China prepares for surge in passenger traffic during 2024 Spring Festival

Passenger traffic during China's annual Spring Festival travel rush will likely see a massive increase in 2024, according to the Ministry of Transport.

The travel rush, usually a period of high transportation demand as people return home for family reunions, will last from January 26 to March 5 this year. The eight-day 2024 Spring Festival holiday from February 10 to 17 will last one day longer than the previous ones.

According to a plan on ensuring effective transportation in this period recently issued by the ministry and other relevant authorities, cross-regional passenger flow and driving trips are likely to reach record highs, which might bring more pressure to transportation and logistics networks during the period, said the ministry on Friday. 

The ministry will strengthen passenger flow monitoring, bolster transport capabilities in railway, highway, waterway, civil aviation, express delivery and urban passenger transport, and strengthen dynamic monitoring, early warning and research on the impact of various emergencies on the operation of the transportation system to ensure efficient passenger and cargo transport.

A special work team has also been established by the Ministry of Transport along with various departments to secure transport and work safety during the travel rush. 

The Civil Aviation Administration of China predicted on Monday that air passenger trips during the travel rush will hit 80 million, an increase of almost 10 percent over the pre-pandemic level. The authorities expect northeast Heilongjiang Province, northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and southern Hainan Province to be among the top destinations. 

"We estimate air passenger volume to hit 80 million trips during this period, a year-on-year increase of 44.9 percent. The number is expected to reach a new historical high," said Liang Nan, director of Department of Transport, Civil Aviation Administration of China. 

"From the international market, we believe a short-term travel peak will be observed. And Japan, South Korea as well as countries in the Southeast Asian region will be the top destinations for Chinese people to travel abroad. During this period, we believe the number of daily passenger flights will hit 16,500, seeing a year-on-year increase of 24 percent. And it will reach roughly the same level compared with the pre-pandemic condition," Liu added. 

(With input from Xinhua)