China expects record-breaking inter-regional trips in Spring Festival travel rush

BEIJING -- The inter-regional passenger trips across China during the 2026 Spring Festival travel rush, also known as chunyun, are expected to reach a record high, according to a meeting held on Wednesday.

During the 40-day travel rush, which runs from Feb 2 to March 13, the national railway network is projected to handle 539 million passenger trips, representing a 5 percent increase from the 2025 Spring Festival travel rush, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. said.

China's civil aviation sector is estimated to manage a record number of 95 million passenger trips during the period, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Road trips are expected to lead China's upcoming Spring Festival travel rush, the meeting noted, adding that effective measures need to be taken to ensure smooth traffic flow, maintain safety, and mitigate the impact of extreme weather.