China expects record trips over May Day holiday

China is expected to see record travel demand during the upcoming May Day holiday, with cross-regional trips, daily passenger flows and expressway traffic all forecast to reach new highs for the same period, transport authorities said on Tuesday.

About 1.52 billion cross-regional trips are expected during the five-day holiday from May 1 to 5, averaging 304 million trips per day, up 4 percent year-on-year, Gao Bo, deputy director of the transport services department of the Ministry of Transport, said at a news conference in Beijing.

"The May Day holiday is expected to see strong demand for tourism, family visits and leisure travel, with several key transport indicators reaching record highs for the same period," Gao said.

The first day of the holiday is expected to bring the strongest travel demand, with cross-regional trips projected to reach 344 million, up 3.3 percent from a year earlier. Nationwide expressway traffic is forecast to hit 70 million vehicle trips that day, up 3.5 percent and a record high for the May Day holiday period.

Road travel will remain dominant, accounting for about 91.6 percent of all cross-regional passenger movement, he said. Average daily expressway traffic is expected to reach about 64 million vehicle trips.

The growing popularity of self-driving trips, particularly among owners of new energy vehicles, is also reshaping holiday mobility. The ministry expects an average of about 15.4 million new energy vehicle trips on expressways each day, accounting for 24 percent of total expressway traffic and marking a year-on-year increase of 33 percent.

Railways and civil aviation are also expected to operate at high levels, with passenger trips forecast to reach 107 million and 11.75 million, respectively.

Yang Liang, deputy director of the ministry's highway bureau, said generally favorable weather is expected to further release tourism demand and keep expressway traffic high throughout the holiday.

"Expressway traffic may reach a record high for the May Day holiday period, while the number of new energy vehicles on expressways is expected to grow significantly," Yang said. "Roads and toll stations near popular tourist cities and scenic areas are also likely to face relatively heavy pressure."

The ministry said roads around cities such as Beijing, Chengdu in Sichuan province and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province may face heavier pressure due to concentrated tourism flows.

To cope with the peak, transport authorities will conduct advance assessments and daily dynamic reviews of potentially congested road sections, with tailored plans for each section. For popular scenic areas and nearby toll stations, authorities will coordinate with culture and tourism departments to develop targeted measures.

"We will adopt tailored measures for each congested road section and each key scenic-area access point," Yang said. "Through information guidance, on-site diversion and remote traffic management, we aim to improve the travel experience for the public."

Charging services for new energy vehicles will also be strengthened. The ministry said it has guided local authorities to accelerate the construction of charging facilities and put additional charging piles into operation before the holiday.

During the holiday, busy service areas will use measures such as mobile charging equipment, improved queue management and guidance to nearby charging sites to ease waiting times. Yang also advised new energy vehicle drivers to fully charge their cars before departure.

The ministry will also release timely updates on weather warnings, road controls, traffic conditions and service-area charging availability to help travelers plan their journeys.

The pressure is also reflected at major transport hubs. Beijing Capital International Airport said it expects to handle 1.023 million passenger trips during the holiday, or an average of 204,500 per day, with 6,160 flights scheduled.

Li Guangxi, an operations duty supervisor at the airport's operations control center, said the airport's outbound travel peak is expected on May 1, with about 224,500 passenger trips and 1,296 flight movements. The return peak is expected on May 5, with about 223,500 passenger trips and 1,285 flight movements.

Popular domestic destinations from the airport include Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, while Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore and Bangkok are among the favored international and regional destinations.