billion passenger trips recorded during the first eight months. The figure marked a 6.1 percent increase from the same period last year, according to data from the transport ministry.